Lisa Edelstein facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lisa Edelstein
Edelstein in 2007
Born	(1966-05-21) May 21, 1966 (age 59) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Alma mater	New York University
Occupation	Actress Playwright Artist
Years active	1990–present
Spouse(s)	Robert Russell ​ (m. 2014)​

Lisa Edelstein (born May 21, 1966) is an American actress and artist. She is well-known for her role as Dr. Lisa Cuddy on the TV show House. This medical drama aired on Fox from 2004 to 2011. Later, from 2014 to 2018, Edelstein played Abby McCarthy in the Bravo series Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce.

Early Life and Beginnings

Lisa Edelstein was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She was the youngest of three children in a Jewish family. Her father was a pediatrician, a doctor who cares for children. Lisa grew up in Wayne, New Jersey, and finished high school in 1984.

When she was 16, Edelstein was a cheerleader for the New Jersey Generals. She took part in a protest because the cheerleaders felt they were not treated fairly. She helped organize a walkout to show their concerns.

While living in New York City, she became known in the city's social scene. She was even called New York City’s "Queen of the Night" by a newspaper in 1986.

Acting Career

Early Roles and TV Appearances

In the 1980s, Lisa Edelstein wrote and starred in a musical called Positive Me. This musical was about the growing AIDS crisis. She performed it in New York City and received praise. After that, she hosted MTV’s Awake on the Wild Side for a short time in 1990.

She then started her acting career. Her first movie role was as a make-up artist in Oliver Stone's film The Doors. Soon, she got guest roles in popular TV comedies. These included Mad About You, Wings, and The Larry Sanders Show. She also appeared on Seinfeld, playing George Costanza's girlfriend in two episodes.

Edelstein picketed during the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike, which halted the production of House.

Bigger roles in TV dramas followed. She played a sister on ABC's Relativity in 1996. She also played a transgender woman on Ally McBeal in 2000. She was also Ben Covington's girlfriend on Felicity in 2001. Edelstein also had guest roles on shows like ER, Frasier, and Without a Trace. She also appeared in movies such as What Women Want and Daddy Day Care.

Starring in House and Beyond

From 2004 to 2011, Edelstein played Dr. Lisa Cuddy on the Fox TV series House. Dr. Cuddy was the Dean of Medicine at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. She was often an opponent, friend, and later girlfriend of the main character, Gregory House (Hugh Laurie). Edelstein has often said she enjoyed her time on the show. She also valued her friendship and working relationship with Hugh Laurie.

In May 2011, Edelstein announced she would not return for the final season of House. In June 2011, she joined the cast of The Good Wife. She played a lawyer named Celeste Serrano. In 2013, she guest-starred in Scandal. She also appeared in three episodes of the ABC series Castle.

In 2014, Edelstein got the main role of Abby McCarthy in the Bravo series Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce. This show was about the lives of women who were newly divorced and in their middle years. The series ran for five seasons. During this time, she also became a producer, writer, and director for the show.

In 2018, Edelstein joined the cast of ABC's The Good Doctor. She played Dr. Marina Blaize in a recurring role. This show reunited her with House creator David Shore. She also worked again with Richard Schiff, who played her father on Relativity.

Edelstein also joined The Kominsky Method, a Netflix series. She played a character who was the daughter of Alan Arkin's character. She worked with actors like Michael Douglas and Paul Reiser. She also reunited with Rob Lowe on the ABC drama series 9-1-1: Lone Star. She played his ex-wife, Gwyneth Morgan. In the Canadian TV drama Little Bird, she played an adopted mother. This show was nominated for many awards.

Lisa Edelstein is also a voice actress. She has voiced characters like Mercy Graves in the DC Animated Universe. She also voiced Sharri Rothberg in American Dad! and Kya in The Legend of Korra.

Other Activities

Edelstein supports the Best Friends Animal Society. She is an ambassador for the organization. She also supports groups that work for human rights and is a patron of the arts. She has appeared in many magazines. She also posed for PETA in an advertisement to promote vegetarianism. She has been a vegetarian for most of her life.

Artistic Pursuits

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Edelstein started to sketch and paint. She began using magic markers. Her artist husband, Robert Russell, suggested she try watercolors as her artwork grew larger. Edelstein's art is inspired by old family photographs. She finds these photos show "unintended moments, telling unintended truths."

Personal Life

Lisa Edelstein married artist Robert Russell in Los Angeles on May 25, 2014. She became a stepmother to Russell's two sons from a previous marriage.

Film and Television Roles

Film

Television

Video Games

Podcasts

Awards and Recognitions

Lisa Edelstein has been recognized for her acting with several awards and nominations:

• She was nominated by the Screen Actors Guild for her work on House in 2009.
• She also received nominations for her role in The Kominsky Method in 2020 and 2022.

Edelstein has won the International Press Academy's Satellite Awards:

• In 2005, she won for Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series for House.
• In 2021, she won again for Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series for The Kominsky Method.

In 2011, she won the People's Choice Award for Best Drama Actress in a TV Series. This was for her portrayal of Dr. Lisa Cuddy on House.

Edelstein has also won the Women's Image Network Awards:

• In 2015, she won for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce.
• She won the same award again in 2016 for Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce.

See also

In Spanish: Lisa Edelstein para niños