Kathryn Elsbeth Erbe[2] (born July 5, 1965) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Alexandra Eames on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, a spin-off of Law & Order, and Shirley Bellinger in the HBO series Oz.

Kathryn Erbe
Erbe in 2016
Born
Kathryn Elsbeth Erbe

(1965-07-05) July 5, 1965 (age 58)[1]
EducationNew York University
OccupationActress
Years active1989–present
Spouse
(m. 1993; div. 2006)
Children2

Early life

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Erbe was born in Newton, Massachusetts, the daughter of Elsbeth and Richard Erbe. She graduated from New York University (NYU) in 1989.[3]

Career

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While an undergraduate student at NYU, Erbe was cast as the daughter of Lynn Redgrave's character on the sitcom Chicken Soup. She later became a member of Steppenwolf Theatre Company and has starred in many of their productions, including A Streetcar Named Desire, Curse of the Starving Class, and The Grapes of Wrath, which ran for six months and won the 1990 Tony Award for Best Play. Erbe earned a Tony Award nomination in 1991 for her portrayal of Mary in The Speed of Darkness.[4][citation needed]

Erbe starred in such films as What About Bob?, Stir of Echoes, Rich in Love,[5] and the independent films Dream with the Fishes, Love from Ground Zero, and Entropy. She played opposite David Caruso in Kiss of Death. She portrayed Shirley Bellinger on the HBO series Oz. She made a guest appearance on Homicide: Life on the Street in 1997. From 2001 to early 2010, she starred as Detective Alexandra Eames on the NBC/USA Network series Law & Order: Criminal Intent, alongside Vincent D'Onofrio.

In 2010, both Erbe and D'Onofrio left Criminal Intent.[6] Erbe signed on to reprise the role of Detective Eames for the eight-episode final season of the series, joining Vincent D'Onofrio, who had already signed up to return as Detective Robert Goren.[7] She has reprised the role in guest appearances on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2014, Erbe appeared in an episode of Last Week Tonight parodying her role on Law & Order: Criminal Intent. She also played Fay Ambrose, the wife of Detective Harry Ambrose, in the USA Network's The Sinner.

Personal life

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Erbe was married to actor Terry Kinney, who also starred in Oz, from 1993 until their divorce in 2006. Together, they have two children.[8]

Filmography

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Film

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YearTitleRoleNotes
1989Runaway DreamsDenise Donaldson
1991What About Bob?Anna Marvin
1993Rich in LoveLucille Odom
1994D2: The Mighty DucksMichele MacKay
1994Breathing LessonsFionaTelevision film
1995The AddictionAnthropology Student
1995Kiss of DeathRosie D'Amico-Kilmartin
1997Dream with the FishesLiz
1997George WallaceMrs. FolsomTelevision film
1998Love from Ground ZeroAlex
1998Naked City: Justice with a BulletSarah TubbsTelevision film
1999EntropyEvan
1999Stir of EchoesMaggie Witzky
2000The RunawayEvelyn CarnesTelevision film
2001Speaking of SexHelen
20103 BackyardsJohn's Wife
2011Mother's HouseCatherineShort film
2011The Love GuideCora
2014Worst FriendsSam's Mom
2015Mistress AmericaStevie Fishko
2017Dating My MotherJoan
2018Alex StrangeloveHelen
2018Assassination NationRebecca Colson
2021The Good HouseWendy Heatherton

Television

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YearTitleRoleNotes
1989Chicken SoupPatricia Reece12 episodes
1997Homicide: Life on the StreetRita HaleEpisode: "All Is Bright"
1998–2003OzShirley Bellinger17 episodes
2001–2011Law & Order: Criminal IntentDet. Alexandra Eames142 episodes
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama
2012–2013Law & Order: Special Victims UnitLt. Alexandra Eames2 episodes
2014Last Week Tonight with John OliverAlexandra EamesEpisode: "Civil Forfeiture"
2015Blue BloodsSharon BennettEpisode: "Unsung Heroes"
2016ElementaryNancy DavenportEpisode: "Miss Taken"
2016ConvictionCarla MacyEpisode: "Bad Deals"
2016American ExperienceLucretia GarfieldEpisode: "Murder of a President"
2017–2018How to Get Away with MurderJacqueline Roa4 episodes: "Lahey v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania", "Live. Live. Live.", "Nobody Roots for Goliath", "Stay Strong, Mama" (Season 4)
2017The SinnerFay Ambrose5 episodes
2018PoseDr. Gottfried2 episodes
2018The GiftedAunt DaneEpisode: "the dreaM"
2019InstinctCaitlyn GerichEpisode: "Big Splash"
2019–2022City on a HillSue Stanton7 episodes
2020The Good FightZoe RedgraveSeason 4 Episode: "The Gang Deals With Alternate Reality"
2021The BlacklistLois2 episodes

Theatre

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YearTitleRoleNotes
1990The Grapes of WrathAggie Wainwright
1991The Speed of DarknessMaryNominated—Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play
1995A Month in the CountryVerochka
2012CheckersPat [9]Vineyard Theater
2015Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, America, Kuwait [10]MomGym at Judson
2016The FatherAnneBroadway: Samuel J. Friedman Theatre

References

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  1. ^ "Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television". Gale in Context: Biography. 60. 2005. Gale K1609018768.
  2. ^ Kathryn Elsbeth Erbe Pictures and Images, GettyImages.com; accessed November 8, 2016.
  3. ^ Borama, Jennifer (July 2, 2018). "10 Things You Didn't Know About Kathryn Erbe". TVOvermind. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  4. ^ Sommers, Michael (March 15, 1991). "The Speed of Darkness". Back Stage. 32 (11). Gale General OneFile: 44. Gale A10529157.
  5. ^ Turbide, Diane (March 8, 1993). "Rich in Love". Maclean's. 106 (10). Gale General OneFile: St. Joseph Media: 55. Gale A13582597.
  6. ^ Robertson, Lindsay. (September 26, 2009). Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe Leaving Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Vulture vertical, New York Archived September 30, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ^ Kathryn Erbe Returns for Final Season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent Archived 2010-10-11 at the Wayback Machine, TVbytheNumbers.Zap2it.com; accessed November 8, 2016.
  8. ^ "Kathryn Erbe Made Better by Motherhood". people.com. OK!. January 18, 2009. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022. My heart grows every day through struggling and love of my kids.
  9. ^ Stasio, Marilyn (November 12, 2012). "Checkers" (Theater review). Variety. Gale General OneFile: Penske Business Media. ISSN 0042-2738. OCLC 810134503. Gale A310867006. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  10. ^ Isherwood, Charles (June 10, 2015). "Review: 'Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, America, Kuwait,' as Grim as It Is Cryptic". New York Times. Gale OneFile: News. p. C1(L). Gale A417436966.
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