Carrie Preston

Carrie Preston

#130297
ActressProducerDirector
Born
June 21, null
Awards
7 wins, 28 nominations

Carrie Preston continues to reprise her Emmy Award-winning role as the astute but unconventional attorney 'Elsbeth Tascioni' in the hit CBS series, Elsbeth. The beloved character was first introduced in the acclaimed series The Good Wife on the network and appeared in The Good Fight on Paramount+.…

Biography

Carrie Preston continues to reprise her Emmy Award-winning role as the astute but unconventional attorney 'Elsbeth Tascioni' in the hit CBS series, Elsbeth. The beloved character was first introduced in the acclaimed series The Good Wife on the network and appeared in The Good Fight on Paramount+. Elsbeth premiered to rave reviews with New York Times stating Carrie "reigns as the queen of quirk." The successful series has been picked up for a third season, which she is set to also produce.

Preston spent four seasons starring as Polly in the TNT series, Claws. Prior to that, she played Arlene Fowler for seven seasons on HBO's true Blood, while also recurring for five seasons on the Network's Person of Interest, playing the love interest to her real-life husband, Michael Emerson. Other major TV series include the co-leading role in the NBC sitcom Crowded, ABC's LGBTQ rights-driven miniseries When We Rise, and arcs opposite Hank Azaria in Brockmire and Joshua Jackson in Dr. Death. Her extensive list of guest star appearances includes ABC's Lost and Desperate Housewives.

Carrie made her feature film debut in Julia Robert's blockbuster "My Best Friends' Wedding" and other notable film roles include scene-stealing roles in "Duplicity," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," the Oscar-nominated "Transamerica" (as Felicity Huffman's sister), "That Evening Sun" with Hal Holbrook, with Joe Cole in "One of These Days" and "To The Bone" with Keanu Reeves and Lily Collins. She played Kevin Bacon's wife in two films: the Kyra Sedgwick-helmed "Space Oddity" and "They/Them." She received praise for her role opposite Paul Giamatti in Alexander Payne's Oscar-winning film, "The Holdovers".

Trained at Juilliard, Carrie made her Broadway debut playing Miranda to Patrick Stewart's Prospero in "The Tempest" and later played Honey with Stewart and Mercedes Ruehl in "Who's Afraid of Virgnia Woolf?" at The Guthrie Theater. Other stage work includes "Festen" with Jeremy Sisto and Julianna Margulies, "The Rivals," "Antony and Cleopatra" with Vanessa Redgrave, and playing Mia Farrow's daughter in James Lapine's "Fran's Bed."

Carrie is also a sought-after director. Television credits include two episodes of THE Good Fight, two episodes of Showtime's Your Honor, and two episodes of claws, in which she also starred. She also directed the Sundance Film Festival feature "That's What She Said" starring the late Anne Heche, Marcia DeBonis, and Alia Shawkat.

Carrie lives in New York City with her husband Michael and their adopted dog, Chumley. In her free time, Carrie supports LGBTQIA+ rights and GLAAD, is an honorary board member for the new play development organization, The New Harmony Project, and is a supporter of Parkinson's Research while also working with the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Actress

ElsbethElsbeth(2024)as Elsbeth Tascioni
The HoldoversThe Holdovers(2023)as Miss Lydia Crane
The Good FightThe Good Fight(2017)as Elsbeth Tascioni
They/ThemThey/Them(2022)as Cora
Space OdditySpace Oddity(2022)as Jane McAllister

Editor

29th & Gay29th & Gay(2005)

Self

Etalk DailyEtalk Daily(2002)as Self
The 31st Annual Critics' Choice AwardsThe 31st Annual Critics' Choice Awards(2026)as Self - Nominee
TV We LoveTV We Love(2025)as Self - Interviewee
Tamron HallTamron Hall(2019)as Self
Entertainment TonightEntertainment Tonight(1981)as Self

Archive Footage

Entertainment TonightEntertainment Tonight(1981)as Self
ABC News BreakfastABC News Breakfast(2008)as Self - Actor, My Best Friend's Wedding
Person of InterestPerson of Interest(2011)as Grace Hendricks
Lost: Destiny CallsLost: Destiny Calls(2009)as Emily Linus

Known for

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Photos 171

Carrie Preston in Claws (2017)Niecy Nash, Carrie Preston, Judy Reyes, Jenn Lyon, and Karrueche Tran in Claws (2017)Carrie Preston in The Good Wife (2009)Carrie Preston in True Blood (2008)Carrie Preston in True Blood (2008)Carrie Preston

Credit Score: Carrie Preston

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Elsbeth Tascioni
Wed Sep 22 2010 – Sun May 08 2016
#NameScoreYearWinNomKnownWinsNomsVotes
1The Good Wife5000.0020098.354389219
2True Blood24.0020087.9116271103
3The Holdovers5.2020237.915249789
4Claws4.8820177.5007583
5Vicky Cristina Barcelona3.6020087.111280569
6To the Bone2.5020176.70059266
7Elsbeth1.9520247.50018503
8Doubt1.5020087.505146857
9Transamerica1.5020067.30243308
105 Flights Up1.3020156.20011910