Julianne Nicholson
Julianne Nicholson (born July 1, 1971) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in the film August: Osage County (2013), as well as the television series Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2006–2009), Masters of Sex (2011–2013), and Mare of Easttown (2021), the lattermost of which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award.[1][2]
Julianne Nicholson | |
|---|---|
 Nicholson at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival | |
| Born | July 1, 1971 Medford, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2 |
Nicholson's other notable credits include Tully (2000), Ally McBeal (2001–2002), Kinsey (2004), Conviction (2006), Boardwalk Empire (2011–2013), Black Mass (2015), I, Tonya (2017), Togo (2019), and The Outsider (2020).
Early life
Nicholson was born and raised in Medford, Massachusetts (outside Boston), the daughter of Kate (née Gilday) and James O. Nicholson Jr. She is the eldest of four children.[3]
After graduating from Arlington Catholic High School, she modeled in New York for six months, quit for a year, then resumed her modeling career in Paris for another six months. After returning to New York, she attended Hunter College as a general studies major for two years. While in New York, Nicholson supported herself by waitressing and eventually left school to study acting and begin her professional career.[4]
Career
Film
In her first feature film role, Nicholson starred opposite Michael Caine and James Spader in the Peter Yates film Curtain Call. Later she won what proved to be both her breakthrough and favorite role as a headstrong young feminist in Peter Chan's The Love Letter. She has worked with other international directors in films such Alain Berliner's Passion of Mind, and Nick Hurran's Little Black Book. Nicholson's domestic drama credits include William Vincent, Staten Island, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, Tully, Kinsey, and August: Osage County, for which the ensemble cast was nominated for several awards. Her domestic comedy credits include Seeing Other People and Puccini For Beginners.
Television
Among Nicholson's television credits are a supporting role in the television miniseries Storm of the Century and guest-starring roles in ER and Law & Order. She was tapped by Steven Spielberg for the lead role in the paranormal drama The Others. In late 2001, Nicholson became one of the main cast members of the hit show Ally McBeal, portraying Jenny Shaw for 13 episodes. She worked on the medical drama Presidio Med and the HBO pilot Marriage. Julianne worked on the short-lived NBC television drama, Conviction and in what is her best known role, as Megan Wheeler, in the sixth season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent.[5] Nicholson said her favorite Criminal Intent episode was "Weeping Willow".[6] As of the Criminal Intent episode "Major Case", Nicholson departed the series when she went on maternity leave for the birth of her second child (which was written into the show as the birth of her first child).
In 2011, she guest-starred on Royal Pains as "Jess", one of Dr. Lawson's patients, suffering from panic attacks. She also appeared on Boardwalk Empire as the recurring character of U.S. Assistant Attorney General Esther Randolph (a character based on the real life Mabel Walker Willebrandt) that same year. In 2012, she guest-starred on The Good Wife as Callie Simko, an attorney who has an interest in Will Gardner.
On October 16, 2016, Nicholson played the lead role of Sheriff Helen Torrance in USA Network's 10-episode police drama, Eyewitness.
Theater
Nicholson has been in a number of plays in New York. Her work in theater includes plays written by Craig Lucas, Adam Rapp, and Sam Shepard.
Personal life
In 2004, she married British actor Jonathan Cake in Italy; they met playing a couple on an unaired HBO pilot called Marriage. They have two children, son Ignatius Cake[7] and daughter Phoebe Margaret Cake.[8]
Acting credits
 |
Denotes works that have not yet been released |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Harvest | Lou Yates | |
| Long Time Since | Phoebe | ||
| One True Thing | College Student | ||
| It All Came True | Sandra Hewson | ||
| 1999 | The Love Letter | Jennifer McNeely | |
| 2000 | Hero | Young German Woman | Short film |
| Passion of Mind | Kim | ||
| Godass | Nancy | ||
| Tully | Ella Smalley | Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female | |
| 2001 | Dead Dog | Charity | |
| 2002 | Speakeasy | Rebecca | |
| Strike a Light | Girl | ||
| I'm with Lucy | Jo | ||
| 2004 | Seeing Other People | Alice | US Comedy Arts Festival Award for Best Actress |
| Little Black Book | Joyce Moore | ||
| Kinsey | Alice Martin | ||
| 2005 | Seagull | Julianne | |
| Her Name Is Carla | Carla | ||
| 2006 | Flannel Pajamas | Nicole Reilly | |
| Puccini for Beginners | Samantha | ||
| Two Weeks | Emily Bergman | ||
| 2009 | Brief Interviews with Hideous Men | Sara Quinn | |
| Staten Island | Mary Halverson | ||
| 2010 | Shadows and Lies | Ann | |
| 2012 | Keep the Lights On | Claire | |
| 2013 | August: Osage County | Ivy Weston | Hollywood Film Festival for Ensemble of the Year Nominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast Nominated—Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated—Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Acting Ensemble |
| 2015 | Black Mass | Marianne Connolly | |
| Ten Thousand Saints | Harriet Horn | ||
| 2016 | Sophie and the Rising Sun | Sophie Willis | |
| From Nowhere | Jackie | ||
| 2017 | Novitiate | Nora Harris | |
| I, Tonya | Diane Rawlinson | ||
| Who We Are Now | Beth | ||
| 2019 | Monos | Dr. Sara Watson | |
| Togo | Constance Seppala | ||
| Iniciales S.G | Jane | ||
| 2021 | With/In: Volume 2 | Segment: "Touching"; also director | |
| 2022 | Blonde | Post-production | |
| TBA | Weird: The Al Yankovic Story |
Mary Yankovic | Filming |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Nothing Sacred | Cara | Episode: "Parents and Children" |
| 1998 | Dellaventura | Carol Dakin | Episode: "David & Goliath" |
| New York Undercover | Daisy | Episode: "Sign o' the Times" | |
| 1999 | Storm of the Century | Kat Withers | TV miniseries |
| 2000 | The Others | Marian Kitt | Main role (13 episodes) |
| 2001 | Law & Order | Jessie Lucas | Episode: "All My Children" |
| 2001–2002 | Ally McBeal | Jenny Shaw | Main role (13 episodes) |
| 2002 | Presidio Med | Dr. Jules Keating | Main role |
| 2004 | ER | Jordan | Episodes: "Just a Touch", "Abby Normal" |
| 2006 | The Water Is Wide | Barbara | TV film |
| Conviction | Christina Finn | Main role (13 episodes) | |
| 2006–2009 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Det. Megan Wheeler | Main role (Season 6–8) |
| 2011 | Royal Pains | Jess Walsh | Episode: "Fight or Flight" |
| 2011–2013 | Boardwalk Empire | Esther Randolph | Recurring role (11 episodes) |
| 2012 | The Good Wife | Callie Simko | Episodes: "Pants on Fire", "The Penalty Box" |
| Covert Affairs | Anna Lise Pound | Episode: "The Last Thing You Should Do" | |
| 2013–2014 | Masters of Sex | Dr. Lillian DePaul | Recurring role (12 episodes) Nominated—Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series |
| 2014–2015 | The Red Road | Jean Jensen | 12 episodes |
| 2016 | Eyewitness | Sheriff Helen Torrance | Main role (10 episodes) |
| 2017 | Law & Order True Crime | Jill Lansing | Main role |
| 2020 | The Outsider | Glory Maitland | TV miniseries |
| Robot Chicken | (voice) | Episode: "Ghandi Mulholland in: Plastic Doesn't Get Cancer" | |
| 2021 | Mare of Easttown | Lori Ross | TV miniseries Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Nominated—Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television Nominated—Gold Derby TV Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Anthology Series or Television Movie Nominated—Hollywood Critics Association TV Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Movie Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film |
| 2022 | Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty | Cranny McKinney |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Playwright | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Stranger | Craig Lucas | Mark Brokaw | The Vineyard Theater | |
| 2009 | This | Jane | Melissa James Gibson | Daniel Aukin | Playwrights Horizons |
| 2010 | Parents' Evening | Judy | Bathsheba Doran | Jim Simpson | The Flea |
| 2011 | The Hallway Trilogy: Rose | Mary | Adam Rapp | Adam Rapp | Rattlestick Playwrights Theater |
| 2011 | The Hallway Trilogy: Paraffin | Margo | Adam Rapp | Daniel Aukin | Rattlestick Playwrights Theater |
| 2012 | Heartless | Sally | Sam Shepard | Daniel Aukin | Signature Theatre |
References
- Complex, Valerie (September 19, 2021). "Julianne Nicholson Wins Her First Emmy, Tells Kate Winslet "I Owe This To You"". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
- Walsh, Savannah (September 19, 2021). "Mare of Easttown's Julianne Nicholson Upsets Kathryn Hahn at Emmys 2021". Vanity Fair. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
- Lee, Luaine (February 22, 2014). "Julianne Nicholson takes 'The Red Road'". Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- Salkin, Allen (September 25, 2009). "A Night Out With: Julianne Nicholson Takes a Break From Parenting". Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- "The Reel Vincent D'Onofrio Entry Page". Thereelvincentdonofrio.com. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
- "Exclusive interview: Julianne Nicholson, of Law & Order: Criminal Intent." BuddyTV, February 27, 2007. Retrieved on September 8, 2008.
- "Julianne Nicholson Expecting Second Child Celebrity Baby Blog". December 18, 2008. Archived from the original on December 27, 2008.
- Broadway.com Staff (May 4, 2009). "Broadway Buzz: Jonathan Cake and Wife Julianne Nicholson Welcome Daughter". Broadway.com. Retrieved August 10, 2014.