Lauren Holly was born on October 28, 1963, in Bristol, Pennsylvania, to Grant Holly, a screenwriter and professor of literature, and Michael Ann Holly, an art historian and professor. She grew up in Geneva, New York. Holly attended Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, where she studied English Literature, but took a leave of absence before graduating to pursue her acting career.
Holly began her acting career in the early 1980s with appearances in television shows such as “Hill Street Blues” and “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”. She gained early recognition for her role as Julie Rand on the soap opera “All My Children” from 1986 to 1989. Her early work also included guest appearances on shows like “Spenser: For Hire” and “My Two Dads.”
Holly achieved widespread recognition for her role as Deputy Sheriff Maxine Stewart in the television series “Picket Fences” (1992-1996), created by David E. Kelley. Her performance earned her critical acclaim and contributed significantly to the show’s success. Following “Picket Fences”, she starred as Dr. Jeremy Hanlon in the medical drama “Chicago Hope” (1999-2000), another David E. Kelley-created series. More recently, she had a recurring role as Director Jenny Shepard in the CBS series “NCIS” (2005-2008; guest appearance in 2012) and starred in the Canadian television series “Motive” (2013-2016).
Holly has also had a prolific film career, appearing in a variety of genres. She gained prominence with her roles in comedies such as “Dumb and Dumber” (1994) and “Down Periscope” (1996). She also appeared in the action film “Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story” (1993). Other notable film credits include “Sabrina” (1995), “Beautiful Girls” (1996), “Any Given Sunday” (1999), and “What Women Want” (