# Lauren Holly

Lauren Michael Holly (born October 28, 1963) is an American-Canadian actress. She has played the roles of Deputy Sheriff Maxine Stewart in the television series Picket Fences, NCIS Director Jenny Shepard in the series NCIS, and Dr. Betty Rogers on Motive. In film, she portrayed Mary Swanson in Dumb and Dumber (1994), Bruce Lee's wife Linda Lee in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993), Darian Smalls in Beautiful Girls (1996), and Gigi in What Women Want (2000).

## Early life

Holly was born in Bristol, Pennsylvania. Her mother, Michael Ann Holly, is an art historian and the Starr Director of Research and Academic Program at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, and former professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Her father, Grant Holly, was a screenwriter and professor of literature at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. She had two younger brothers: Nick Holly and Alexander Innes Holly. Holly attended Sarah Lawrence College in New York.

## Career

Holly's acting career began at the age of 20 when she appeared as Carla Walicki in two episodes of Hill Street Blues. She was also in one episode of Spenser For Hire. At age 23, she joined the cast of the ABC television soap opera All My Children as Julie Rand Chandler (1986–1989). She portrayed the comic book character Betty Cooper in the TV movie Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again in 1990.
In 1992, Holly's big break came when she was cast as small-town Deputy Sheriff Maxine Stewart opposite veteran movie actor Tom Skerritt on CBS's Picket Fences for four seasons, appearing in every episode except one. She portrayed Linda Lee Cadwell, the wife of martial artist and actor Bruce Lee, in 1993's Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story. She appeared as Mary Swanson, Lloyd Christmas's love interest, in the 1994 Jim Carrey comedy Dumb and Dumber; a doctor in Sydney Pollack's 1995 remake of Sabrina; and Lieutenant Emily Lake in the 1996 comedy Down Periscope with Kelsey Grammer. In 1999, she starred in the film Any Given Sunday as the wife of the Sharks quarterback, played by Dennis Quaid.
Holly appeared in the music video for Dixie Chicks' single "Goodbye Earl" (2000). She was a member of the cast of NCIS as Director Jenny Shepard from 2005 to 2008, reuniting with her former Chicago Hope co-stars Mark Harmon and Rocky Carroll. Holly portrayed the "worldly and stunning" lead medical examiner Dr. Betty Rogers, a regular character on the CTV series Motive. In 2014, she was reunited with her Picket Fences co-star, Tom Skerritt, in the film Field of Lost Shoes. In 2015, Holly starred in Oz Perkins' horror film The Blackcoat's Daughter.
In 2018, Holly was cast in a recurring role in the third season of Netflix's Designated Survivor as Lynn Harper.

## Personal life

Holly has been married three times. Her first marriage was to actor Danny Quinn. The two married in 1991, and divorced two years later in 1993. In 1993, she met Jim Carrey during auditions for Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. She did not get offered the part, but the two developed a relationship while working together during the filming of Dumb and Dumber. In 1996 they were married. The marriage lasted less than a year, and they divorced in 1997. In 2001, she married Francis Greco, a Canadian-born investment banker. The couple adopted three children, sons Henry, George, and Alexander Holly-Greco. In 2008, while married to Greco, Holly became a Canadian citizen. The couple divorced in 2014.
Holly lives in Oakville, Ontario with her three children.
In 1992, Holly, her father Grant, and their families established the "A" Fund at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in memory of her brother, Alexander, about whom Holly said, "He was a boy filled with dreams, hopes, and plans. Although he was only 14 when he died, he had traveled extensively in Europe and Central America, lived in New York City and Los Angeles, and these experiences produced in him a fascination for architecture and archaeology."

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1985 | Seven Minutes in Heaven | Lisa | |
| 1986 | Band of the Hand | Nikki | |
| 1990 | The Adventures of Ford Fairlane | Jazz | |
| 1992 | Live Wire | Suzie Bryant | |
| 1993 | Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story | Linda Lee | |
| 1994 | Dumb and Dumber | Mary Swanson | MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (with Jim Carrey) |
| 1995 | Sabrina | Elizabeth Tyson | |
| 1996 | Beautiful Girls | Darian Smalls | |
| 1996 | Down Periscope | Lt. Emily Lake | |
| 1997 | Turbulence | Teri Halloran | |
| 1997 | A Smile Like Yours | Jennifer Robertson | |
| 1998 | No Looking Back | Claudia | |
| 1999 | Entropy | Claire | |
| 1999 | Any Given Sunday | Cindy Rooney | |
| 2000 | The Last Producer | Frances Chadway | |
| 2000 | What Women Want | Gigi | |
| 2002 | Pavement | Detective Buckley Clark | |
| 2002 | Spirited Away | Yūko Ogino | Voice role (English dub) |
| 2004 | In Enemy Hands | Mrs. Rachel Travers | |
| 2005 | The Chumscrubber | Boutique Owner | |
| 2005 | Down and Derby | Kim Davis | |
| 2005 | The Godfather of Green Bay | Molly Mahoney | |
| 2006 | Fatwa | Maggie Davidson | |
| 2006 | The Pleasure Drivers | Daphne Widesecker | |
| 2006 | Raising Flagg | Rachel Purdy | |
| 2009 | The Least Among You | Kate Allison | |
| 2009 | Crank: High Voltage | Psychiatrist | Uncredited |
| 2009 | The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll | Liza Genson | |
| 2010 | You're So Cupid! | Audrey Valentine | |
| 2010 | The Final Storm | Gillian Grady | |
| 2010 | Chasing 3000 | Marilyn | |
| 2013 | Abducted | Suzanne Hollingsworth | |
| 2013 | Field of Lost Shoes | Mrs. Clinedinst | |
| 2014 | The Town That Came A-Courtin | Abby Houston | |
| 2015 | Marshall the Miracle Dog | Susan | |
| 2015 | Hoovey | Ruth | |
| 2015 | After the Ball | Elise Adams Kassell | |
| 2017 | The Blackcoat's Daughter | Linda | |
| 2017 | Dead Shack | Neighbor | |
| 2018 | My Perfect Romance | Adele | |
| 2018 | Ultra Low | Herself | |
| 2019 | Tammy's Always Dying | Ilana Wiseman | |
| 2019 | The Cuban | Nurse Baker | |
| 2024 | Hot Frosty | Jane | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1984 | Hill Street Blues | Carla Walicki | 2 episodes |
| 1985 | Love Lives On | Tracy | Television film |
| 1986 | Spenser: For Hire | Emily Brown | Episode: "Home Is the Hero" |
| 1986–1989 | All My Children | Julie Chandler | Unknown episodes Nomination: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series (1988) |
| 1990 | Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again | Betty Cooper | Television film |
| 1990 | My Two Dads | Allison Novack | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | The Antagonists | Kate Ward | Episode: "Con Safos" |
| 1992 | Fugitive Among Us | Suzie Bryant | Television film |
| 1992–1996 | Picket Fences | Maxine Stewart | Main role Won – Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Drama Series (1994) Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (1995–96) |
| 1994 | Dangerous Heart | Carol | Television film |
| 1998 | Vig | Marybeth | Television film |
| 1999 | Fantasy Island | Heather Finn | Episode: "The Real Thing" |
| 1999–2000 | Chicago Hope | Dr. Jeremy Hanlon | Main role (season 6) |
| 2001 | Destiny | Unknown | Television film |
| 2001 | Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot | Ethel Kennedy | Television film Nominated for Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film |
| 2001 | Becker | Laura | Episode: "The Buddy System" |
| 2002 | Providence | Darla Rosario | Episode: "The Heart of the Matter" |
| 2002 | King of Texas | Mrs. Rebecca Lear Highsmith | Television film |
| 2002 | Living with the Dead | James' Wife | Television film |
| 2002 | Santa Jr. | Susan Flynn | Television film |
| 2003 | CSI: Miami | Hayley Wilson | Episode: "Grand Prix" |
| 2004 | Just Desserts | Grace Carpenter | Television film |
| 2004 | Caught in the Act | Jodie Colter | Television film |
| 2005 | Bounty Hunters | Tess | Television film |
| 2005–2008 | NCIS | NCIS Director Jenny Shepard | Main role (seasons 3–5) |
| 2009 | Leverage | Ms. Tobey Earnshaw | Episode: "The Juror #6 Job" |
| 2009 | Before You Say I Do | Mary Brown | Television film |
| 2009 | Too Late to Say Goodbye | Heather | Television film |
| 2010 | Covert Affairs | Madeline Jarvis | Episode: "Houses of the Holy" |
| 2010 | Flashpoint | Jill Hastings | Episode: "Acceptable Risk" |
| 2010 | The Town Christmas Forgot | Annie Benson | Television film |
| 2010 | Call Me Mrs. Miracle | Lindy Lowe | Television film |
| 2010–2012 | The Adventures of Chuck and Friends | Haulie | Recurring voice role, 14 episodes |
| 2011 | Rookie Blue | Superintendent Elaine Peck | Episode: "In Plain View" |
| 2011 | Scream of the Banshee | Prof. Isla Whelan | Television film |
| 2012 | Lost Girl | Sadie | Episode: "Midnight Lamp" |
| 2012 | Alphas | Senator Charlotte Burton | 3 episodes |
| 2012 | Layover | Suzanne Hollingsworth | Television film |
| 2012 | Do No Harm | Dr. Thorne | Television film |
| 2013–2016 | Motive | Dr. Betty Rogers | Main role |
| 2015 | A Country Wedding | Margaret | Television film (Hallmark) |
| 2016 | My Summer Prince | Deidre Kelly | Television film (Hallmark) |
| 2017 | Lucifer | Roxie Pagliani | Episode:"Vegas with Some Radish" |
| 2018 | Good Witch | Melanie Anderson | Episode: "How To Make A Middleton Quilt" |
| 2018 | My Perfect Romance | Adele | Television film |
| 2018 | Christmas Catch | Captain Bennett | Television film |
| 2019 | Designated Survivor | Lynn Harper | Recurring role (season 3) |
| 2020 | Tiny Pretty Things | Monique Dubois | Main role |
| 2021–present | Family Law | Joanne Kowalski | Main role (season 2-) Recurring role (season 1) |
| 2022 | The Lake | Mimsy | 8 episodes |
| 2022 | Country Roads Christmas | Skye's mother | Television film |
| 2023 | The Irrational | Mayor | Series 1, Episode 1 |
| 2024 | Christmas Under the Northern Lights | Laura | Television film |