# Julianne Nicholson

Julianne Nicholson (born July 1, 1971) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in the film August: Osage County (2013) and the television series Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2006–2009), Masters of Sex (2013–2014), Eyewitness (2016), and Mare of Easttown (2021), the last of which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award.
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), The Outsider (2020), Blonde (2022), and Paradise (2025). Dope Girls (2025)

## Early life

Nicholson was born and raised in Medford, Massachusetts, the eldest of Kate (née Gilday) and James O. Nicholson Jr.'s four children.
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.

## 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, Puccini For Beginners, and Disney's Togo opposite Willem Dafoe. She will also be starring in the American espionage thriller, The Amateur.

### 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, seventh, and eighth seasons of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Nicholson has said her favorite Criminal Intent episode was "Weeping Willow". 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, who has 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.
In 2021, Nicholson starred in the HBO series Mare of Easttown as Lori Ross, best friend of the titular Mare Sheehan, played by Kate Winslet. The series proved to be a ratings hit for HBO, breaking viewership records. Her role in the series brought her critical acclaim, with critics especially highlighting her harrowing performance in the series finale. The role won Nicholson her first Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series. She also earned a nomination at the Critics Choice Awards for the same role.

### 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 while playing a couple on an unaired HBO pilot called Marriage. They have two children, son Ignatius Cake and daughter Phoebe Margaret Cake.

## Acting credits
### Key

    † Denotes works that have not yet been released

### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1998 | Harvest | Lou Yates | |
| 1998 | Long Time Since | Vivian James / Phoebe | |
| 1998 | One True Thing | College Student | |
| 1998 | Curtain Call / It All Came True | Sandra Hewson | |
| 1999 | The Love Letter | Jennifer McNeely | |
| 2000 | Hero | Young German Woman | Short film |
| 2000 | Passion of Mind | Kim | |
| 2000 | Godass | Nancy | |
| 2000 | Tully | Ella Smalley | Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female |
| 2001 | Dead Dog | Charity | |
| 2002 | Speakeasy | Rebecca | |
| 2002 | Strike a Light | Girl | |
| 2002 | I'm with Lucy | Jo | |
| 2004 | Seeing Other People | Alice | US Comedy Arts Festival Award for Best Actress |
| 2004 | Little Black Book | Joyce Moore | |
| 2004 | Kinsey | Alice Martin | |
| 2005 | Seagull | Julianne | |
| 2005 | Her Name Is Carla | Carla | |
| 2006 | Flannel Pajamas | Nicole Reilly | |
| 2006 | Puccini for Beginners | Samantha | |
| 2006 | Two Weeks | Emily Bergman | |
| 2009 | Brief Interviews with Hideous Men | Sara Quinn | |
| 2009 | Staten Island | Mary Halverson | |
| 2010 | Shadows and Lies | Ann | Also known as In Praise of Shadows and William Vincent |
| 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 D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Acting Ensemble |
| 2015 | Black Mass | Marianne Connolly | |
| 2015 | Ten Thousand Saints | Harriet Horn | |
| 2016 | Sophie and the Rising Sun | Sophie Willis | |
| 2016 | From Nowhere | Jackie | |
| 2017 | Novitiate | Nora Harris | |
| 2017 | I, Tonya | Diane Rawlinson | |
| 2017 | Who We Are Now | Beth | |
| 2018 | Weightless | Janeece | |
| 2019 | Monos | 'Doctora' Sara Watson | |
| 2019 | Togo | Constance Seppala | |
| 2019 | Iniciales S.G. | Jane | |
| 2021 | With/In: Volume 2 | Mom | Segment: "Touching"; also director |
| 2022 | Blonde | Gladys Pearl Baker | |
| 2022 | Weird: The Al Yankovic Story | Mary Yankovic | |
| 2023 | Janet Planet | Janet | |
| 2023 | Dream Scenario | Janet Matthews | |
| 2025 | The Amateur † | TBA | Post-production |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1997 | Nothing Sacred | Cara | Episode: "Parents and Children" |
| 1998 | Dellaventura | Carol Dakin | Episode: "David & Goliath" |
| 1998 | New York Undercover | Daisy | Episode: "Sign o' the Times" |
| 1999 | Storm of the Century | Katrina 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 (4 episodes) |
| 2004 | ER | Jordan | Episodes: "Just a Touch", "Abby Normal" |
| 2006 | The Water Is Wide | Barbara | TV film |
| 2006 | Conviction | Christina Finn | Main role (13 episodes) |
| 2006–2009 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Detective Megan Wheeler | Main role (Seasons 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" |
| 2012 | 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 (5 episodes) |
| 2020 | The Outsider | Glory Maitland | TV miniseries |
| 2020 | Robot Chicken | Winifred Sanderson (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 an 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 | 7 episodes |
| 2025 | Paradise | Samantha 'Sinatra' Redmond | Main cast (8 episodes) |
| 2025 | Dope Girls | Kate Galloway | 6 episodes |

### Theater

| Year | Title | Role | Playwright | Director | Notes |
| 2000 | Stranger | Stewardess / Linda's Mom / Girl | 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 |