Carrie Preston

A highly respected actress, Carrie Preston enjoyed a prolific career in film, television and on the stage. After gaining recognition in an acclaimed Broadway production of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" in 1995, Preston quickly began acquiring credits on television and in hit films like the Julia Roberts smash, "My Best Friend's Wedding" (1997). A regular cast role on the celebrity chef sitcom "Emeril" (NBC, 2001) only added to her credibility as the ambitious actress divided her time between work on the screen and in vaunted stage productions. A number of guest spots on the long-running police procedural "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (NBC, 2001-2011) and a substantial role in writer-director Alan Ball's culture-clash drama "Towelhead" (2007) were only a smattering of the credits Preston had accumulated prior to her being brought on board Ball's sexy vampire series "True Blood" (HBO, 2008-2014) as the much put-upon waitress Arlene Fowler. During breaks from the hit show, the ambitious Preston also produced and starred with her husband, actor Michael Emerson, in the indie-comedy "Ready? OK!" (2008) and took on a recurring role as a quirky attorney on the legal drama "The Good Wife" (CBS, 2009-2016). Always on the lookout for interesting roles in independent productions, she garnered strong reviews opposite Hal Holbrook in the Southern gothic drama "That Evening Sun" (2010), but also starred in the mainstream sitcom "Crowded" (NBC 2016- ). One of the hardest-working character actresses of her day, Preston maintained a laser focus on her craft.