Tracy Jo Pollan Fox (; born June 22, 1960) is an American actress. She is best known for playing Ellen Reed on the NBC sitcom Family Ties (1985–1987) and Harper Anderson on the crime drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2000), for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.
Pollan married actor and activist Michael J. Fox in 1988, and has since occasionally acted. In film, she has starred in the dramas Baby It's You (1983) and Promised Land (1987), the tragedy Bright Lights, Big City (1988) and the crime drama A Stranger Among Us (1992). Her other television credits include two episodes of Spin City (1997–1998) and TV films such as First to Die (2003), Natalee Holloway (2009) and Justice for Natalee Holloway (2011).
Early life Pollan was born to a Jewish family on June 22, 1960 on Long Island, and raised in Woodbury. Her parents are Corky and Stephen Pollan, and she has a brother, Michael. She attended Syosset High School, and graduated from the Dalton School in Manhattan, New York. She studied acting at the Herbert Berghof Studio and the Lee Strasberg Institute.
Personal life
Pollan met Michael J. Fox while working on the TV series Family Ties in 1985. Though they played a couple on the show, they did not date in real life at the time, and Pollan left the series after a year to pursue other acting opportunities. Pollan and Fox met again during the production of Bright Lights, Big City in 1987 and after beginning a relationship, they married on July 16, 1988. She then lessened her acting workload to focus on her marriage and family.
They have four children together: a son, Sam; twin daughters, Aquinnah Kathleen and Schuyler Frances; and a daughter, Esmé Annabelle. They reside in Manhattan. On June 22, 2024 (Pollan's 64th birthday), Schuyler married her long-time boyfriend at Hayfield in the Catskill Mountains.
Publications In October 2014, Pollan, along with her two sisters and mother, co-authored The Pollan Family Table, a cookbook of family recipes, kitchen tips and cooking techniques. The foreword was written by her brother, Michael.
In 2019, Pollan co-authored a plant-based diet cookbook, Mostly Plants: 101 Delicious Flexitarian Recipes from the Pollan Family.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1983 Baby It's You Leslie1987 Promised Land Mary Daley 1988 Bright Lights, Big City Vicky Allagash 1992 A Stranger Among Us Mara
Television Year Title Role Notes1982For Lovers OnlyTelevision film1983SessionsLeslieTrackdown: Finding the Goodbar KillerEileen Grafton1984A Good SportSuzanneThe Baron and the KidMary Beth Phillips ABC Afterschool Special Jen Robbins Episode: "The Great Love Experiment"1986The Little SisterNicki DavisTelevision film 1985–1987 Family Ties Ellen Reed Recurring role 1986 American Playhouse Nicki Davis Episode: "The Little Sister"1987The Abduction of Kari SwensonKari SwensonTelevision filmA Special FriendshipElizabeth Van Lew 1990 The Kennedys of Massachusetts Kathleen Kennedy Miniseries; main roleFine ThingsElizabeth Kathleen "Liz" O'ReillyTelevision film1993Dying to Love YouLisa Ann Rohn1994Children of the DarkKim Harrison 1997–1998 Spin City Renee Miller 2 episodes1999Anna SaysAnnaTelevision pilot; also executive producer 2000 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Harper Anderson Episodes: "Closure" and "Closure, Part 2"2003Hench at HomeKay HenchTelevision filmFirst to DieLindsay Boxer 2009 Medium Caitlyn Lynch Episode: "How to Make a Killing in Big Business"Natalee HollowayBeth HollowayTelevision film 2010 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Patricia Caruso Episode: "Traffic"2011Justice for Natalee HollowayBeth HollowayTelevision film 2013 The Michael J. Fox Show Kelly Episode: "Neighbor" 2016 Nightcap Herself Episode: "The Cannon" 2020 Goodbye, Jonathan! Barbara Episode: "The Creator" 2022 Inventing Anna Sherry Reed Episode: "A Wolf in Chic Clothing"
Theatre Year Title Role Notes 1980–1981 Album Peggy Cherry Lane Theatre 1985 Pack of Lies Julie Jackson Royale Theatre 1988 Woman in Mind Lucy New York City Center 1992 Jake's Women Molly (age 21) Neil Simon Theatre
Awards and nominations + Award Year Category Nominated work Result Golden Raspberry Awards 1993 Worst Supporting Actress A Stranger Among Us Primetime Emmy Awards 2000 Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
References
External links
Pollan Family Table