Laura Linney is an American actress who has played roles in film, television and theater.
Linney started her film career with minor roles in Lorenzo's Oil (1992), Dave (1993), Primal Fear (1996), and Absolute Power (1997). She rose to prominence earning Academy Award nominations for You Can Count on Me (2000), Kinsey (2004) and The Savages (2007). She earned acclaim for her roles in The Truman Show (1998), Mystic River (2003), Love Actually and The Squid and the Whale (2005). Linney took supporting roles in films such as Man of the Year (2006), The Nanny Diaries (2007), Hyde Park on Hudson (2012), Mr. Holmes (2015), Genius (2016), and Sully (2016).
Linney is also known for her starring roles in television. She came to prominence for her role in the television film Wild Iris (2001) and for her role as Charlotte in the NBC sitcom Frasier (2004). For her portrayal as Abigail Adams in the HBO miniseries John Adams (2008) she received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. She earned stardom and acclaim for her leading roles as Cathy Jamison in the Showtime dark comedy series The Big C (2010–2013) and as Wendy Byrde in the Netflix crime drama series Ozark (2017–2022).
She made her Broadway debut in the play Six Degrees of Separation in 1992. She went on to receive five Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play nominations for her roles in Arthur Miller's The Crucible (2002), Donald Margulies Sight Unseen (2005), and Time Stands Still (2010), Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes (2017), and Elizabeth Strout's My Name Is Lucy Barton (2020). She also acted in Les Liaisons Dangereuses (2008) and Summer, 1976 (2023).
Film Year Title Role Notes 1992Lorenzo's Oil Young Teacher1993Dave RandiSearching for Bobby Fischer School Teacher 1994 Nancy Lambert Newland 1995Congo Karen Ross 1996Primal Fear Janet Venable 1997Absolute Power Kate Whitney 1998The Truman Show Hannah Gill (Meryl Burbank) 1999Lush Rachel Van Dyke2000You Can Count on Me Samantha "Sammy" PrescottThe House of Mirth Bertha DorsetMaze Callie2002The Laramie Project Sherry JohnsonThe Mothman Prophecies Officer Connie Mills2003The Life of David Gale Constance HarrawayMystic River Annabeth MarkumLove Actually Sarah2004P.S. Louise HarringtonKinseyClara McMillen2005The Squid and the Whale Joan BerkmanThe Exorcism of Emily Rose Erin Bruner2006Driving Lessons Laura MarshallJindabyne ClaireThe Hottest State JesseMan of the Year Eleanor Green2007The Savages Wendy SavageBreach Kate BurroughsThe Nanny Diaries Mrs. X 2008The Other Man Lisa Ryman 2009The City of Your Final Destination Caroline Gund2010Sympathy for Delicious Nina HogueMorning Dr. Goodman2011The Details LilaArthur Christmas North Pole Computer Voice 2012Hyde Park on HudsonMargaret Suckley2013Letters to Jackie: Remembering President KennedyLetter ReaderDocumentaryThe Fifth Estate Sarah Shaw 2015Mr. Holmes Mrs. Munro2016Genius Louise SaundersTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows Chief Rebecca VincentSully Lorraine SullenbergerNocturnal Animals Anne Sutton 2017The Dinner Claire Lohman2020 Falling Sarah Peterson The Roads Not Taken Rita 2023 The Miracle Club Chrissie Ahearn WildcatEthan Hawke Directing Maya Hawke, Laura Linney, Steve Zahn, Cooper Hoffman, Alessandro Nivola and More in ‘Wildcat’(EXCLUSIVE) Regina O'Connor 2024 Suncoast Kristine 2026 Onwards and Sideways Emma Dretzin Completed TBA The Joy of Sex Ruth Comfort Filming
Television Year Title Role Notes1993Class of '61 Lily Magraw TV movie Blind Spot PhoebeTales of the City Mary Ann Singleton Miniseries; 6 episodes 1994Law & Order Martha Bowen Episode: "Blue Bamboo" 1998More Tales of the City Mary Ann Singleton Miniseries; 6 episodes 1999Love Letters Melisa Gardner Cobb TV movie 2000Running Mates Lauren Hartman2001Further Tales of the City Mary Ann Singleton Miniseries; 4 episodesWild Iris Iris Bravard TV movie2002Woodrow Wilson and the Birth of the American CenturyNellie WilsonVoice; docuseriesKing of the Hill Marlene Voice; Episode: "Dang Ol' Love"2002–2020American ExperienceNarrator/Carrie Chapman CattVoice; 4 episodes 2003–2004Frasier Mindy/Charlotte Connor 6 episodes 2006American Dad! Doctor Gupta Voice; Episode: "Roger 'n' Me" 2008John AdamsAbigail Adams Miniseries; 7 episodes 2010–2013The Big C Cathy Jamison 40 episodes, also executive producer 2016Inside Amy Schumer Herself Episode: "Brave"2017Red Nose Day Actually Sarah Television short film Last Week Tonight with John OliverFlorence Harding Segment: "Harding" Sink Sank Sunk Mitzi Mills TV movie 2017–2022Ozark Wendy Byrde 44 episodes, also director 2018BoJack HorsemanHerselfVoice; Episode: "The Dog Days Are Over"2019Portrait Artist of the YearHerselfEpisode: "Laura Linney"Tales of the City Mary Ann Singleton Main cast; 9 episodes 2020 Coronavirus, Explained Narrator Episode: "The Race for a Vaccine" 2022 The Last Movie Stars Joanne Woodward Voice; docuseries 2023 Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields Herself 2 episodes 2025The American Revolution Sarah Logan Fisher, Sarah Morris Mifflin & others Voice; docuseries2026 American Classic Kristen Forrest Bean 8 episodes Lanterns Lianna Guest; 3 Episodes
Theatre Year Title Role Dates Theatre 1990–1992 Six Degrees of Separation Tess (understudy) November 8, 1990 – January 5, 1992 Vivian Beaumont Theatre 1992 Sight Unseen Grete January 7, 1992- March 22, 1992 Orpheum Theatre 1992–1993 The Seagull Nina Zarechnaya November 29, 1992 – January 10, 1993 Lyceum Theatre 1994 Hedda Gabler Thea Elvsted July 10, 1994– August 7, 1994 Criterion Center Stage Right 1995–1996 Holiday Linda Seton December 3, 1995 – January 14, 1996 Circle in the Square Theatre 1998 Honour Claudia April 26, 1998 – June 14, 1998 Belasco Theatre 2000 Uncle Vanya Yelena Andreyevna April 30, 2000 – June 11, 2000 Brooks Atkinson Theatre 2002 The Crucible Elizabeth Proctor March 7, 2002 – June 9, 2002 Virginia Theatre 2004 Sight Unseen Patricia May 25, 2004 – July 25, 2004 Biltmore Theatre 2008 Les liaisons dangereuses La Marquise de Merteuil May 1, 2008 – July 6, 2008 American Airlines Theatre 2010–2011 Time Stands Still Sarah Goodwin January 28, 2010 – January 30, 2011 Cort Theatre 2017 The Little Foxes Regina Giddens / Birdie Hubbard April 19, 2017 – July 2, 2017 Samuel J. Friedman Theatre 2018 My Name Is Lucy Barton Lucy Barton June 2, 2018 – June 24, 2018 Bridge Theatre 2019 January 23, 2019 – February 16, 2019 2020 January 4, 2020 – February 29, 2020 Samuel J. Friedman Theatre 2023 Summer, 1976 Diana April 4, 2023 – June 10, 20232024Gutenberg! The Musical!ProducerJanuary 17, 2024James Earl Jones Theatre2027MontaukRoxy MargauxTBASamuel J. Friedman Theatre
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