Carrie Preston is an Emmy Award-winning American actress best known for playing the eccentric lawyer-turned-detective Elsbeth Tascioni across three hit CBS shows. At 58, she continues to headline her own primetime crime-solver series, Elsbeth, while balancing a busy career on stage, screen, and behind the camera as a director and producer.
Biography Table
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Carrie Preston |
| Date of Birth | June 21, 1967 |
| Place of Birth | Macon, Georgia, United States |
| Age | 58 |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Cancer |
| Profession/Occupation | Actress, Director, Producer |
| Years Active | 1985–present |
| Education | University of Evansville (BFA), Juilliard School |
| Genre/Field | Drama, Comedy, Crime Procedural |
| Spouse/Partner | Michael Emerson (married 1998) |
| Children | None |
| Siblings | John G. Preston (brother, actor) |
| Notable Works | Elsbeth, The Good Wife, The Good Fight, True Blood, Claws |
| Awards/Honors | Primetime Emmy – Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (2013) |
Early Life, Family & Education
Carrie Preston was born and raised in Macon, Georgia, to a mother who worked as an art therapist and a father who was a geo-technical engineer. Her creative streak showed early, and by age eight she was already performing in local shows around town.
By age 12, Preston had turned her front yard into her own theater company, taking on every role herself — producer, writer, casting director, costumer, and director. This early hands-on experience shaped the multi-hyphenate career she’d eventually build in Hollywood and on Broadway.
She went on to earn her BFA from the University of Evansville before training further at the prestigious Juilliard School. Preston has said acting simply followed her passion for happiness, once joking that “somebody’s got to do it.”
Her brother, John G. Preston, is also an actor who has appeared in various television shows. The two are sometimes mixed up by fans searching for “carrie preston twin,” but there is no indication she has a twin sibling — John is her only known brother.
Career Breakthrough and Rise to Fame
Preston’s big-screen debut came as one of the Southern bridesmaid sisters in My Best Friend’s Wedding alongside Julia Roberts, a blockbuster that gave her early industry visibility. From there, she built a reputation as a reliable scene-stealer in ensemble films.
She followed that breakout with roles in Mercury Rising opposite Bruce Willis, For Richer or Poorer with Tim Allen and Kirstie Alley, and later Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Her range extended into dramatic territory too, including the Oscar-nominated Transamerica and Alan Ball’s Towelhead.
On stage, Preston earned an Outer Critics Circle nomination for playing Miranda in a George C. Wolfe-directed Broadway production of The Tempest opposite Patrick Stewart, proving her theatrical roots ran just as deep as her screen work.
Television gave her longevity in a way film alone couldn’t. Recurring and guest appearances on shows like Lost and Desperate Housewives kept her steadily working while she built toward the role that would define her career.
Carrie Preston TV Shows: Elsbeth, The Good Wife & The Good Fight
Preston’s most famous television role is Elsbeth Tascioni, a character she has now played across three separate CBS shows spanning 13 years — a rare feat in the industry. Creator Robert King has described the character as a kind of “female Columbo,” relying on instinct over procedure.
She first appeared as Elsbeth on The Good Wife under showrunner Robert King, earning a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2013, followed by a second nomination in 2016. The role was originally meant as a one-off but became a fan favorite that kept getting written back in.
The character carried over into The Good Fight, and by 2023, CBS had ordered a full spin-off titled simply Elsbeth, which premiered February 29, 2024. The show became CBS’s first scripted series to move to CBS All-Access before returning to broadcast, and it has since been renewed through a fourth season, announced January 22, 2026.
Elsbeth blends comedy with crime-solving, following the mercurial, scatterbrained-but-brilliant lawyer as she works alongside a New York police precinct after years in a Chicago law firm. Guest stars across the seasons have included Mary-Louise Parker, Tracey Ullman, Stephen Moyer, and her real-life husband Michael Emerson.
Carrie Preston Movies and TV Shows: Other Major Roles
Beyond Elsbeth, Preston played red-headed waitress Arlene Fowler on HBO’s True Blood for all seven seasons, earning both a Golden Globe and Emmy nomination. Her character brought comic relief to the vampire drama while also carrying real emotional weight following her husband Terry’s death.
She also starred in Claws as Polly Marks, a mild-mannered identity thief with a hidden edge, operating out of a West Florida nail salon alongside four other women running an organized crime front. It remains one of her favorite roles for the creative license it allowed.
More recently, Preston appeared in The Holdovers as office administrator Miss Lydia Crane, working alongside Paul Giamatti and Da’Vine Joy Randolph in the Oscar-nominated film. She has said Carol Burnett was an inspiration for how she approached the maternal dynamic with her onscreen son.
Selected Film Credits
| Film | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| My Best Friend’s Wedding | 1997 | Amanda Newhouse |
| Mercury Rising | 1998 | Emily Lang |
| The Legend of Bagger Vance | 2000 | Idalyn Greaves |
| The Stepford Wives | 2004 | Barbara |
| Transamerica | 2005 | Sydney |
| Towelhead | 2007 | Evelyn Vuoso |
| Doubt | 2008 | Christine Hurley |
| Vicky Cristina Barcelona | 2008 | — |
| That Evening Sun | 2009 | Ludie Choat |
| 5 Flights Up | 2014 | Miriam Carswell |
| To the Bone | 2017 | Susan |
| Space Oddity | 2022 | Jane McAllister |
Stage Credits
Preston’s Broadway résumé includes Festen (2006) as Mette, The Rivals in a Lincoln Center revival (2004) as Julia, The Tempest (1995) as Miranda, and Indiscretions as Madeleine. In total, she has appeared in four Broadway productions but has not performed in the West End.
Carrie Preston Husband: Marriage to Michael Emerson
Carrie Preston met her husband, Emmy-winning actor Michael Emerson, over 31 years ago while performing together at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, where they co-starred in Hamlet. The two married in 1998 and have now been together for more than 27 years.
Their onscreen paths have crossed repeatedly over the decades, including in the films Straight Jacket and Grace & Glorie, and a memorable guest turn by Preston as Emerson’s former fiancée on Person of Interest. In one especially notable twist, she also guest-starred on Lost as his character’s mother in flashback scenes, despite never sharing a scene with him on the show.
The couple maintains a strict no-shop-talk-at-home policy, and Preston has spoken warmly about their long partnership, once calling Emerson “the love of my husband’s life.” Their relationship long predates fame for either of them, dating back to their mid-to-late 20s.
Interestingly, Emerson also appears in Elsbeth as an adversarial judge, giving the real-life couple another chance to share the screen. They split their time between New York and LA and have no children, focusing instead on their overlapping creative careers.
Skin Cancer Diagnosis and Health Journey
Preston revealed on Busy Philipps’ podcast that she was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma after a mole on her cheek tested positive on the last day of filming her Season 2 finale of Elsbeth. She admitted feeling shocked and “a little ashamed,” wondering what she had done wrong.
Co-stars including Mary-Louise Parker, Alyssa Milano, Elizabeth Lail, and Donna Lynne Champlin rallied around her, helping her get a doctor’s appointment within days. She underwent Mohs surgery the following week, a procedure she described as more involved than she had expected.
Rather than hide the resulting scar, Preston turned it into a style statement, decorating the area with face jewelry and treating recovery as a personal fashion moment. She has since become more mindful of what she puts in her body and stays active with Pilates two to three times a week, hiking, and walking.
Directing, Producing & Daisy 3 Pictures
Beyond acting, Preston is an active director and producer through her production company, Daisy 3 Pictures, which she co-owns with James Vasquez and Mark Holmes. The company has championed independent filmmaking and emerging voices in the industry.
Her directorial feature That’s What She Said (2012), a comedy starring Anne Heche, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to win Best Film By A Woman Director at the Nashville Film Festival. It remains one of her proudest achievements outside acting.
She has also directed episodes of Your Honor, The Good Fight, and Claws, continuing to build a behind-the-camera résumé alongside her acting work.
Awards and Recognition
Preston has earned two Primetime Emmy nominations for her portrayal of Elsbeth Tascioni, winning once in 2013 for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, with a second nomination following in 2016. Her work on Elsbeth as a lead has also picked up a Critics Choice nomination for Season 3.
Notably, that awards-season submission shifted her into the comedy category rather than drama, reflecting how the show has leaned into humor as the franchise has evolved.
Personal Life: Pets, Interests & Daily Routine
Preston shares her home with her dog Chumley, a rescue Poodle-Maltese mix adopted from A Dog’s Life Rescue. She has said Chumley is “the thing we share most” with her husband, and the two split walking duties, with Preston finding the daily routine meditative.
She grew up with a wide variety of pets, from cats and gerbils to snakes and lizards, and had a childhood dog named Tessie. Her favorite childhood pet, though, was a cat named Kitty, a Japanese calico bobtail.
Preston has cited I’m Glad About You by Theresa Rebeck as a favorite book, and Transparent as a favorite TV show outside her own work. Her personal motto, “if you believe it you can achieve it,” reflects the same drive that carried her front-yard theater company all the way to Broadway and network television.
FAQs
How old is Carrie Preston?
Carrie Preston was born on June 21, 1967, in Macon, Georgia, making her 58 years old.
Who is Carrie Preston’s husband?
Her husband is actor Michael Emerson, best known for Lost and Person of Interest. The couple met at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and married in 1998.
Does Carrie Preston have children?
No, Carrie Preston does not have children. She and her husband, Michael Emerson, have been married for over 27 years without kids, focusing instead on their acting and producing careers.
Does Carrie Preston have a twin sister?
No, there is no record of Carrie Preston having a twin. She does have a brother, John G. Preston, who is also an actor, which may be the source of confusion for some searches.
What TV shows is Carrie Preston best known for?
Carrie Preston is best known for playing Elsbeth Tascioni across The Good Wife, The Good Fight, and her own spin-off series Elsbeth. She is also widely recognized for her seven-season role as Arlene Fowler on True Blood.
What movies has Carrie Preston appeared in?
Her film credits include My Best Friend’s Wedding, Transamerica, Doubt, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, To the Bone, and The Holdovers, spanning both major studio films and independent projects.
Has Carrie Preston won an Emmy?
Yes, Carrie Preston won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2013 for her role as Elsbeth Tascioni on The Good Wife, and was nominated again in 2016.
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