Laura Linney , born on February 5, 1964, is an acclaimed American actress known for portraying strong yet vulnerable characters. Born in New York City, she comes from a theatrical family; her father was the playwright Romulus Linney. Linney's career includes roles in Primal Fear (1996), The Truman Show (1998), You Can Count on Me (2000), Kinsey (2004), and The Squid and the Whale (2005). She has also starred in TV series such as Tales of the City (1993) and Ozark (2017–22). Among her many accolades, Linney has won multiple Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.

What kinds of roles is Laura Linney known for?

Laura Linney is an American actress known for playing strong yet vulnerable characters. Linney's breakthrough role was in the film Primal Fear (1996). She is known for roles in Absolute Power (1997), The Truman Show (1998), You Can Count on Me (2000), Kinsey (2004), and The Squid and the Whale (2005). She has also appeared in television series such as Tales of the City (1993) and Ozark (2017–2022).

What are some movies or TV shows that feature Laura Linney?

Laura Linney is an American actress known for portraying strong, vulnerable characters. She began her film career with a small role in Lorenzo’s Oil (1992) and gained recognition in Primal Fear (1996). Some of her notable movies and TV shows include: * Tales of the City (1993) * The Truman Show (1998) * You Can Count on Me (2000) * Kinsey (2004) * The Squid and the Whale (2005) * The Big C (2010–2013) * Ozark (2017–2022)

Has Laura Linney won any major awards for her acting?

Yes, Laura Linney has received praise and won several major awards for her acting in television, film, and theatre. Some of her awards include: * Emmy Awards For Frasier (2002), Wild Iris (2004), John Adams (2008), and The Big C (2013) * Golden Globe Awards For The Big C (2011) Linney has also been nominated for Academy Awards for You Can Count on Me (2000), Kinsey (2004), and The Savages (2007). Additionally, she has received Tony Award nominations for her performances in The Crucible (2002), Sight Unseen (2004), Time Stands Still (2010), and The Little Foxes (2017).

How did Laura Linney become an actress?

Laura Linney was born into a theatrical family; her father was the playwright Romulus Linney Laura Linney . She graduated from Brown University in 1986, later studying at the Arts Theatre School in Moscow. In 1990, she graduated from Juilliard School and immediately began performing on Broadway, earning praise for her roles in Six Degrees of Separation and Hedda Gabler . Linney began her film career with a small part in Lorenzo’s Oil (1992), followed by a role in the comedy Dave (1993).

In what ways has Laura Linney influenced American film and television?

Laura Linney , born on February 5, 1964, is an American actress recognized for her roles portraying strong, yet vulnerable characters. Linney's breakthrough role in Primal Fear (1996) led to starring roles in Absolute Power (1997) and The Truman Show (1998). Her widespread praise at the beginning of the 21st century includes an Academy Award nomination for You Can Count on Me (2000). Linney also won Emmy Awards for her roles in Frasier (2002), Wild Iris (2004), and John Adams (2008). Additionally, she starred in the series The Big C (2010–13) and Ozark (2017–22).

Laura Linney

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Quick Facts

In full:: Laura Leggett Linney

Born:: February 5, 1964, New York, New York, U.S. (age 62)

Awards And Honors:: Emmy Award (2013); Golden Globe Award (2011); Emmy Award (2008); Emmy Award (2004); Emmy Award (2002); Emmy Award (2013): Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie; Emmy Award (2008): Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie; Emmy Award (2004): Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series; Emmy Award (2002): Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie; Golden Globe Award (2011): Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy; Golden Globe Award (2009): Best Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Married To:: David Adkins (1995–2000); Marc Schauer (2009–present)

Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):: "King of the Hill" (2002); "BoJack Horseman" (2018); "Lush" (1999); "Inside Amy Schumer" (2016); "The City of Your Final Destination" (2009); "Arthur Christmas" (2011); "The Other Man" (2008); "Man of the Year" (2006); "Nocturnal Animals" (2016); "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" (2005); "Sympathy for Delicious" (2010); "John Adams" (2008); "P.S." (2004); "Morning" (2010); "Tales of the City" (1993); "Driving Lessons" (2006); "The Savages" (2007); "Genius" (2016); "Kinsey" (2004); "Primal Fear" (1996); "The Dinner" (2017); "Breach" (2007); "The Squid and the Whale" (2005); "Sully" (2016); "The Life of David Gale" (2003); "More Tales of the City" (1998); "Sink Sank Sunk" (2018); "Jindabyne" (2006); "The Hottest State" (2006); "Hyde Park on Hudson" (2012); "A Simple Twist of Fate" (1994); "The Fifth Estate" (2013); "Mr. Holmes" (2015); "The Big C" (2010–2013); "The Nanny Diaries" (2007); "Further Tales of the City" (2001); "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows" (2016); "The Mothman Prophecies" (2002); "Ozark" (2017–2020); "Dave" (1993); "Searching for Bobby Fischer" (1993); "Falling" (2020); "Law & Order" (1994); "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" (2017); "Frasier" (2003–2004); "The House of Mirth" (2000); "American Experience" (2006); "Congo" (1995); "Maze" (2000); "Mystic River" (2003); "The Truman Show" (1998); "You Can Count on Me" (2000); "Lorenzo's Oil" (1992); "Tales of the City" (2019); "The Roads Not Taken" (2020); "Love Actually" (2003); "American Masters" (2001); "American Dad!" (2006); "The Details" (2011); "Absolute Power" (1997)

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Laura Linney

American actress

Also known as: Laura Leggett Linney

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Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 12, 2026 •History

Top Questions

Who is Laura Linney?
Laura Linney, born on February 5, 1964, is an acclaimed American actress known for portraying strong yet vulnerable characters. Born in New York City, she comes from a theatrical family; her father was the playwright Romulus Linney.

Linney's career includes roles in Primal Fear (1996), The Truman Show (1998), You Can Count on Me (2000), Kinsey (2004), and The Squid and the Whale (2005). She has also starred in TV series such as Tales of the City (1993) and Ozark (2017–22).

Among her many accolades, Linney has won multiple Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.
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2. Laura Linney
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What kinds of roles is Laura Linney known for?
Laura Linney is an American actress known for playing strong yet vulnerable characters. Linney's breakthrough role was in the film Primal Fear (1996). She is known for roles in Absolute Power (1997), The Truman Show (1998), You Can Count on Me (2000), Kinsey (2004), and The Squid and the Whale (2005). She has also appeared in television series such as Tales of the City (1993) and Ozark (2017–2022).
2 Britannica Sources
1. Laura Linney: Facts & Related Content
2. Laura Linney
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are some movies or TV shows that feature Laura Linney?
Laura Linney is an American actress known for portraying strong, vulnerable characters. She began her film career with a small role in Lorenzo’s Oil (1992) and gained recognition in Primal Fear (1996).

Some of her notable movies and TV shows include:
* Tales of the City (1993)
* The Truman Show (1998)
* You Can Count on Me (2000)
* Kinsey (2004)
* The Squid and the Whale (2005)
* The Big C (2010–2013)
* Ozark (2017–2022)
2 Britannica Sources
1. Laura Linney: Facts & Related Content
2. Laura Linney
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Has Laura Linney won any major awards for her acting?
Yes, Laura Linney has received praise and won several major awards for her acting in television, film, and theatre.

Some of her awards include:
* Emmy Awards For Frasier (2002), Wild Iris (2004), John Adams (2008), and The Big C (2013)
* Golden Globe Awards For The Big C (2011)

Linney has also been nominated for Academy Awards for You Can Count on Me (2000), Kinsey (2004), and The Savages (2007). Additionally, she has received Tony Award nominations for her performances in The Crucible (2002), Sight Unseen (2004), Time Stands Still (2010), and The Little Foxes (2017).
2 Britannica Sources
1. Laura Linney: Facts & Related Content
2. Laura Linney
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How did Laura Linney become an actress?
Laura Linney was born into a theatrical family; her father was the playwright Romulus Linney Laura Linney. She graduated from Brown University in 1986, later studying at the Arts Theatre School in Moscow. In 1990, she graduated from Juilliard School and immediately began performing on Broadway, earning praise for her roles in Six Degrees of Separation and Hedda Gabler. Linney began her film career with a small part in Lorenzo’s Oil (1992), followed by a role in the comedy Dave (1993).
1 Britannica Source
1. Laura Linney
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
In what ways has Laura Linney influenced American film and television?
Laura Linney, born on February 5, 1964, is an American actress recognized for her roles portraying strong, yet vulnerable characters. Linney's breakthrough role in Primal Fear (1996) led to starring roles in Absolute Power (1997) and The Truman Show (1998).

Her widespread praise at the beginning of the 21st century includes an Academy Award nomination for You Can Count on Me (2000). Linney also won Emmy Awards for her roles in Frasier (2002), Wild Iris (2004), and John Adams (2008). Additionally, she starred in the series The Big C (2010–13) and Ozark (2017–22).
2 Britannica Sources
1. Laura Linney: Facts & Related Content
2. Laura Linney
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Laura Linney (born February 5, 1964, New York, New York, U.S.) is an American actress best known for playing strong yet vulnerable characters.

Linney was born into a theatrical family; her father was the playwright Romulus Linney. She graduated from Brown University in 1986 and later studied at the Arts Theatre School in Moscow and graduated from the Juilliard School (M.F.A.) in New York City in 1990. She immediately began performing on Broadway, eventually earning praise for her roles in Six Degrees of Separation and Hedda Gabler.

Linney began her film career with a small part in Lorenzo’s Oil (1992), followed by a role in the comedy Dave (1993). In 1993 she also appeared as Mary Ann Singleton in Tales of the City, the television miniseries based on Armistead Maupin’s book. Her breakthrough came in 1996 when she starred opposite Richard Gere in the film Primal Fear, a thriller that revolves around the murder of an archbishop. This led to starring roles in other movies, including Absolute Power (1997)—in which she portrayed the daughter of a man (played by Clint Eastwood) who is framed for a murder involving the president—and the comedy-drama The Truman Show (1998).

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At the beginning of the 21st century, Linney’s acting began to receive widespread praise. For her portrayal of a single mom in You Can Count on Me (2000), she was nominated for an Academy Award for best actress. She won Emmy Awards for roles in the sitcom Frasier (2002), the television movie Wild Iris (2004), and the HBO miniseries John Adams (2008). In 2005 Linney earned a second Academy Award nomination, for best supporting actress, for her performance as the freethinking wife of the sex researcher Alfred Kinsey in Kinsey (2004). In the quirky drama The Squid and the Whale (2005), she starred as a promising writer dealing with a messy divorce in 1980s Brooklyn.

Linney subsequently appeared in the comedy Man of the Year (2006) and the FBI thriller Breach (2007). In 2007 she also portrayed a playwright still reeling from her dysfunctional childhood in The Savages, for which she was nominated for a third Academy Award. Her later roles included a confidante of Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt (Bill Murray) in Hyde Park on Hudson (2012) and the housekeeper of an aged Sherlock Holmes (Ian McKellen) in Mr. Holmes (2015). Her credits from 2016 included the action spectacle Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows; Sully, about US Airways flight 1549, which crash-landed in the Hudson River; and Tom Ford’s thriller Nocturnal Animals. Linney then was cast in The Dinner (2017), an adaptation of Herman Koch’s novel about two couples’ response to their children’s involvement in a horrific crime. In 2020 she appeared in the dramatic films Falling, which centres on the relationship between a conservative farmer with dementia and his gay son, and The Roads Not Taken, about a man contemplating alternate lives.

During this time, Linney also appeared on television. In 2010–13 she starred as a high-school teacher stricken by cancer in the dramedy series The Big C on the cable channel Showtime. She won a Golden Globe Award for the role in 2011 and an Emmy Award in 2013. Linney’s later TV work included the Netflix series Ozark (2017–22), in which she portrayed the wife of a money launderer working for a drug cartel. She later reprised her role as Mary Ann in the Netflix series Tales of the City, which premiered in 2019 and was set some 20 years after the original series.

In addition, Linney remained active in the theatre, and she garnered Tony Award nominations for her roles in The Crucible (2002), Sight Unseen (2004), Time Stands Still (2010), and The Little Foxes (2017). In 2018 she made her debut on the London stage, appearing in the title role of My Name Is Lucy Barton, an adaptation of Elizabeth Strout’s novel about a writer examining her life. Linney continued in the role when the production transferred to Broadway in 2020; for her performance, she received another Tony nomination.