Carrie Preston
With her whirlwind energy and sharp wit, she turned scene-stealing supporting roles into Emmy-winning, franchise-defining performances.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American actress·Birthday: June 21·Generation X
Biography
Carrie Preston operates on a frequency of delightful, intelligent chaos, a quality she has channeled into some of television's most memorably eccentric characters. A Juilliard-trained actress with deep roots in theatre, she brings a classical discipline to roles that are anything but staid. For seven seasons, she grounded the supernatural madness of 'True Blood' as the resilient, big-hearted waitress Arlene Fowler. But it was her creation of the seemingly scatterbrained, legally brilliant attorney Elsbeth Tascioni that became a cultural touchstone. Starting as a guest spot on 'The Good Wife,' Preston's performance was so uniquely captivating it earned her an Emmy and spawned a dedicated fanbase, eventually leading to her own starring vehicle in the series 'Elsbeth.' Beyond acting, she directs films and runs a production company with her husband, actor Michael Emerson, crafting stories with the same offbeat heart she brings to the screen.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Carrie was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Carrie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Carrie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Elsbeth Tascioni on 'The Good Wife.'
- Portrayed Arlene Fowler across all seven seasons of the HBO hit series 'True Blood.'
- Earned a lead role in the CBS series 'Elsbeth,' a spinoff built around her fan-favorite character from 'The Good Wife.'
- Founded the production company Daisy 3 Pictures with her husband, actor Michael Emerson.
Did You Know?
She is married to actor Michael Emerson, who played Benjamin Linus on 'Lost' and Harold Finch on 'Person of Interest.'
She directed the feature film 'That's What She Said,' starring Anne Heche and Marcia DeBonis.
She and Michael Emerson first met while performing in a production of 'The Tempest' at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival.
She is a dedicated advocate for animal welfare and has worked with various rescue organizations.
“I find the most freedom within the structure of a well-written character.”
