Carrie Preston
Encyclopedia
Carrie Preston is an American film and television actress, producer and director. Her husband is actor Michael Emerson
, and her brother is actor John G. Preston
.
by her mother, an artist and art therapist, and her father, a . A young Carrie Preston discovered her true calling in performing arts. She began performing in community theater shows at age 8, and by age 12 she had begun her own front-yard theater company with other neighborhood kids. Preston later obtained a bachelor's degree
from the University of Evansville
, followed by a diploma from the Juilliard School
in New York.
, on a number of projects. Emerson plays Ben Linus on television's Lost
, and Preston was a guest star in episode 20 of season 3, The Man Behind the Curtain
. She played Ben's mother Emily for several flashback scenes, though she and Emerson never appeared in any scenes together. Emerson and Preston were both featured in the 2004 comedy Straight-Jacket
, and the 2008 feature film Ready? OK!.
Preston is co-owner of the production company Daisy 3 Pictures
with James Vasquez
and Mark Holmes
.
Since 2008, Preston has portrayed Arlene Fowler on True Blood
, HBO's drama series about vampires who have come out of hiding thanks to the creation of synthetic blood which no longer requires them to feed on humans.
She appeared in an early Sex and the City
episode, which is interesting considering the main character, Carrie Bradshaw
later marries Mr. Big
, taking his name and becoming Carrie Preston.
On July 31, 2010, Carrie Preston and her husband Michael Emerson read A. R. Gurney
's Love Letters
, which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for Drama
, at the Charleston Stage. They performed it as a fundraiser for the South Carolina's theatre. The reading was followed by a brief and intimate Question and Answer session.
Michael Emerson
Michael Emerson is an American actor who is perhaps best known for his roles as Benjamin Linus on Lost and fictional serial killer William Hinks in The Practice.-Early life:...
, and her brother is actor John G. Preston
John G. Preston
John G. Preston is an American stage and film actor.Preston starred as the title character in the short film Feet of Clay, and as Alex Dowd in the 2008 feature film Ready? Okay! He has also appeared in television's Law & Order and As the World Turns....
.
Early life
Preston was born and raised in Macon, GeorgiaMacon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
by her mother, an artist and art therapist, and her father, a . A young Carrie Preston discovered her true calling in performing arts. She began performing in community theater shows at age 8, and by age 12 she had begun her own front-yard theater company with other neighborhood kids. Preston later obtained a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from the University of Evansville
University of Evansville
The University of Evansville is a small, private university with approximately 3,050 students located in Evansville, Indiana. Founded in 1854 as Moores Hill College, it is located near the interchange of the Lloyd Expressway and U.S. Route 41. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
, followed by a diploma from the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
in New York.
Career
Preston has worked with her husband, actor Michael EmersonMichael Emerson
Michael Emerson is an American actor who is perhaps best known for his roles as Benjamin Linus on Lost and fictional serial killer William Hinks in The Practice.-Early life:...
, on a number of projects. Emerson plays Ben Linus on television's Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
, and Preston was a guest star in episode 20 of season 3, The Man Behind the Curtain
The Man Behind the Curtain
"The Man Behind the Curtain" is the 20th episode of the 3rd season of Lost, and the 69th episode overall. It was first aired on May 9, 2007 on ABC. The episode was directed by Bobby Roth and written by Elizabeth Sarnoff and Drew Goddard....
. She played Ben's mother Emily for several flashback scenes, though she and Emerson never appeared in any scenes together. Emerson and Preston were both featured in the 2004 comedy Straight-Jacket
Straight-Jacket
Straight-Jacket is a 2004 comedy film written and directed by Richard Day, based on his play. Done as a pastiche of the Rock Hudson-Doris Day romantic comedy films, Straight-Jacket tells the story of Guy Stone, a closeted gay actor in the 1950s who is modeled on Hudson.-Plot:Guy Stone is...
, and the 2008 feature film Ready? OK!.
Preston is co-owner of the production company Daisy 3 Pictures
Daisy 3 Pictures
Daisy 3 Pictures is an independent film production company.Daisy 3 Pictures was founded in 2004 by film producer Mark Holmes, writer and director James Vasquez, and actress Carrie Preston...
with James Vasquez
James Vasquez
James Vasquez is an American actor, writer, and director.Vasquez is originally from Escondido, California, United States.As an actor, Vasquez has appeared off Broadway with The Public Theater in New York City, at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, and in the Alabama Shakespeare Festival.Vasquez...
and Mark Holmes
Mark Holmes (filmmaker)
Mark Holmes is an American independent filmmaker.Holmes cofounded the San Diego-based film company Daisy 3 Pictures in 2004 with writer and director James Vasquez and actress Carrie Preston, and is responsible for the company's general operations....
.
Since 2008, Preston has portrayed Arlene Fowler on True Blood
True Blood
True Blood is an American television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, detailing the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana...
, HBO's drama series about vampires who have come out of hiding thanks to the creation of synthetic blood which no longer requires them to feed on humans.
She appeared in an early Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
episode, which is interesting considering the main character, Carrie Bradshaw
Carrie Bradshaw
Carrie Preston is the fictional narrator and lead character of the HBO sitcom/drama Sex and the City, portrayed by actress Sarah Jessica Parker. She is a semi-autobiographical character created by Candace Bushnell, who published the book Sex and the City, based on her own columns in the New York...
later marries Mr. Big
Mr. Big (Sex and the City)
"Mr. Big" is a fictional character in the HBO series Sex and the City, portrayed by Chris Noth. The character's name is mentioned in the pilot episode but not used throughout the series until the last episode, when his first name is shown on Carries mobile. His full name is John James Preston...
, taking his name and becoming Carrie Preston.
On July 31, 2010, Carrie Preston and her husband Michael Emerson read A. R. Gurney
A. R. Gurney
A. R. Gurney is an American playwright and novelist. He is known for works including Love Letters, The Cocktail Hour, and The Dining Room. Gurney currently lives in both New York and Connecticut....
's Love Letters
Love Letters (play)
Love Letters is a Pulitzer Prize for Drama nominated play by A. R. Gurney. The play centers on just two characters, Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III...
, which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for Drama
Pulitzer Prize for Drama
The Pulitzer Prize for Drama was first awarded in 1918.From 1918 to 2006, the Drama Prize was unlike the majority of the other Pulitzer Prizes: during these years, the eligibility period for the drama prize ran from March 2 to March 1, to reflect the Broadway 'season' rather than the calendar year...
, at the Charleston Stage. They performed it as a fundraiser for the South Carolina's theatre. The reading was followed by a brief and intimate Question and Answer session.
Film
- My Best Friend's WeddingMy Best Friend's WeddingMy Best Friend's Wedding is a 1997 romantic comedy film directed by P. J. Hogan. It stars Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Dermot Mulroney, Rupert Everett, and Philip Bosco.The film received mostly positive reviews from critics...
(as Mandy), 1997 - Mercury RisingMercury RisingMercury Rising is a 1998 American action thriller film starring Bruce Willis and Alec Baldwin. Directed by Harold Becker, the movie is based on Ryne Douglas Pearson's 1996 novel originally published as Simple Simon...
(as Emily), 1998 - Straight-JacketStraight-JacketStraight-Jacket is a 2004 comedy film written and directed by Richard Day, based on his play. Done as a pastiche of the Rock Hudson-Doris Day romantic comedy films, Straight-Jacket tells the story of Guy Stone, a closeted gay actor in the 1950s who is modeled on Hudson.-Plot:Guy Stone is...
(as Sally), 2004 - The Stepford WivesThe Stepford Wives (2004 film)The Stepford Wives is a 2004 American science fiction film. The film is a remake of the 1975 film of the same name; both films are based on the Ira Levin novel The Stepford Wives...
(as Barbara), 2004 - TransamericaTransamerica (film)Transamerica is a 2005 independent comedy-drama film produced by IFC Films and The Weinstein Company. The film tells the story of Bree, a transsexual woman , who goes on a road trip with her long-lost son Toby ....
(as Sydney), 2005 - Lovely By SurpriseLovely By SurpriseLovely By Surprise is a 2007 film directed by Kirt Gunn. It stars Carrie Preston, Michael Chernus, Austin Pendleton and Reg Rogers.- Synopsis of plot :...
(as Marian), 2007 - TowelheadTowelhead (film)Towelhead is a 2007 black comedy film written and directed by Alan Ball and based on Alicia Erian's novel of the same name. The film made its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on September 8, 2007 under the name Nothing is Private...
(as Evelyn Vuoso), 2007 - Ready? OK! (as Andy Dowd), 2008
- Vicky Cristina BarcelonaVicky Cristina BarcelonaVicky Cristina Barcelona is a 2008 romance comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen, and starring Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson and Rebecca Hall...
, 2008 - DuplicityDuplicity (film)Duplicity is a 2009 American romantic comedy spy film written and directed by Tony Gilroy, and starring Clive Owen and Julia Roberts. The plot follows two corporate spies with a romantic history who collaborate to carry out a complicated con...
, 2009 - That Evening SunThat Evening Sun (film)That Evening Sun is a 2009 film based on a 2002 short story I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down by William Gay. The movie, produced by Dogwood Entertainment, stars Hal Holbrook as Abner Meecham and is directed by Scott Teems who also wrote the screenplay...
, 2009
Television
- Sex and the CitySex and the CitySex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
(in episode "The Chicken Dance" as Madeline Dunn), 1999 - Emeril (as B.D. Benson), 2001
- WonderfallsWonderfallsWonderfalls is a comedy-drama television series that was broadcast on the Fox television network in 2004.The show centres on Jaye Tyler , a recent Brown University graduate with a philosophy degree, who holds a dead-end job as a sales clerk at a Niagara Falls gift shop...
(as Sister Katrina in episode "Wound-up Penguin"), 2004 - Law and Order:Criminal Intent (as Doreen Whitlock in episode "Magnificat"), 2004
- Numb3rsNUMB3RSNumb3rs is an American television drama which premiered on CBS on January 23, 2005, and concluded on March 12, 2010. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, and follows FBI Special Agent Don Eppes and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes , who helps Don solve crimes...
(in episode "Dirty Bomb" as Vicky Sites), 2005 - The InsideThe InsideThe Inside is an American crime drama television series created by Tim Minear and Howard Gordon and produced by Imagine Television. The Inside follows the work of the FBI's Los Angeles Violent Crimes Unit , a division dedicated to investigating particularly dangerous crimes. The Inside initially...
(in episode "Pre-Filer" as Kelly Comack), 2005 - Arrested Development (in episode "Fakin' It" as Jan Eagleman), 2006
- LostLost (TV series)Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
(in episode "The Man Behind the CurtainThe Man Behind the Curtain"The Man Behind the Curtain" is the 20th episode of the 3rd season of Lost, and the 69th episode overall. It was first aired on May 9, 2007 on ABC. The episode was directed by Bobby Roth and written by Elizabeth Sarnoff and Drew Goddard....
" as Emily), 2007 - Desperate HousewivesDesperate HousewivesDesperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
(in episode "You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover" as Lucy), 2007 - True BloodTrue BloodTrue Blood is an American television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, detailing the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana...
(as Arlene Fowler), 2008–present - The Good Wife (in episodes "Hybristophilia," "Mock," and "Executive Order 13224" as Elsbeth Tascioni), 2010-11
- Law & Order: SVU (in episode "Educated GuessEducated GuessEducated Guess is the thirteenth album by singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco, released January 20, 2004 . It was recorded alone at her homes in Buffalo, New York and New Orleans, Louisiana.-Track listing:All songs by Ani DiFranco....
" as Bella), 2011
Theater
- The TempestThe TempestThe Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–11, and thought by many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place,...
(as Miranda), BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
, 1995 - Antony and CleopatraAntony and CleopatraAntony and Cleopatra is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607. It was first printed in the First Folio of 1623. The plot is based on Thomas North's translation of Plutarch's Lives and follows the relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony...
(as Octavius Caesar), Joseph Papp Public Theater, 1997 - FreedomlandFreedomlandFreedomland has several meanings:* Freedomland U.S.A. was a short-lived themed amusement park in the Baychester section of the Bronx, New York City* Freedomland , a 1998 novel by Richard Price, and...
(as Polly), Playwrights HorizonsPlaywrights HorizonsPlaywrights Horizons is a not-for-profit Off-Broadway theater located in New York City dedicated to the support and development of contemporary American playwrights, composers, and lyricists, and to the production of their new work....
, 1998 - Straight Jacket (as Sally), Playhouse 91, 2000
- She Stoops to ConquerShe Stoops to ConquerShe Stoops to Conquer is a comedy by the Irish author Oliver Goldsmith, son of an Anglo-Irish vicar, first performed in London in 1773. The play is a great favourite for study by English literature and theatre classes in Britain and the United States. It is one of the few plays from the 18th...
(as Kate Hardcastle), Center StageCenter Stage (theater)Center Stage is the state theater of Maryland and Baltimore's largest professional producing theater. Center Stage was founded in 1963 as a regional playhouse....
, 2000 - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a play by Edward Albee that opened on Broadway at the Billy Rose Theater on October 13, 1962. The original cast featured Uta Hagen as Martha, Arthur Hill as George, Melinda Dillon as Honey and George Grizzard as Nick. It was directed by Alan Schneider...
(as Honey), Guthrie TheaterGuthrie TheaterThe Guthrie Theater is a center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the result of the desire of Sir Tyrone Guthrie, Oliver Rea, and Peter Zeisler to create a resident acting company that would produce and perform the classics in...
, 2001 - Chaucer in RomeChaucer in RomeChaucer in Rome is a play written by John Guare. In some ways, it is a sequel to House of Blue Leaves.-Synopsis:The play is set in Rome during the Holy Year of Jubilee, which is extremely crowded with pilgrims seeking confession and absolution...
(as Sarah), Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, 2001 - Boys and Girls (as Shelly), Duke on 42nd Street, 2002
- No Foreigners Beyond This Point (as Paula Wheaton), Center StageCenter Stage (theater)Center Stage is the state theater of Maryland and Baltimore's largest professional producing theater. Center Stage was founded in 1963 as a regional playhouse....
, 2002 - The RivalsThe RivalsThe Rivals, a play by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, is a comedy of manners in five acts. It was first performed on 17 January 1775.- Production :...
(as Julia), BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
, 2004–2005 - HamletHamletThe Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
(as Ophelia), McCarter Theatre Center, Princeton, New JerseyPrinceton, New JerseyPrinceton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, 2005 - Cycling Past the Matterhorn (as Amy), Clurman Theatre, 2005
- Festen (as Mette), Music Box TheatreMusic Box TheatreThe Music Box Theater is a Broadway theatre located at 239 West 45th Street in midtown-Manhattan.The once most aptly named theater on Broadway, the intimate Music Box was designed by architect C. Howard Crane and constructed by composer Irving Berlin and producer Sam H. Harris specifically to...
(Broadway)Broadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
, 2006 - Esther Demsac (as the reluctant nanny), NY Theatre Workshop's 4th Street Theatre, 2008
- Likeness, Primary Stages TheaterPrimary Stages TheaterPrimary Stages was founded in 1984 by Casey Childs as a New York State non-profit theater company with the mission of producing new plays and fostering the artistic development of emerging and established playwrights....
(307 W. 38th Street), 2008 - Love LettersLove Letters (play)Love Letters is a Pulitzer Prize for Drama nominated play by A. R. Gurney. The play centers on just two characters, Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III...
(as Melissa Gardner), Charleston Stage, 2010
Film
- 29th and Gay29th and Gay29th and Gay is a 2005 comedy film from Daisy 3 Pictures directed by Carrie Preston and starring James Vasquez, Nicole Marcks, David McBean, Mike Doyle, and Annie Hinton. It was Vasquez's first experience as a writer, actor, and editor.-Plot:...
, 2005 - Feet of ClayFeet of Clay (short film)Feet of Clay is an 2007 short film produced by Daisy 3 Pictures.Feet of Clay was written by David Caudle, and was first produced in 2005 as a play for the Samuel French Festival at the Chernuchin Theatre in New York City.-Plot:...
, short film written by David Caudle
Theater
- Girl Talk, screenplay by actress Kellie Overbey, 2008
Film
- 29th and Gay29th and Gay29th and Gay is a 2005 comedy film from Daisy 3 Pictures directed by Carrie Preston and starring James Vasquez, Nicole Marcks, David McBean, Mike Doyle, and Annie Hinton. It was Vasquez's first experience as a writer, actor, and editor.-Plot:...
, 2005 - Feet of ClayFeet of Clay (short film)Feet of Clay is an 2007 short film produced by Daisy 3 Pictures.Feet of Clay was written by David Caudle, and was first produced in 2005 as a play for the Samuel French Festival at the Chernuchin Theatre in New York City.-Plot:...
, short film written by David Caudle - Ready? OK!, 2008