Kathryn Erbe

Kathryn Erbe (born July 5, 1965 in Newton, Massachusetts) is an American actress whose career spans stage, film, and television. She first gained notice while still an undergraduate at New York University, when she was cast opposite Lynn Redgrave in the sitcom Chicken Soup, a role that introduced her talent for nuanced, compelling performances. After graduating in 1989, Erbe became a core member of the prestigious Steppenwolf Theatre Company, appearing in productions such as A Streetcar Named Desire, Curse of the Starving Class, and the award‑winning The Grapes of Wrath, which enjoyed a six‑month run and contributed to the ensemble’s 1990 Tony Award for Best Play. Her Broadway work earned her a Tony nomination in 1991 for the haunting role of Mary in The Speed of Darkness, cementing her reputation as a versatile stage actress.

Transitioning to the screen, Erbe built a diverse filmography that includes the comedy What About Bob?, the supernatural thriller Stir of Echoes, and independent features like Dream with the Fishes and Love from Ground Zero. She achieved widespread television fame as Shirley Bellinger, the chilling inmate on HBO’s gritty prison drama Oz, and later as Detective Alexandra Eames on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, a role she originated in 2001 and revisited through multiple seasons and crossover appearances. Her on‑screen partnership with Vincent D’Onofrio became a hallmark of the series, and she later reprised Eames in the final season and in guest spots on Law & Order: SVU. Beyond drama, Erbe displayed a sharp sense of humor in a 2014 parody on Last Week Tonight and brought depth to the lead’s wife in the USA Network’s thriller The Sinner. Off‑camera, she was married to actor Terry Kinney from 1993 to 2006, and together they raise two children.