All The Babes
Biography
About Julianna Margulies
Julianna Margulies has black hair and green eyes, a combination that has made her one of the most recognizable faces in television drama. Born on June 8, 1966, in Spring Valley, New York, she is the youngest of three daughters. Her mother was a ballet dancer and eurythmy teacher, and her father was a writer and advertising executive. Her parents divorced when she was a year old. She is American and of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. She has described her childhood as nomadic, moving with her mother to England and France, where French became her first language. She later attended Sarah Lawrence College, focusing on art history, English, and theatre. She originally planned to become a lawyer or psychologist, but fell in love with acting.
Margulies made her film debut in Out for Justice (1991) and gained fame as Carol Hathaway on ER (1994–2000). The character was initially meant to die, but test audiences wanted her to survive. She won a Primetime Emmy for the role and was nominated every year she was on the show. She left ER after six seasons, turning down a $27 million contract to return to theatre and pursue other projects. She later starred in The Good Wife (2009–2016), earning two more Emmys and a Golden Globe. In 2019, she appeared in The Hot Zone, which became National Geographic's highest-rated scripted series. She has also worked on stage, including a return to Broadway in 2024.
Her personal life includes a long relationship with actor Ron Eldard from 1991 to 2003. In 2007, she married attorney Keith Lieberthal, and they have a son. The family lives in Manhattan. She is involved with the MCC Theater board and supports Project ALS and Erin's Law. She created a Holocaust education program at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. In 2023, she faced backlash over comments made on a podcast, which she later apologized for, saying she was horrified that her words offended the Black and LGBTQIA+ communities. She has also written a memoir, Sunshine Girl. As of March 2026, she has 266k followers on Instagram.
Record
Profile details
Personal
- Birthplace
- Spring Valley, New York, United States
- Ethnicity
- Caucasian
- Sexuality
- Straight
Body
- Hair Color
- Black
- Eye Color
- Green
- Boobs
- Real/Natural
Extra
- Instagram Followers
- 266k (as of March 2026)
Frequently asked
Why did Julianna Margulies leave ER despite a $27 million offer?
She felt she had done all she could with the character and wanted to pursue theatre and other roles. She also disliked storylines that focused on romance, and she had a mortgage paid and a year's worth of work planned.
What is Julianna Margulies' ethnic background?
She is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, with ancestors from Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Russia. She identifies as ethnically Jewish but does not hold religious beliefs, focusing instead on gratitude.
How did her role on ER almost not happen?
Her character was intended to die in the pilot, but test audiences wanted her to survive, so the producers rewrote the plot. George Clooney also encouraged her to wait for the role rather than accept another job.
What is her connection to The Good Fight?
She was slated to reprise her role as Alicia Florrick for three episodes, but negotiations broke down over salary. She stated that she was not a guest star and would not accept a guest-star salary.
Did you know
- Her first language was French, but she no longer speaks it fluently.
- She was the only series regular on ER to win a Primetime Emmy.
- She hosted Saturday Night Live in February 2000, with ER co-star Noah Wyle appearing in a sketch.
- She turned down a $27 million contract for two more years on ER.
- She played the title character in Canterbury's Law and was also credited as a producer.
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