Kathryn Elsbeth Erbe American actress Date of Birth: 02.06.1966 Country: USA

Biography of Kathryn Elsbeth Erbe

Kathryn Elsbeth Erbe is an American actress, best known for her role as Detective Alexandra Eames in the television series "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." She was also recognized for her portrayal of inmate Shirley Bellinger in the HBO series "Oz," where her character was sentenced to death. Erbe was born in Newton, Massachusetts, and was the eldest of three children. Her father, Richard Erbe, was a therapist at the University of Buffalo, and her mother, Elizabeth Magnarelli, was a vice president of a Boston company.

In 1989, Kathryn graduated from New York University. During her time as a student, she had already begun her acting career, landing the role of Lynn Redgrave's daughter in the comedy series "Chicken Soup." After the series ended, Erbe joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company and performed in several productions, including "A Streetcar Named Desire," "Curse of the Starving Class," "My Thing of Love," and "The Grapes of Wrath," which received a Tony Award for Best Play in 1990. Erbe herself was also nominated for a Tony Award for her role as Mary in Steve Tesich's "The Speed of Darkness."

Simultaneously, Kathryn had the opportunity to star in numerous premieres of plays by playwrights such as Tom Donaghy and Alex Gersten. She also took on leading roles in several films, including "What About Bob?," "Stir of Echoes," and "Rich in Love." Erbe's career also included independent films like "Dream with the Fishes," "Love from Ground Zero," and "Entropy." In the crime thriller "Kiss of Death," she played the role of the second wife of a former prisoner, alongside David Caruso.

Erbe's breakthrough came with her role as Shirley Bellinger in the series "Oz," for which she received critical acclaim from both critics and viewers. In 1997, she had a guest role in the series "Homicide: Life on the Street." From 2001 to 2010, Erbe portrayed Alexandra Eames in the NBC series "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," and she departed from the show in the spring of 2010. Currently, she resides in Brooklyn, New York.