Julianna Margulies Movies
Raven-haired Julianna Margulies may have become an award-winning TV star on NBC's phenomenally successful ER in the 1990s, but she was ready to exit the series to pursue movies and theater full time by decade's end. Born in Spring Valley, NY, Margulies spent part of her childhood living abroad before settling back in her hometown for a bohemian life with her free-spirit mother. Though she earned a B.A. in art history from Sarah Lawrence College, Margulies performed in college plays and decided to pursue an acting career. Margulies landed her first movie role in 1991, playing a prostitute in the Steven Seagal flick Out for Justice.With no more movie roles forthcoming, Margulies made a living with theater work and TV guest star stints on Law and Order and Homicide in the early '90s. Margulies subsequently landed a role in the pilot for Michael Crichton's new hospital drama ER in 1994, but her character was slated for death after that single episode. Due to a positive audience response, however, Margulies' compassionate Nurse Hathaway survived the pilot. During her six seasons on the most popular TV drama of the 1990s, Margulies won the Emmy and the SAG Award and became a perennial nominee. Buoyed by her TV fame, Margulies returned to films during her hiatuses, starring as the would-be victim of Bill Paxton's Irish con in Traveler (1996), a POW alongside Glenn Close and Cate Blanchett in the ensemble drama Paradise Road (1997), and as Matthew McConaughey's girlfriend in Richard Linklater's Western-esque bank robber saga The Newton Boys (1998). Continuing to avoid glossy big budget Hollywood fare in favor of a more independent sensibility, Margulies also appeared in Boaz Yakin's A Price Above Rubies (1998) and Gurinder Chadha's multiethnic Thanksgiving tale What's Cooking? (2000). Margulies finally took on a blockbuster of sorts when she voiced one of the pre-historic reptiles in the animated Dinosaur (2000). Despite an offer that would have made her one of the highest paid actresses on TV, Margulies announced in 2000 that six years of ER was enough. While Hathaway departed to a future with George Clooney's Dr. Ross, Margulies moved back to New York to hit the off-Broadway stage with Donald Sutherland in Ten Unknowns (2001). Margulies returned to the small-screen for the female-centric version of the King Arthur legend The Mists of Avalon, before appearing in The Man from Elysian Fields, and opposite Pierce Brosnan in the drama Evelyn. After an appearance in the horror film Ghost Ship, Margulies would not appear in another widely released motion picture until she landed one of the main parts in the 2006 summer phenomenon known simply as Snakes on a Plane. Three years later, the veteran actress was back on the small screen as the lead in The Good Wife -- a popular CBS series about a former litigator who returns to work following a public scandal involving her state attorney husband. Though her performance in the series earned Margulies a Best Lead Actress Emmy in 2010, the award that year went to Kyra Sedgwick for The Closer instead. But fans of the actress had good reason to hold out hope that she'd be a strong contender the next year as well, and indeed when the 2001 Emmy winners were announced Margulies emerged the victor. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi
Based on the testimony of survivors, this historical drama recounts the WWII heroism of female prisoners of war. (Glenn Close) stars as Adrienne Partiger, a society doyenne who flees Singapore with other expatriate women, mostly the wives of servicemen, when Japanese forces invade in 1942. When their gunboat is sunk in an air attack, the survivors wash ashore on Japanese-held Sumatra. The women are interned in a grim POW camp where punishments for even minor infractions are extreme. With the help of a missionary (Pauline Collins), Partiger corrals the women, including a tough American (Julianna Margulies), an Australian nurse (Cate Blanchett) and a young wife (Jennifer Ehle) into a musical group. Since singing is not allowed, the a cappella chorus dubs itself "a vocal orchestra" and is tolerated -- if barely -- by their Japanese captors. Though living conditions are squalid, food is scarce, and a thin sliver of soap inspires a shower brawl, the music keeps spirits uplifted and a Jewish-German doctor (Frances McDormand) provides some medical aid. Writer-director Bruce Beresford interviewed real-life participants in similar POW musical groups. Some provided, from memory, sheet music of the pieces they performed, which were used in the film. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Glenn Close, Pauline Collins, (more)
Season four of ER opens with the famous "live" episode, which was originally telecast in "you are there" documentary fashion (with two separate stagings, one each for the East and West Coasts). This episode serves to introduce a new regular, British doctor Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston). Within a few weeks, Elizabeth has inaugurated a romance with irascible Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle), who is presently occupied with caring for his deaf son, Reese. Another character, overachieving pediatrician Dr. Anna Del Amico (Maria Bello), graduates from recurring to regular status just in time to enter into a relationship with Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle). Also joining the cast this season is the obnoxious, obstreperous Dr. Robert Romano (Paul McCrane), whose dislike of Dr. Corday borders on the obsessive; and Carter's fabulously wealthy grandmother, played by Frances Sternhagen. Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards) spends much of the season trying to overcome the physical and emotional scars after being severely beaten by an unknown assailant near the end of season three. When Dr. Ross (George Clooney) heads to California to handle funeral arrangements for his ne'er-do-well father, Greene accompanies him, and along the way he endures a painful reunion with his own parents. Elsewhere, Nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) breaks off her rekindled romance with Ross; gruff ER head Dr. Anspaugh (John Aylward) is "humanized" by the serious illness of his son; Dr. Weaver (Laura Innes) is appointed new acting chief of emergency services, leading to a brief fling with the CEO in charge of the cost-cutting organization that has purchased Chicago County; Greene makes a bid for the position of pediatrics attending physician, causing a sharp divide between those for and against his promotion; and Benton's ex-girlfriend Jeanie (Gloria Reuben) tries to lead a normal life and career despite her AIDs. The season closes with Ross in deep trouble (again!), this time over his unauthorized treatment of a drug-addicted baby. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Noah Wyle, Anthony Edwards, (more)
Season three of ER marks the (temporary) exit of Chicago County emergency-room doctor Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield), whose ever-increasing emotional problems are exacerbated when her romance with Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards) fails to take off. It also marks the begining of John Carter's (Noah Wyle) medical career, as he starts off the season now a doctor, but still low on the food chain as a first-year intern. New to the series this season are head of surgery Dr. Donald Anspaugh (John Aylward), pediatrician Dr. Abby Keaton (Glenne Headley), and oversensitive intern Dr. Dennis Gant (Omar Epps), who, unable to withstand the incessant hectoring of hard-driving supervisor Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle), commits suicide. Benton has problems on other fronts as well: Dr. Keaton dismisses him from the prestigious pediatrics team; his current girlfriend, Jeanie Boulet (Gloria Reuben), is diagnosed as HIV-positive; and his former sweetheart Carla Reese (Lisa Nicole Carson) prematurely delivers Benton's baby son, who is born deaf. Elsewhere, womanizing Dr. Ross (George Clooney) has another scandal on his hands when his latest one-night stand (whose name he doesn't even know) drops dead; unfortunately, his attempt to redeem himself by rescuing a 14-year-old prostitute from a life on the streets ends disastrously as well. Long-suffering Head Nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) is torn between staying in her current job and entering med school. And newly divorced Dr. Greene nervously re-enters the dating scene, even while his ongoing war of nerves with the abrasive Dr. Kerry Weaver (Laura Innes) intensifies. As the season rushes to a climax, Greene is accused of allowing a black patient to die while caring for a white patient -- and shortly afterward, he is severely beaten by an unknown assailant. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Noah Wyle, Anthony Edwards, (more)
Actor Bill Paxton produced this unusual film about a clan of Irish-American con artists practicing in the American South. They live in a secluded compound and have their own time-honored customs. Pat (Mark Wahlberg) is returning to the hideout for the funeral of his father, who irked the clan by marrying an outsider. Because his mother is not Irish, the compound's boss, Jack Costello (Luke Askew), tells him that he's no longer welcome there. But Bokky, played by Paxton, takes the younger man under his wing and teaches him the clan's trade. Bokky specializes in cheating homeowners by charging them to apply driveway or roof sealant, then leaving before they discover that it's only black oil. He also buys and resells shoddy mobile homes. Pat soon proves more nervy and creative than his boss. They try to scam a bartender, Jean (Julianna Margulies), but Bokky falls in love with her. Jean needs cash to pay for an operation for her hearing-impaired daughter, so Bokky finally agrees to work for a cowboy con artist named Double D (James Gammon), who has been trying to recruit him for a big job in Nashville. ~ Michael Betzold, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bill Paxton, Mark Wahlberg, (more)
- 1995
When Larry (Garry Shandling) takes two weeks off from the show to recover from plastic surgery, Sandra Bernhard fills in as guest host for The Larry Sanders Show. Despite Bernhard and her manager Ellen's (Lois Foraker) suggestions to Artie (Rip Torn) as to how the show might be improved, the reluctant producer politely declines. Angered at having their ideas rejected by Artie, the fill-in host and her wrangler leak a story to the press concerning Bernhard replacing Larry, prompting the angered host to cut his leave short and return to the show in hopes of clearing the air. Despite his initial enthusiasm at being back on the soundstage, Larry's parade is dampened when the network brass express interest in replacing the high-salaried host and retaining their high ratings on the cheap. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Having all but forced its CBS medical-show competition Chicago Hope off the Thursday-night schedule, NBC's ER reigned supreme as the series entered its second season. Having wrongly assumed that he would leave Chicago County after his third year of med school, John Carter (Noah Wyle) remains on staff as a surgical sub-intern, and by and by is given a promotion; later on, he follows the example of his sexually supercharged colleagues by getting involved in a romantic triangle. Carter's short-tempered supervisor, Dr. Benton (Eriq La Salle), likewise enters into a relationship, with divorcée Jeanie Boulet (Gloria Reuben) -- who may or may not be entirely free of her troublesome ex, Al (Michael Beach). Left standing at altar by her fiancée at the end of season one, Head Nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) falls for Ray "Shep" Shepard (Ron Eldard), a rather reckless paramedic. And Dr. Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) has become quite comfortable caring for her irresponsible sister Chloe's baby, Suzy -- until Chloe (Kathleen Wilhoite) pops up out of nowhere to demand custody. Season two marks the introduction of Laura Innes as Dr. Kerry Weaver, whose brusque, fingernails-on-the-blackboard attitude gets on everyone's nerves. In other developments, Dr. Ross (George Clooney), facing dismissal because of his maverick behavior, redeems himself by saving a boy trapped in a culvert during a torrential downpour; Shep goes over the edge when his paramedic partner is killed in a fire; and, in the season-ending cliffhanger, Benton discovers that Jeanie's former husband, Al, has infected her with the HIV virus. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Noah Wyle, Anthony Edwards, (more)
- 1994
Hoping to make Bolander (Ned Beatty) less self-conscious about their first date, Linda (Melissa Leo) agrees to double-date with Howard (Melissa Leo) and Danvers (Zeljko Ivanek) -- but the jealous Munch (Richard Belzer) messes things up. Back on the job, Bayliss (Kyle Secor) investigates when a phone-sex operator is found strangled, clutching a note that seems to point directly to her killer. And Lewis (Clark Johnson) and Crocetti (Jon Polito) look into a murder at the library, committed by an "ink-pen fetishist." This was the final episode of Homicide's very brief second season. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
The first season of the prestigious NBC medical drama ER is seen largely through the eyes of new third-year medical student John Carter (Noah Wyle) as he tries to survive his shakedown cruise in the Emergency Room of Chicago's County General Hospital. Carter is swiftly introduced to his ill-tempered, ultra-demanding supervisor Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle), ER head Dr. Morganstern (William H. Macy), and his new co-workers, womanizing Dr. Doug Ross (George Clooney), workaholic Dr. Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards), and troubled Dr. Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield). Likewise appearing for the first time -- and almost the last -- is Ross' current amour, Head Nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies), a character who was supposed to have appeared only once before committing suicide, but who proved so popular that she recovered and returned to work. The many first-season plot strands include Greene's ever-growing domestic problems with his restless wife, Jennifer (Christine Harnos), the normally ice-cold Benton's anguish over the failing health of his mother (Beah Richards), and Lewis' tribulations with her irresponsible, drug-addicted sister, Chloe (Kathleen Wilhoite), who presumptively deposits her baby at Lewis' home and disappears. Showing up in mid-season during a major medical crisis is Dr. Angela Hicks (CCH Pounder), one of the few people who can match Benton in anger and imperiousness. Another character conflict develops between Lewis and rule-bound Dr. Kayson (Sam Anderson), who first brings charges of incompetence against her -- and then tries to date her! On a more salutary note, Greene is promoted to attending physician. The Emmy award-winning episode "Love's Labor Lost" dramatized a career turning point for Greene when a misdiagnosis causes the death of an expectant mother. Shortly afterward, new ER chief William Swift (Michael Ironside) makes trouble for the staff with his eccentric approach to medicine. Also introduced is another third-year med student, Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen (Ming-Na), who enters into intense competition with Carter -- with disastrous results. Another first-season recurring character, Lewis' erstwhile boyfriend Dr. Div Cvetic (John Terry), breaks under the pressure of the ER and runs naked into the streets, never to be seen again. Worth special notice is the episode "Motherhood," directed by no less than Quentin Tarantino; and the season finale, in which the marriage between Carol Hathaway and Dr. John Taglieri (Rick Rossovich) is scuttled at the last moment, leaving poor Carol with another emotional cross to bear. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Noah Wyle, Anthony Edwards, (more)
- 1994
Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) would rather not hear Pembleton's (Andre Braugher) theory that drug dealer C.C. Cox was murdered by a cop. One of the suspects in the killing is Sgt. Jimmy Tryon (Michael S. Kennedy), a former lover of Kay Howard (Melissa Leo) -- and a man who seems too eager to confess. Meanwhile, Munch (Richard Belzer) has issues with his present girlfriend (surprise!); and Bolander (Ned Beatty) is encouraged by waitress Linda (Julianna Marguiles) to take up the cello again. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 1993
Logan (Chris Noth) and Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) run up against a "wall of brass" when they investigate the death of a female Navy officer, who was last seen alive at a wild party. The detectives' only witness is Ensign Evan Walters (Michael Dolan), who claims that he can remember nothing of the events leading up to the woman's death. Resistance to the successful prosecution of the case reaches to the highest levels of Navy bureaucracy -- but assistant D.A. Stone (Michael Moriarty) is determined to break through the official coverup. Future E.R. regular Julianna Margulies is seen as Lt. Ruth Mendoza. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Steven Seagal plays a good if troubled man living in a corrupt world (sound familiar yet?) in this action drama. Gino Felino (Seagal) is a cop who grew up in a tough Brooklyn neighborhood, and while many of his old friends now live on the other side of the law, he retains a fierce loyalty to the community. When his partner, a friend since childhood, is murdered -- in broad daylight, and in clear view of his wife and children -- Gino is assigned to investigate, and he soon learns that the shooter was Richie Madano (William Forsythe), his life-long nemesis and now a low-level wise guy with an addiction to crack. Gino swings into action to bring Richie to justice, though he discovers that he's not the first in line -- the Don who oversees Richie's crew is appalled by this crime, and Gino has to bring Richie in before the Mafia can put a bullet in his head. Out for Justice also features Jerry Orbach, Jo Champa, and Gina Gershon; keep an eye peeled for John Leguizamo and Julianna Margulies in small roles. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal, William Forsythe, (more)
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