Lauren Ambrose

Lauren Ambrose (born February 20, 1978) is an American actress and singer. She initially gained recognition and critical acclaim for her starring role as Claire Fisher in the HBO drama series Six Feet Under (2001–2005), for which she was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards and won two Screen Actors Guild Awards. She went on to star as Jilly Kitzinger in the BBC One science fiction series Torchwood: Miracle Day, Dorothy Turner in the Apple TV+ psychological horror series Servant (2019–2023), and as the adult version of Vanessa "Van" Palmer in the Showtime drama thriller series Yellowjackets (2023–2025).

Her film credits include In & Out (1997), Can't Hardly Wait (1998), Swimming (2000), Psycho Beach Party (2000), Where the Wild Things Are (2009), and The Other Woman (2009). Ambrose played the title role in Loving Leah, a 2009 Hallmark film. Other credits include About Sunny (2011), Sleepwalk with Me (2012), and Wanderlust (2012).

Ambrose's stage credits include Buried Child (2004), Awake and Sing! (2006), and Exit the King (2009). She portrayed the lead role of Eliza Doolittle in the 2018 Lincoln Center Theater revival of My Fair Lady on Broadway, for which she garnered a Tony Award nomination and a Grammy Award, as well as an Outer Critics Circle Award. She is lead singer of the ragtime band Lauren Ambrose and the Leisure Class.

Early life Lauren Ambrose was born on February 20, 1978. She is the daughter of Frank D'Ambruoso, a caterer, and Anne (née Wachtel), an interior designer. She is of Italian descent on her father's side, and German, English, and Irish on her mother's side. Ambrose attended Choate Rosemary Hall, Wilbur Cross High School, High School in the Community, and the ACES Educational Center for the Arts in New Haven as part of the class of 1996. She is also a trained opera singer who studied voice and opera at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute in the summers of 1994 and 1995.

Career

1990–1998: Career beginnings Ambrose began her career in New York theater, starring in the Off-Broadway play Soulful Scream of a Chosen Son at the Vineyard Theatre from August to September 1990. Her early career also included television appearances, most notably playing supporting guest roles in the NBC crime drama series Law & Order, and a feature guest role on the show in the 1998 episode "Damaged" as Valerie Maxwell, an intellectually disabled young woman raped by a group of popular high school students. Her first film role was as Vicky Rayburn in the comedy In & Out (1997). She went on to have a prominent role as Denise Fleming in the high school comedy film Can't Hardly Wait (1998).

1999–2005: Breakthrough and Six Feet Under

In 1999, Ambrose had a recurring role as Myra Wringler in five episodes of the Fox teen drama Party of Five. She played the ingenue lead, Florence "Chicklet" Forrest, in the horror comedy Psycho Beach Party (2000). The same year, she starred as Frankie Wheeler in the coming-of-age drama film Swimming.

Ambrose gained wider recognition and critical acclaim for her starring role as Claire Fisher in the HBO drama series Six Feet Under (2001–2005). For her performance, she was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Drama Actress. She also won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series twice, from five nominations as a part of the ensemble cast.

In 2004, she starred as Shelly in the Royal National Theatre production of the play Buried Child.

2006–2017: Broadway debut In 2006, Ambrose made her Broadway debut in the Lincoln Center Theater revival production of Awake and Sing! at the Belasco Theatre. She went on to appear in the drama films Diggers (2006) and Starting Out in the Evening (2007).

In 2007, she starred as Juliet in the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park performance of Romeo and Juliet at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. She also appeared as Ophelia in the 2008 performance of Hamlet for Shakespeare in the Park.

In 2008, she had a starring role as Coco Tompkins in the Fox comedy series The Return of Jezebel James, which was created by Amy Sherman-Palladino. The series was cancelled after one season.

Ambrose returned to Broadway in the 2009 revival of Eugène Ionesco's Exit the King at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, opposite Geoffrey Rush and Susan Sarandon. Also in 2009, she starred in numerous films, such as the comedy-dramas A Dog Year and Cold Souls, and the romance dramas The Other Woman and Loving Leah. Additionally, she provided the voice of the monster KW in Spike Jonze's fantasy drama film Where the Wild Things Are.

Ambrose is the lead singer of Lauren Ambrose and the Leisure Class, a ragtime dixieland jazz band formed in 2009. They have performed several times at Joe's Pub and charity events.

In 2011, Ambrose appeared in seven episodes of the BBC One science fiction series Torchwood: Miracle Day. She played Jilly Kitzinger, a "sweet-talking PR genius with a heart of stone who's just cornered the most important client of her career and maybe of all time". For her performance, she received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress on Television.

Ambrose produced and starred in the drama film About Sunny (2011), which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. For her performance, she was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead. In 2012, she appeared in the comedy films Sleepwalk with Me, Wanderlust, and Grassroots. She was set to play Fanny Brice in a 2012 Broadway revival of Funny Girl, directed by Bartlett Sher, but the production was indefinitely postponed due to financial concerns.

Ambrose made numerous TV appearances, including roles in the A&E miniseries Coma (2012), the Adult Swim animated series Robot Chicken (2013), the NBC crime drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2013), the Lifetime television film Deliverance Creek (2014), and the USA Network miniseries Dig (2015). From 2016 to 2018, she had a recurring role as Special Agent Liz Einstein in the Fox science fiction drama series The X-Files.

2018–present: Broadway return and Servant In March 2018, Ambrose began a leading role as Eliza Doolittle in the Broadway revival of My Fair Lady at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre, directed by Bartlett Sher. For her performance, she received critical acclaim and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. She also won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.

In October 2018, Ambrose left My Fair Lady to take on the lead role as Dorothy Turner in the psychological horror series Servant, which was produced by M. Night Shyamalan and Tony Basgallop for Apple TV+. The series premiered in November 2019 and ended after four seasons in March 2023. For her performance in the series, she garnered a nomination for the Critics' Choice Super Award for Best Actress in a Horror Series.

Ambrose has also narrated various audiobooks, most recently The Maid by Nita Prose in 2022.

In 2023, Ambrose began starring in the Showtime drama thriller series Yellowjackets, portraying the adult version of the character Vanessa "Van" Palmer.

Personal life Ambrose has been married to professional writer Sam Handel since September 2001. They have two children.

Acting credits Film + Year Title Role Notes 1997 In & Out Vicky Rayburn 1998 Can't Hardly Wait Denise Fleming Summertime's Calling Me Tami Short film 2000 Swimming Frankie Wheeler Psycho Beach Party Florence "Chicklet" Forrest 2004 Admissions Evie Brighton 2006 Diggers Zoey 2007 Starting Out in the Evening Heather Wolfe 2009 A Dog Year Emma Cold Souls Stephanie Where the Wild Things Are KW (voice) The Other Woman Mindy 2011 I'm Coming Over Greta Short film About Sunny Angela Also producer 2012 Sleepwalk with Me Abby Wanderlust Almond Cohen Grassroots Emily Bowen 2013 The River Maria Short film 2018 Joseph Pulitzer: Voice of the People Kate Davis 2024 Caddo Lake Celeste

Television + Year Title Role Notes 1992 Law & Order Jessica Episode: "Skin Deep" 1993 Law & Order Maureen McKinnon Episode: "Pride and Joy" 1995 The State Audience Member Episode: "3.10" 1998 Law & Order Valerie Maxwell Episode: "Damaged" 1999 Party of Five Myra Wringler 5 episodes 2001–2005 Six Feet Under Claire Fisher Main role 2008 The Return of Jezebel James Coco Tompkins Main role 2009 Loving Leah Leah Lever Television film 2011 Torchwood: Miracle Day Jilly Kitzinger 7 episodes Weekends at Bellevue Ellie Harlow Pilot 2012 Coma Susan Wheeler 2 episodes 2013 Robot Chicken Anita Radcliffe / Natasha Fatale (voices) Episode: "Papercut to Aorta" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Vanessa Mayer 2 episodes 2014 Deliverance Creek Belle Gatlin Barlow Television film 2015 Dig Debbie Morgan Main role Broad Squad Eileen Pilot 2016–2018 The X-Files Special Agent Liz Einstein 3 episodes 2016 The Interestings Jules Jacobson Pilot 2017 Monsters of God Cynthia Lancaster Pilot 2019–2023 Servant Dorothy Turner Main role 2023–2025 Yellowjackets Adult Vanessa "Van" Palmer Main role (seasons 2–3)

Theater

Video games Year Title Voice role Notes 2007 The Darkness Jenny Romano

Awards and nominations + List of awards and nominations received by Lauren Ambrose Year Association Category Work Result 2002 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Six Feet Under 2002 Actor Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2002 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Drama Actress 2003 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series 2004 Actor Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2005 Actor Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2006 Actor Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2009 Satellite Awards Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film Loving Leah 2012 Independent Spirit Awards Best Female Lead Think of Me 2012 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actress on Television Torchwood: Miracle Day 2018 Tony Award Best Actress in a MusicalMy Fair Lady 2018 Drama League Award Distinguished Performance 2018 Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical 2019 Grammy Award Best Musical Theater Album 2021SEC AwardsBest Actress in a Thriller SeriesServant 2022 Critics' Choice Super Award Best Actress in a Horror Series 2023 Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Drama Series Yellowjackets