Leslie Grossman

Leslie Erin Grossman (born October 25, 1971 ) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Lauren on The WB sitcom What I Like About You, and for her frequent collaborations with Ryan Murphy, appearing as Mary Cherry on The WB's comedy-drama series Popular (1999–2001), and as various characters on the FX anthology series American Horror Story since 2017. Grossman also had a recurring role on the television series 10 Things I Hate About You, a reboot of the original cult classic movie of the same name.

Early life and education Grossman was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She attended Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences, where she directed plays. She started acting in her senior year at Sarah Lawrence College.

Career In 1999, Grossman was cast in her first major role, playing supporting character Mary Cherry in The WB high school drama series Popular. She had auditioned for the roles of Sam McPherson and Nicole Julian on Popular before having the part of Mary Cherry written for her. After Popular, Grossman joined the cast of The WB sitcom What I Like About You with Amanda Bynes and Jennie Garth. She had a recurring role in the first season before being added to the main cast in the second season. She played Lauren, the co-worker and best friend of Val Tyler (Garth).

On television, Grossman has appeared on Nip/Tuck, Charmed and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, amongst other television series. In 2011 she guest starred on ABC Family's Melissa and Joey, and in 2012 she appeared on The New Normal and Ben and Kate. On film, Grossman appeared in Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous in 2005. She appeared in two movies in 2006, Running with Scissors in an uncredited role and in Itty Bitty Titty Committee as Maude.

In 2017, she joined the cast of the seventh season of American Horror Story as Meadow Wilton and a flashback version of the infamous serial killer and Manson Family gang member Patricia Krenwinkel. In 2018, she was promoted to series regular for its eighth season portraying witch Coco St. Pierre Vanderbilt. She later appeared in the ninth season as Camp Redwood's owner Margaret Booth. She returned for the tenth season as a strong-willed literary agent named Ursula & an Area 51 researcher named Dr. Calico in the same season, for the eleventh season as Barbara, a New York City citizen that is going through a harrowing divorce process, and in the twelfth season she plays Ashleigh, a seemingly supernatural PR campaigner. Her appearances on the show mark the fourth collaboration between Grossman and Ryan Murphy, having appeared on Popular, Nip/Tuck, The New Normal, and American Horror Story. In 2024, she appeared in the Netflix biographical crime drama series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story as Judalon Smyth, the mistress of the Menendez brothers' therapist Jerome Oziel.

Personal life Grossman has a daughter, Goldie. Grossman is Jewish. She is married to Sascha Penn.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1998 Girl Student Can't Hardly Wait Ready to Have Sex's Friend 2005 Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous Pam 2006 Running with Scissors Sue Uncredited 2007 Itty Bitty Titty Committee Maude What We Do Is Secret Uncredited 2009 Spring Breakdown Hooker 2022 Studio 666 Barb Weems

Television Year Title Role Notes 1998 Guys Like Us Amy Episode: "Pilot" 1999–2001 Popular Mary Cherry 43 episodes 2000 Girl Band Mindy Television film 2002 Any Day Now Mildred Harrison Episode: "Let the Games Begin" Charmed Phoebe's Assistant Episode: "Witch Way Now?" 2003–2008 Nip/Tuck Bliss Berger 3 episodes 2003 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Wendy Orr Episode: "One Hit Wonder" 2003–2006 What I Like About You Lauren 66 episodes 2006 Kimmy Ponder 6 episodes Help Me Help You Kendra Episode: "The Sheriff" 2007 What News? Misti Lake Television film Up All Night Erika Television film Notes from the Underbelly Deena Episode: "Not Without My Noodles" 2008 Grey's Anatomy Lauren Hammer Episode: "In the Midnight Hour" 2009 Trust Me Julie Finn 2 episodes In the Motherhood Maggie 2 episodes 2009–2010 10 Things I Hate About You Darlene Tharp 6 episodes 2010 Leslie Unsold television pilot Dexter Laurel Mendell Episode: "Hop a Freighter" 2011 Hot in Cleveland Elise Episode: "I Love Lucci: Part One" Outsourced Marcy Donovan Episode: "Charlie Curries a Favor from Todd" Better with You Francine Episode: "Better Without a Job" Melissa & Joey Emily Episode: "The Mel Word" Drop Dead Diva Kristin Mulraney Episode: "You Bet Your Life" 2011–2012 I Hate My Teenage Daughter Laura Episodes: "Teenage Cotillion" and "Teenage Cheerleading" 2012 The New Normal Melissa Episode: "Pilot" Scandal Lisa 3 episodes Ben and Kate Nan Episode: "Guitar Face" 2013 Whitney Michelle Episode: "Snapped" Major Crimes Claire Hunter Episode: "Poster Boy" 2014 Sean Saves the World Susan Episode: "Sean The Fabulous" Modern Family Katie Episode: "Three Dinners" 2015 Barely Famous Herself Episode: "Not a Booty Call" 2 Broke Girls Amy Episode: "And the Gym and Juice" Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn Robin 2 episodes 2016 The Soul Man Megan Episode: "Hangin' with Mr. Cupper" 2017 Speechless Mother in supermarket Episode: "D-I Ding" Love Liz Episode: "Friends Night Out"American Horror Story: Cult Meadow Wilton 7 episodes Patricia Krenwinkel Episode: "Charles (Manson) in Charge" 2017–2018 The Good Place Donna Shellstrop 3 episodes 2018 Black-ish Gwen Episode: "North Star" American Horror Story: Apocalypse Coco St. Pierre Vanderbilt 10 episodes Fuller House Dr. Lesley Miller Episode: "Opening Night" 2019 American Horror Story: 1984 Margaret Booth 9 episodes Goliath Rochelle Purple 4 episodes 2019–2020 Shrill Cindy 2 episodes The Goldbergs Jane Bales 2 episodes 2020 Santa Inc. Cookie 8 episodes 2020–2022 Love, Victor Georgina Meriwether 6 episodes 2021 American Horror Story: Double Feature Ursula Khan 6 episodes Calico 3 episodes 2022 American Horror Story: NYC Barbara Read 7 episodes 2023 American Horror Story: Delicate Ashleigh 3 episodes 2024 Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Judalon Smyth 5 episodes Nobody Wants This Rabbi Shira Episode: "My Friend Joanne" 2026 Power Book III: Raising Kanan Florence "Flossie" Siegel Coco St. Pierre Vanderbilt Post-production