Sharon Lawrence

Sharon Elizabeth Lawrence (born June 29, 1961) is an American actress. From 1993 to 1999, she starred as Sylvia Costas in the ABC drama series, NYPD Blue. The role garnered her three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series, and Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama. She received three additional Emmy Awards nominations for her later television performances.

After her NYPD Blue breakthrough, Lawrence starred in the sitcoms Fired Up (1997–1998) and Ladies Man (1999–2001). she starred in the CBS supernatural drama Wolf Lake in 2001, and the CW teen drama Hidden Palms in 2007. Lawrence had notable recurring performances in Desperate Housewives, Drop Dead Diva, Rizzoli & Isles, The Ranch, Shameless and Queen Sugar. Her film credits include Gossip (2000), Middle of Nowhere (2012) and Solace (2015). In 2021, she starred in the Paramount+ neo-Western series, Joe Pickett.

Early life and education Lawrence was born in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Career Lawrence began her acting career on Broadway in the 1987 revival of Cabaret. The series was canceled after two seasons. She later returned to NYPD Blue as a regular, and left the show in 1999, after her character was killed.

Lawrence starred with Betty White and Alfred Molina on the short-lived sitcom Ladies Man from 1999 to 2001. In April 2010, Lawrence joined Josh Schwartz's CBS pilot Hitched. In October 2010, she began a recurring role on One Tree Hill as Sylvia Baker, the mother of Julian Baker (Austin Nichols) who comes to Tree Hill from Los Angeles to plan the upcoming wedding of Julian and Brooke Davis (Sophia Bush). She also played the lead character mother in a Lifetime comedy-drama Drop Dead Diva from 2009 to 2013. Also, she played the birth mother of Dr. Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander) in the TNT television series Rizzoli & Isles, although in real life the actresses are only 12 years apart. In recent years, Lawrence has starred in several independent films. In 2013 she was cast in Chris Carter's thriller drama series The After. The show was set to premiere on Amazon Studios in 2014. Amazon canceled the series before its premiere on January 5, 2015. In March 2015, Lawrence was cast in the ABC comedy-drama pilot Mix.

In 2017, Lawrence starred in the CBS short-lived comedy series Me, Myself and I. The show premiered September 25 but aired only six episodes before the network pulled it from the schedule due to low ratings. Also in 2017, she had a recurring role as Dawn-Lyen Gardner's character mother in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series Queen Sugar and co-starred opposite Sam Elliott in the second season of Netflix comedy The Ranch. From 2016 to 2019 she had a recurring role as a real estate mogul Margo Mierzejewski in the Showtime comedy-drama series Shameless. Lawrence later had a recurring role as Laura Van Kirk on The CW prime time soap opera Dynasty starting in 2018, and as Louise Garbeau on the Showtime comedy series On Becoming a God in Central Florida in 2019.

In 2021, Lawrence had recurring roles in Punky Brewster and Rebel. She later starred in the Paramount+ neo-Western series, Joe Pickett. In 2026, she will star as M'Lynn in Steel Magnolias at PlayMakers Repertory Company.

Personal life In 2002, Lawrence married Tom Apostle.

Lawrence has played on the World Poker Tour in the Hollywood Home and performed in benefits for the Alzheimer's Association in Los Angeles called Night at Sardi's and the What A Pair show for the John Wayne Breast Cancer Center.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1994 Bloodfist V: Human Target Jewelry Store Clerk In the Line of Duty: The Price of Vengeance Unknown Television film Someone She Knows Sharon Television film The Shaggy Dog Beth Daniels Television film 1995 The Face on the Milk Carton Sada Sands Television film The Heidi Chronicles Jill Television film Degree of Guilt Mary Carelli Television film 1996 A Friend's Betrayal Nina Talbert Television film Victim of the Haunt: The Uninvited Pattie Johnson Television film 1997 Five Desperate Hours Clair Ballard Television film The Only Thrill Joleen Quillet Television film 1999 Blue Moon Cass Medieros Television film Aftershock: Earthquake in New York Dori Thorell Television film 2000 Gossip Detective Kelly 2002 Atomic Twister Corrine Maguire Television film 2003 Word of Honor Marcy McClure Tyson Television film Fly Cherry Cherry's mom Short film 2004 Little Black Book Stacy's mom D-Minus Susan Short film 2005 Nearing Grace Mrs. Ash Uncredited I? Karen Short Film 2006 Augusta, Gone Martha Tod Dudman Television film The Alibi Judith Hatch Fool Me Once Maureen Short film 2011 Talker Mary Short film The Perfect Family Agnes Dunn 2012 Middle of Nowhere Fraine The Nuclear Family Karen Television film iVOTE Marni Short film The Visit Ginny (mother of Diana) Short film 2013 Jimmy Judge Robinson 2014 Born to Race 2: Fast Track Mrs. Dalton Thinspiration Dr. Klein Television film Grace. Sonia Una Vida: A Fable Of Music and the Mind Angela Cruz Somebody's Mother Alice Short film The Bridge Partner Olivia Korhonen Short film 2015 Solace Mrs. Ellis If I Could Tell You Sara Linda Short film 2016 Hearts of Christmas Alice Shelby Television film 2017 Deidra & Laney Rob a Train Veronica Anabolic Life Katherine Stenson Home Margaret Sullivan Short film Penny & Paul Barb Voice, short film 2018 Poinsettias for Christmas Katherine Palmer Television film 2019 Merry & Bright Joy Merriwether Television film 2020 The Lost Husband Marsha A Small Family Affair Lorraine Heller Short film Brothers Short film The Christmas House Phylis Television film 2021 The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls Phylis Television film Grave Intentions Olivia Korhonen

Television Year Title Role Notes 1992 Civil Wars Norma Helmutz Episode: "Drone of Arc" 1993 Beverly Hills, 90210 Paulette Episode: "Parental Guidance Recommended" Cheers Rachel Episode: "The Guy Can't Help It" 1993–1999 NYPD Blue Sylvia Costas Series regular; 99 episodes 1995 Star Trek: Voyager Amelia Earhart Episode: "The 37's" 1996 Caroline in the City Maddie Episode: "Caroline and the Proposal" 1997 Superman: The Animated Series Maxima Voice, episode: "Warrior Queen" 1997–1998 Fired Up Gwen Leonard Series regular; 28 episodes; Also executive producer 1999–2001 Ladies Man Donna Stiles Series regular; 30 episodes 2001–2002 Wolf Lake Vivian Cates Series regular; 9 episodes 2002 Philly Tabitha Davenport 2 episodes Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Maggie Peterson Episode: "Chameleon" 2004 Judging Amy Andrea Adelstein Episode: "Predictive Neglect" Boston Legal Judge Rita Sharpley Episode: "Head Cases" 2004–2005 Desperate Housewives Maisy Gibbons 3 episodes 2006–2008 Monk Linda Fusco 4 episodes 2007 Hidden Palms Tess Wiatt Series regular; 8 episodes 2008–2009 The Line Jayne Series regular; 15 episodes 2008 Dirt Cassie Hope Episode: "God Bless the Child" The Capture of the Green River Killer Fiona Remus Miniseries The Prince of Motor City Dorothy Riley TV pilot 2008–2009 Privileged Shelby Smith 3 episodes Buzz Alexis HensonWeb series 2009 Ghost Whisperer Elena Bancroff Episode: "Life on the Line" Grey's Anatomy Robbie Stevens Episode: "No Good at Saying Sorry (One More Chance)" Curb Your Enthusiasm Dr. Trundle Episode: "Vehicular Fellatio" Community Doreen Episode: "Politics of Human Sexuality" 2009–2013 Drop Dead Diva Bobbie Dobkins 6 episodes 2010 The Mentalist Melba Walker Shannon Episode: "Bleeding Heart" Hitched Judy Reynolds TV pilot Blue Belle Judy Web series; 2 episodes 2010–2011 One Tree Hill Sylvia Baker 6 episodes 2011 The Glades Georgia Lancer Episode: "Moonlighting" American Dad! Scarlett Reynolds Voice, episode: "The Scarlett Getter" 2012 BlackBoxTV Debrah Stratford Episode: "Silverwood: Red Ink" 2012–2016 Rizzoli & Isles Dr. Hope Martin 6 episodes 2013 Body of Proof Julia Stone Episode: "Committed" 2014 The After Francis TV pilot Matador Emily Taft 2 episodes Hell's Kitchen Herself Guest diner; episode: "Winner Chosen" 2015 Mix Stella Ruiz TV pilot Blunt Talk Sophie Episode: "All My Relationships End in Pain" 2016 Game of Silence Diana Stockman 6 episodes Devious Maids Lori Episode: "Grime and Punishment" 2016–2019 Shameless Margo Mierzejewski 7 episodes 2016 I Like You Just the Way I Am Debbie Season 1 Blue Bloods Christine Sanders Episode: "The One That Got Away" 2017 The Last Tycoon Frances Goldwyn 3 episodes 2017–2018 Me, Myself & I Eleanor 6 episodes 2017 The Ranch Brenda Sanders 7 episodes Queen Sugar Lorna Prescott 3 episodes 2018 How to Get Away with Murder Ingrid Egan Episode: "Lahey v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" 2018–2021 Dynasty Laura Van Kirk 8 episodes 2019–2020 Criminal Minds Roberta Lynch 3 episodes 2019 On Becoming a God in Central Florida Louise Garbeau 5 episodes 2020 Home Before Dark Carol Collins 4 episodes L.A.'s Finest Gloria Walker 2 episodes The Gaze: No Homo Miranda Cryer Web series, 6 episodes 2021 Punky Brewster Susan 3 episodes Rebel Angela Foyer 6 episodes 2021–2023 Joe Pickett Missy 20 episodes 2024 Walker Joanna 2 episodes

Awards and nominations