Amy Brenneman is an American actress, producer, and screenwriter. She first rose to prominence for her role as Detective Janice Licalsi in the television series *NYPD Blue* (1993–1994), which earned her two Emmy Award nominations. She is best known for co-creating and starring as the title character, Judge Amy Gray, in the drama series *Judging Amy* (1999–2005), inspired by her mother's life. For this performance, she received three Golden Globe and three Emmy Award nominations. Her television career also includes prominent roles such as Dr. Violet Turner in *Private Practice* (2007–2013) and Laurie Garvey in the critically acclaimed drama *The Leftovers* (2014–2017). On the big screen, she has appeared in films such as *Heat* (1995), alongside Robert De Niro, *Daylight* (1996), and *The Jane Austen Book Club* (2007).