Marg Helgenberger

Cast as Kevin Costner's wife in the thriller, "Mr. Brooks"

Starred opposite Dennis Quaid and Scarlett Johansson in the comedy "In Good Company"

Featured opposite Julia Roberts in the Oscar-winning film "Erin Brockovich"

Portrayed Patsy Ramsey in the CBS miniseries about the killing of Jon Benet Ramsey, "Perfect Murder, Perfect Town"

Returned to series television as Catherine Willows in the CBS drama "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"; earned Best Actress Golden Globe (2002) and Emmy (2003) nominations

Played Steven Weber's irate sister in Showtime's miniseries about the elusive Gulf War Syndrome, "Thanks of a Grateful Nation"

Reprised role as Dr. Baker in the sequel bomb, "Species II"

Played Pia Postman, the shallow, vain, heavily made-up talk show host in the NBC TV-movie "Murder Live!"

Portrayed sex-starved widow to David Caruso's small-time crook in Showtime’s "Elmore Leonard's Gold Coast"

Appeared as James Garner's book editor in "My Fellow Americans"

Had a recurring role as George Clooney's love interest on NBC's medical drama "ER"

Portrayed molecular biologist Laura Baker in "Species"

Played Woody Harrelson's love interest in "The Cowboy Way"

Acted opposite Bruno Kirby in "I'll Be Waiting," a Tom Hanks directed segment of Showtime's "Fallen Angels"

Portrayed a novelist living in a haunted forest in the ABC miniseries, "The Tommyknockers"

Acted in Michael Bortman's adaptation of Robert Boswell's novel, "Crooked Hearts"

TV-movie debut, "Blind Vengeance" (USA Network)

Had a small role in Steven Spielberg's romantic comedy-drama "Always"

Made feature film debut in one segment of the horror anthology "After Midnight"

First prominent role was as Karen Charlene "K.C." Koloski, a heroin-addicted prostitute on the ABC war drama, "China Beach"

Played the regular role of Natalie Thayer in the short-lived CBS comedy-drama, "Shell Game"

First professional acting role, playing rookie cop Siobhan Ryan on the daytime drama "Ryan's Hope" (ABC)

Performed in a campus production of Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew"

First TV appearance was as a nightly local news weather girl in her hometown Nebraska (billed as Margi McCarty)

Grew up in North Bend, Nebraska; worked part-time in a meat packing plant