Models have long been turning to acting, but Julianne Nicholson completed the switch effortlessly. After experience modeling all over the world, she became an aspiring actress, and in due time, she worked with the likes of Steven Spielberg, Michael Caine, Meryl Streep, and many more. With roles all over the spectrum, ranging from dramas such as "Tully" (2000) and "August: Osage County" (2013) to TV work on "Ally McBeal" (Fox 1997-2002) and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (NBC 2001-2011), her career had peaks and valleys, but through it all, she proved herself to be a capable actress. Nicholson grew up in Massachusetts, where she graduated from Arlington Catholic High School in the late 1980s. Following high school, Nicholson journeyed to New York City, where she began a modeling career. However, she only lasted for six months. She quit her modeling career for a year, and after that, she journeyed to France to resume modeling. After that, she came back to the States where she enrolled in Hunter College in New York and slowly began her acting career. Following years of waitressing, she caught her first big break at the age of 26 in 1997. It began with a TV guest appearance on the short-lived series "Nothing Sacred" (ABC 1997-98) and quickly grew to a major role in the romantic comedy "The Love Letter" (1999). 2000 was a big year for the actress, as she starred in the Steven Spielberg-produced TV show "The Others" (NBC 2000) and garnered indie acclaim in "Tully," for which she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. Outside of a few small film roles, she mainly dominated television, first with a recurring role in the final season of David E. Kelley's legal comedy-drama "Ally McBeal," next with a three-year run on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" from 2006 to 2009, and then with a recurring role on the organized crime drama "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO 2010-14). In 2013, Nicholson appeared in two notable roles, the first being Ivy Weston in "August: Osage County" alongside Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts and the second being the start of a recurring role on the fact-based 1950s period piece "Masters of Sex" (Showtime 2013- ).
