THE CHARISMATIC CARRIE PRESTON
STAR OF THE CBS HIT SHOW ELSBETH
When you think of iconic TV detectives, the usual suspects come to mind; Columbo, Jessica Fletcher, Magnum, Kojak, Monk, et al. But in the 21st century, especially in 2025, the most well-known character that solves crimes in primetime is Elsbeth Tascioni. Portrayed perfectly by award-winning actress, Carrie Preston, Elsbeth has captured the hearts and minds of TV sleuth lovers everywhere. So, we had to find out more about the talent behind the character. This is Carrie Preston, today’s most charismatic actress.
I recently had the chance to sit down with Carrie in a very relaxed, fun and engaging interview. Now, I must confess, I have been a fan of Carrie’s for a long time. And the same is true of her husband, fellow actor Michael Emerson. So, this interview meant a lot to me. They say, “Don’t meet your heroes or your favorite actors because you will always be disappointed.” That could not be further from the truth when it came to Carrie. She was one of the most honest, compassionate and engaging actresses I have had the pleasure of speaking with in a long time. Her very normal approach to the conversation was not only refreshing, but it was also energizing in the most honest way. And that is exactly who she is as a person; much of that going into the title character of one of the hottest shows on TV right now.
Let’s talk Elsbeth first. Carrie was cast to play Elsbeth Tascioni in the first season of the CBS hit, The Good Wife. But something told the actress, even over 15 years ago when the show’s first season ended, that Elsbeth had a bright, if not unconventional future, “When they offered me the role at the end of Season 1 of The Good Wife, Robert (Robert King) got on the phone with me and said, ‘You know, we’re thinking about this character like a female Columbo.’ And so, he somehow had that planted in the back of his mind that even though she’s a lawyer, there’s something very much like a detective about her.”
After seven seasons, The Good Wife ended in 2016. However, Carrie wasn’t aware that Robert King had another offing in the works that would potentially keep Carrie in pink. She was tapped again a year later to reprise the role of the 21st century female Columbo-esque character in a spin-off series, The Good Fight, the first scripted series on CBS’ new streaming platform, CBS All-Access. Elsbeth Tascioni was on the show for the first two seasons and then returned for the sixth and final.
And, as we all know, in 2024, Carrie Preston reprised her role as the title character in what has become one of CBS’ biggest hits, Elsbeth. At this point, I have to remind our readers that in television history, there is only one actor who has appeared across as many shows with the same character; the late Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch. Detective Munch started on NBC’s Homicide: Life On The Street, then on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Law & Order multiple times. The character also had cameo appearances on The X-Files and The Wire. In this pop culture fan’s opinion, that is a feat unto itself for Carrie given how popular Munch was amongst procedural crime drama fans.
I asked Carrie how she felt about the fact that Elsbeth Tascioni has been on television for 13 years across three different series. Of course, her response is what I discovered to be textbook Carrie, very humble and honest, “I think it starts with Robert and Michelle King who are geniuses. They know when to create a certain type of show for the demands of whatever the zeitgeist is in the moment. You know, they were very clever to kind of pepper Elsbeth throughout those two series.
Yes, the creator of a role and a show is vital. It is the genesis of so many legendary television characters. But, when it comes to how a role evolves as a character, how that actor takes it and makes it their own, Carrie Preston’s portrayal of Elsbeth Tascioni is not only one of the most entertaining, but also one of the most memorable in television history. The critics agree. So do the fans. And considering some of the aforementioned icons in the televised sleuth and procedural crime drama spaces, that is a huge, but true statement. And, from listening to and watching Carrie’s expressions during our interview, I can tell you, this incredible woman is as genuine a human as you will ever find. There is literally no thought of anything other than just enjoying life and working hard to deliver a performance she is proud to show her fans and viewers.
When Carrie had mentioned the Outsider Art Fair, that gave me the opportunity to ask about her as a New Yorker, “Has playing Elsbeth given you a new look on life or changed how you look at the city in any way?” Carrie took a second to think about it and instantly her eyes widened as if it was a kid in a candy store, “Elsbeth is very infectious. She’s got this glass half full, glass full, attitude about everything. And there’s a curiosity there. There’s a positivity there, even when there’s obstacles. So, it’s been fun to let that infect me in my life. I look at New York City with fresh eyes since playing her on this regular basis. Cause I’ve lived here for 35 years and you forget, you know, you just forget because it’s, it’s just where, where you live.”
Truer words were never spoken. It is a well-known fact, and I can confirm this as a third generation Manhattan born and bred, that New Yorkers become very jaded, very quickly. But I didn’t sense any of that from Carrie Preston at all. Quite the opposite in fact.
With her undeniable talent, infectious charm, and impressive range, Carrie Preston has carved out a career that is both versatile and enduring. From her early beginnings in the South to her award-winning roles on television, Preston’s journey is one of persistence, passion, and artistic dedication. But also, one steeped in experience. As I asked Carrie if she felt that there is a little of her in Elsbeth Tascioni, she responded, “With any good actor, the character you are playing must come from you. Your experience. Who you are. So yes. I think there is definitely some Elsbeth in me or some of me in Elsbeth.”
So of course, I had to ask Carrie what she felt like being the title character versus a supporting or recurring role. Again, her true persona shone through. Carrie said, “I think if you were to talk to anybody on our crew, they would agree that we have like a real ensemble feeling on our show. There’s not ‘I’m the lead and then there’s everyone else.’ That’s not how I play. That’s not how I ever have and I think it creates an environment where people can do their best work. You could say the same of Christine Baranski, you could say the same of Julianna Margulies. I am following in the footsteps of giants.”
Even when it comes to fan interaction in the real world, Carrie is just such a sweet person who loves hearing peoples’ reactions and still thinks of herself as the character and vice-versa. As an example, my wife Kylie and I, even though we watch the show, had been binge-watching Elsbeth so I could prepare for this interview. So, the night before I reminded her that I was interviewing Carrie Preston the next day. Kylie responded, “Carrie Preston? Oh, that’s right. We were just watching Elsbeth the other night! So fun!” So of course I had to tell Carrie this. She laughed and said, “I was just at the Outsider Art Fair and someone came up to me and said, ‘I just watched you last night. What are you doing here? Why are you here?’ It’s so funny to me because mostly I just sort of go about my day. So that was fun today to think that somebody, you know, was sitting in their living room like your wife and you were watching this character, which feels, you know, it feels like it’s me, but it’s not.”
So given all of the notoriety around Elsbeth, and the amazing amount of roles Carrie has played, I was curious what her favorite role was, “I mean, Elsbeth aside, well, let’s just say that she’s #1 obviously just because it’s so unique. But I really loved this show that I did on TNT called Claws.
It was about five women in a West Florida nail salon who were involved with organized crime. And I was trusted with this wonderful role. On paper, she’s called, you know, she’s an identity thief. But I thought, well, instead of just stealing people’s credit cards, what if she also steals their personalities? And they loved that idea. They gave me creative license to basically become whatever character I wanted to play on any given situation.”
In addition to her acting work, Preston is a talented director and producer. She has directed several independent films, including “That’s What She Said” (2012), a comedy starring the late Anne Heche. Her passion for storytelling extends beyond performing, and she has been a champion for independent filmmaking, using her platform to support emerging voices in the industry. Despite her many achievements, Preston remains down-to-earth and deeply committed to her craft.
Carrie has been married to fellow actor Michael Emerson, best known for his roles in Lost and Person of Interest, since 1998. The couple, both celebrated for their character-driven performances, have shared the screen on multiple occasions (including in Season 2 of Elsbeth), showcasing their undeniable chemistry and mutual admiration for each other’s work.
As someone who spends a lot of time away from his wife as she travels to Australia to be with her family twice a year, I asked Carrie how she and Michael stay so close, despite the distance that often comes with roles in the acting world. She responded, “You know, Michael and I are pretty old school. We got together 30 years ago and you know, this was pre Internet, for us it was the good old fashioned telephone and that was what we relied on for our communication. We make sure we talk to each other every day. But, when we started travelling a lot in different places, we had this six-week rule. At least once out of every six weeks, we had to see each other. Even if it was just one day, and if somebody had to fly it didn’t matter. Then it was four weeks. And now it’s two and we really do make that work.”
Then, of course, knowing Carrie and Michael adopted their dog, I had to ask about Chumly. Carrie, again with that look of joie de vivre in her eyes answered, “We’ve had him for almost 16 years now. He’s the thing Michael and I share most. There’s just not a moment that goes by that we aren’t talking about the dog.”
Given her “Elsbethian” (as Carrie puts it) and positive view of the world, I wish more people were like Carrie Preston. While she believes that the Elsbeth persona is infectious, I might argue that Carrie Preston has her own brand of infectious positivity.
Elsbeth airs on the CBS Television Network and streams on Paramount+. Season 3 will premiere in the 2025-2026 season, but no official air date has been released yet.