Lauren Holly, born Lauren Michael Holly on October 28, 1963, in Bristol, Pennsylvania, is an American-Canadian actress known for her versatile roles in both television and film. Her mother, Michael Ann Holly, is an art historian, and her father, Grant Holly, was a screenwriter, which likely influenced her career choice.

She grew up in Geneva, New York, and attended Sarah Lawrence College, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in English.

Her career began at the age of 20 when she appeared in two episodes of the TV series Hill Street Blues. She gained recognition for her role as Julie Rand Chandler on the soap opera All My Children from 1986 to 1989.

Her breakthrough came in 1992 when she was cast as Deputy Sheriff Maxine Stewart on the TV series Picket Fences, a role that earned her critical acclaim and a Viewers for Quality Television Award.

In film, Lauren Holly is perhaps best known for her role as Mary Swanson in the comedy Dumb and Dumber (1994), where she starred alongside Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. She also appeared in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993) as Bruce Lee's wife, Linda Lee, and in Any Given Sunday (1999) as the wife of the Sharks quarterback.

Her television roles include NCIS, where she played Director Jenny Shepard from 2005 to 2008, and Motive, where she portrayed Dr. Betty Rogers.

Her personal life has seen its share of public attention, particularly her marriages to actors Danny Quinn, Jim Carrey, and Francis Greco. She has three children with her former husband, Francis Greco.