Julianna Margulies is one of television’s most decorated actresses. She has won three Primetime Emmy Awards and eight Screen Actors Guild Awards over her 30-year career. Her talent and smart career choices have built her an estimated net worth of $24 million as of 2025.
Born June 8, 1966, in Spring Valley, New York, she’s now 58 years old. The drama actress stands 5’6″ tall with her signature curly dark hair. She’s married to attorney Keith Lieberthal and they share one son, Kieran Lindsay Lieberthal.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
| Full Name | Julianna Margulies |
| Date of Birth | June 8, 1966 |
| Age | 58 years (as of 2025) |
| Birthplace | Spring Valley, New York, USA |
| Height | 5’6″ (1.68 m) |
| Profession | Actress, Producer, Author |
| Net Worth | Approximately $24 million |
| Spouse | Keith Lieberthal (m. 2007) |
| Children | Kieran Lindsay Lieberthal (b. 2008) |
| Notable Roles | Carol Hathaway (ER), Alicia Florrick (The Good Wife) |
| Awards | 3 Emmy Awards, 1 Golden Globe, 8 SAG Awards |
Early Life and Education
Julianna Margulies experienced a nomadic childhood that shaped her into an adaptable performer. Her mother, Francesca Goldberg, was a ballet dancer and eurythmy teacher. Her father, Paul Margulies, was a Madison Avenue advertising executive famous for creating the Alka-Seltzer jingle “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh, what a relief it is.”
Her parents divorced when she was just one year old. She then lived in Sussex, England, and Paris, France during her formative years. French became her first language, though she later lost fluency after returning to the United States.
Both parents followed anthroposophy, the spiritual philosophy founded by Rudolf Steiner. This influenced her education at Green Meadow Waldorf School and High Mowing School. In a 2015 interview with Jane Pauley, she reflected: “I was the American girl in England. When I came to America, I was the English girl in America.”
Career Beginnings
Julianna Margulies graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with degrees in art history and English. She originally considered becoming a lawyer or psychologist. Her path changed when she discovered acting in campus theatre productions.
Her professional debut came in Steven Seagal’s 1991 film Out for Justice, playing a small role. It took over a year to land another acting opportunity. During this difficult period, she supported herself through regional theater, national commercials, and waitressing.
The ER Phenomenon
In 1994, Julianna Margulies auditioned for the pilot of NBC’s medical drama ER as Carol Hathaway. The character was written to die in the pilot episode. Test audiences reacted so strongly to her performance that producers Michael Crichton and Steven Spielberg decided to bring the character back.
George Clooney played a key role in her accepting the part. He called her personally after hearing producers discuss making Carol a series regular. His instinct proved career-defining for both actors as ER became a cultural phenomenon throughout the 1990s television landscape.
Julianna Margulies won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 1995. She received nominations every year she remained on the show. Her portrayal of Carol Hathaway and her on-screen chemistry with George Clooney’s Doug Ross made them one of TV’s most beloved couples.
The $27 Million Decision
In 2000, after six seasons, Julianna Margulies made a shocking choice. She turned down a $27 million contract for two more years on ER according to People. This decision would have made her one of the highest-paid TV actresses at the time.
Her reasoning went beyond money. She felt her character was losing depth without George Clooney on the show. “I was starting to feel very sad about a character I loved so much,” she said in a 2021 New York Times interview.
Her father’s advice resonated deeply: “If you got hit by a bus tomorrow, were you living your life truthfully, or were you waiting to get rich?” At 32, with her mortgage paid off, she chose artistic fulfillment over financial security.
Post-ER Years and Diverse Roles
After leaving ER, Julianna Margulies deliberately diversified her work. She appeared in films like Snakes on a Plane (2006) with Samuel L. Jackson and Ghost Ship (2002) with Gabriel Byrne. She also hosted Saturday Night Live in February 2000.
Her television work remained selective during this period. She had memorable guest appearances on Scrubs (2004) as lawyer Neena Broderick. She also appeared in four episodes of The Sopranos (2006) as realtor Julianna Skiff.
In 2008, she returned to series television with Fox’s Canterbury’s Law. The legal drama fell victim to the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike. Fox cancelled it after only six episodes.
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The Good Wife Era
In 2009, Julianna Margulies took on the role of Alicia Florrick in CBS’s The Good Wife. The show was created by Robert King and Michelle King. She played an attorney returning to legal practice after her husband’s (Chris Noth) sex and corruption scandal.
This role represented everything she sought: complexity, moral ambiguity, and character evolution. “I admire the way she is silent more than she speaks,” she told Jane Pauley in an interview. The character allowed her to explore a wronged political wife who reclaims agency but becomes morally compromised.
The Good Wife ran for seven seasons, concluding in May 2016. Julianna Margulies won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress (2011, 2014) and one Golden Globe Award (2010). She also received two more SAG Awards, cementing her status as a TV icon.
Recent Projects and Current Work
Julianna Margulies joined Apple TV Plus’s The Morning Show in December 2020. She played journalist Laura Peterson alongside Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. Her role continued through season three, which aired in 2023.
She also starred in National Geographic’s The Hot Zone (2019) as Dr. Nancy Jaax. The limited series became the highest-rated scripted show in the network’s history. Other recent work includes appearances in AMC’s Dietland (2018) and Showtime’s Billions (2019).
In 2024, Julianna Margulies returned to Broadway in Left on Tenth at the James Earl Jones Theater. She portrays author Delia Ephron in this new play. At 58, she continues balancing stage, television, and advocacy work.
Personal Life and Marriage
Julianna Margulies met attorney Keith Lieberthal at a dinner party in early 2006. She almost didn’t attend the event. Her first question to him revealed her relationship history: “I said, ‘Are you an actor?’ Because as much as I love you all, I can’t. I’m done.”
Keith Lieberthal graduated from Harvard Law School in 1999 and worked as a Wall Street litigator. He currently serves as Head of Americas at Hakluyt & Company, a London-based strategic advisory firm. “He honestly didn’t know who I was,” she told PEOPLE in 2021.
They married on November 10, 2007, in Lenox, Massachusetts. She was seven months pregnant wearing a Narciso Rodriguez gown. Their son, Kieran Lindsay Lieberthal, was born on January 17, 2008.
Family Life and Parenting Philosophy
The family resides in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood with a country house in Upstate New York. They maintain separate professional identities, which she believes strengthens their marriage. “We have such mutual respect for one another,” she told Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network.
She emphasizes raising her son with awareness and respect. “You have to teach them what’s right and wrong. My husband and I are on the same page in how we’re raising him,” she told Today in 2018. Her approach to parenting balances her demanding career with family time.
Writing Career
In May 2016, Julianna Margulies published Three Magic Balloons with Random House Children’s Books. The picture book was based on a story her father Paul Margulies had written for her and her sisters. This project connected her to her father’s creative legacy.
Her memoir, Sunshine Girl: An Unexpected Life, was published by Ballantine Books on May 4, 2021. The book details her difficult childhood and nomadic upbringing influenced by anthroposophy. She also recorded the audiobook herself.
Reviews praised the memoir’s honesty about her European upbringing and family dynamics. The title reflects both her resilient outlook and the complexity beneath her public persona. A paperback edition was released in May 2022.
Awards and Recognition
Julianna Margulies is the second most awarded woman in SAG history after Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She won six consecutive SAG Awards for ER (four ensemble, two individual). She added two more for The Good Wife, bringing her total to eight.
Her three Emmy Awards span 19 years (1995-2014) across two different series. She was the only ER cast member to win an Emmy during the show’s original run. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6621 Hollywood Boulevard.
TIME Magazine named her one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World” in 2015. She was also named one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People” in 1998. These honors reflect both critical acclaim and public recognition.
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Advocacy Work
Julianna Margulies created the Holocaust Educator School Partnership (HESP) at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. This program promotes Holocaust education in schools. She has been recognized for her work promoting Erin’s Law, legislation addressing child sexual abuse prevention education.
She serves on the board of MCC Theater Company in New York. She also supports Project ALS research. In 2022, she hosted the Physicians for Human Rights virtual gala.
In 2011, she and Keith Lieberthal appeared in a Human Rights Campaign video for marriage equality. She supported Barack Obama in 2012 and Hillary Clinton in 2016. She uses her platform to advocate for causes aligned with her values.
Public Discourse
Julianna Margulies has been vocal about Jewish representation in media. In October 2023, she signed a letter calling on President Biden to work toward releasing Israeli hostages after the October 7 attacks. In January 2024, she signed an open letter calling on the Academy to include Jews in its representation standards.
She participates in public conversations about identity and representation. In June 2023, she joined a Paley Center panel on “Jewish Representation on Television.” These positions reflect her active engagement with Jewish cultural traditions and advocacy.
The Good Fight Salary Dispute
In 2019, CBS approached Julianna Margulies about reprising Alicia Florrick for three episodes of The Good Fight. Negotiations broke down over compensation. CBS All Access offered guest star rates rather than commensurate pay.
She was forthright about the gender wage gap issue. “I watch the show, I love the show. But I’m not a guest star. You don’t pay me a guest star salary,” she stated publicly. She pointed out that male actors in similar situations receive significantly higher offers.
This public stance on pay equity resonated within the entertainment industry. It demonstrated her willingness to advocate for fair treatment. Her position highlighted ongoing Hollywood gender pay inequality that continues affecting female performers.
Julianna Margulies Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth Julianna Margulies’s net worth is estimated at $24 million as of 2025. At the height of The Good Wife, her salary reached $180,000 per episode, making her one of television’s highest-paid actresses. This financial success came through smart career choices.
Her decision to turn down $27 million from ER in 2000 initially seemed financially risky. Yet she built substantial wealth through sustained quality work on her own terms. Her role as producer on The Good Wife starting in season three also increased her earnings.
She has earned income from commercial work, providing voiceovers for Chase credit card since 2013. Her book deals for Three Magic Balloons and Sunshine Girl: An Unexpected Life added to her portfolio. Her net worth reflects both talent and principled decision-making.
Legacy and Cultural Impact
Julianna Margulies’s career mirrors television’s evolution from network dominance to streaming platforms. Her two iconic roles—Carol Hathaway and Alicia Florrick—represent watershed moments in portraying complex female roles on television. Both characters challenged stereotypes and offered moral complexity.
Carol Hathaway combined vulnerability, strength, and professionalism in the medical drama genre. Alicia Florrick represented television’s shift toward antihero narratives. “I have gotten to play two of the richest, I think, female characters on television,” she reflected in a 2021 interview.
Her influence extends beyond individual performances. The Good Wife demonstrated that network television could compete with cable’s prestige programming. Her peer recognition across different shows and eras demonstrates sustained excellence in screen acting.
Conclusion
Julianna Margulies built a remarkable career by prioritizing artistic fulfillment over maximum financial gain. From her nomadic childhood in Europe to becoming a television icon, she has consistently trusted her instincts. Her eight SAG Awards and three Emmy Awards demonstrate sustained excellence across three decades.
Her marriage to Keith Lieberthal and their son Kieran provide balance to her demanding career. At 58, she remains active across theater, television, and advocacy work. Her legacy extends beyond awards to influence how complex female characters are portrayed on screen, inspiring future generations of actresses and viewers alike.
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FAQ About Julianna Margulies
What is Julianna Margulies’s net worth?
According to Celebrity Net worth Julianna Margulies’s net worth is approximately $24 million as of 2025, earned through her television career on ER and The Good Wife.
How old is Julianna Margulies?
She is 58 years old, born June 8, 1966, in Spring Valley, New York.
How tall is Julianna Margulies?
She stands 5’6″ (1.68 meters) tall with signature curly dark hair.
Who is Julianna Margulies’s husband?
She’s married to Keith Lieberthal, an attorney and Harvard Law School graduate who works at Hakluyt & Company.
Does Julianna Margulies have children?
Yes, she has one son, Kieran Lindsay Lieberthal, born January 17, 2008.
What is Julianna Margulies best known for?
She’s best known for playing Carol Hathaway on ER and Alicia Florrick on The Good Wife, both Emmy Award-winning roles.
How many Emmy Awards has Julianna Margulies won?
She has won three Primetime Emmy Awards and eight Screen Actors Guild Awards, making her the second most awarded woman in SAG history.
Why did Julianna Margulies leave ER?
She left ER in 2000 after turning down a $27 million contract, choosing artistic fulfillment over financial gain.
Hello, I’m Serena Flores, a passionate writer with over 4 years of experience in lifestyle, biography, and internet culture content. I specialize in creating engaging, easy-to-read articles that simplify modern trends, slang, and real-life stories for every reader. My goal is to make complex topics relatable, offering well-researched insights and fresh perspectives that keep readers informed, inspired, and connected.