Kathryn Erbe was born July 5, 1965 in Newton, Massachusetts. She is the eldest of three children. Her parents are Elsbeth and Dr. Richard Erbe (father). She made the decision to become an actress after playing the Little Red Hen in her Kindergarten production of Chicken Little.

Kathryn graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts undergraduate drama program in 1989. Her first movie role was in the film Runaway Dreams. She then went on to portray Lynn Redgrave's daughter, Patricia Reese, in the short-lived television Comedy entitled Chicken Soup.

Following this series, she went on to stage productions: The Grapes of Wrath (1988 & 1990), The Speed of Darkness (1991), The Curse of the Starving Class (1991), My Thing of Love (1992), A Month In the Country (1995), The 24 Hour Plays: In the Dark (2005), and The Streetcar Named Desire (1997).

Kathryn received a Tony nomination for her role as Mary in the production The Speed of Darkness in 1991.

She also pursued movies. After Runaway Dreams, she landed the role of Anna Marvin in What About Bob? (1991). Many more followed: Rich In Love, Breathing Lessons, ...

Her monumental television role was as Shirley Bellinger in HBO's prison drama OZ. She portrayed the only female deathrow inmate in jail for murdering her young daughter. She held nothing back portraying Shirley.

Since 2001, she has portrayed Detective Alexandra Eames on NBC/USA Network series Law & Order: Criminal Intent alongside Vincent D'onofrio.

***note: for full filmography, click here