Julianna Margulies studied at Sarah Lawrence College then moved to New York to break into acting. Her ER character was originally slated to commit suicide in the show's opening episode, but the plot was changed and Margulies went on to become one of the show's stars. In 1995 she won an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress.

Extra credit: Margulies' father, an advertising executive, wrote the famous "Plop plop fizz fizz" jingle for Alka-Seltzer.