Michelle Hurd (born December 21, 1966) is an American actress best known for her work in television. She first received recognition for portraying Monique Jeffries in the police procedural series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–2001). She has since starred as Athena Barnes in the drama series Leap Years (2001), Colleen Manus in the crime drama series The Glades (2010–2013), Linda Bates Emery in the comedy-horror series Ash vs Evil Dead (2016), and Ellen "Shepherd" Briggs in the crime drama series Blindspot (2015–2018). She portrayed Raffi Musiker in the science fiction series Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023).
Early life
Michelle Hurd is the daughter of actor Hugh Hurd and Merlyn Hurd (née Purdy), an actress and clinical psychologist. Her parents met when they appeared in the same Broadway show.[2] Hurd has two sisters. She graduated from Saint Ann's School in 1984 and Boston University in 1988, and studied with the Alvin Ailey School. After her graduation from college, she studied at London's National Theatre.[3]
Michelle Hurd appeared as the comic book superhero B.B. DaCosta / Fire in the failed television pilot Justice League of America in 1997. Her other early television appearances include New York Undercover, The Practice and The Cosby Mysteries. Her experiences filming the latter series led her to come forward as a witness to a woman being drugged by Bill Cosby.[8] Hurd's association with the Law & Order franchise began with her appearance in a 1997 episode of the titular series. Her performance as a corrupt FBI informant caught the attention of Law & Order producer Dick Wolf, who two years later cast her in the spin-off Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Detective Monique Jeffries. She co-starred with Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay for the first season before leaving the main cast in 2000. She appeared in the first, seventh and sixteenth episodes of season two.
In 2010, Hurd began a starring role on the A&E Network drama The Glades, playing Colleen Manus. In March 2018, it was announced that Hurd would have a leading role in the CBS reboot of Cagney & Lacey, playing the character Mary Beth Lacey (originated by Tyne Daly in the original series), starring alongside Sarah Drew.[11][12][13]
In 2014, she appeared as Constance "Connie" Irving in Season 1 of the very popular streaming series Bosch. She was then replaced by Erika Alexander in season 2.
^ abDisch, Thomas (June 11, 1990). "The Constant Couple". The Nation. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
^Playbill for Dog in the Manger. Washington, D.C.: The Shakespeare Theatre Company. February–March 2009. p. 20.
^Hunt, Annie (January 21, 2009). "Shakespeare Theatre Company's 2008–2009 Season Continues with The Dog in the Manger (press release)"(Press release). Retrieved March 19, 2009. She has appeared on Broadway in Getting Away with Murder at the Broadhurst Theatre and Off-Broadway in many productions including 900 Oneonta, A.M.L., Looking for the Pony, Hot Keys and Conquering Thursday. Hurd's regional theatre credits include west coast premier of The Violet Hour at South Coast Repertory, where she won the Robbie Award for best actress and North Shore Theater's production of Hamlet and her film credits include Random Hearts, Personals, Double Parked, Wolf and King of New York.
^"The Dog in the Manger – 2008–2009 Season – One on One with Michael Hayden and Michelle Hurd". Washington, D.C.: The Shakespeare Theatre Company. Archived from the original on May 1, 2009. Retrieved March 19, 2009. I most recently played Laurel in Gossip Girl. It was fun for me as I often play cops and lawyers and doctors and this time I had the opportunity to play a mean fashionista ... and wear cute outfits and heels.
