Carrie Preston by Matt Kramer

In an industry crawling with questionable life forms, Carrie

Preston is often lauded as the kind of actress whose spark,
creativity and professionalism makes the theatrical world
a better place. Noted for her role as Arlene Fowler in the
HBO series, True Blood, and for her critically acclaimed
supporting role in “Duplicity,” she has graced every kind of
stage from regional Shakespeare festivals, to On and Off
Broadway. In 1994, while playing Ophelia at the Alabama
Shakespeare Festival she met her husband, award winning
actor, Michael Emerson, who was performing the role of
Guildenstern in the same production. They have since
performed together in numerous productions including an
episode of “Lost” in which Carrie portrayed Michael’s
mother during a flashback sequence.
Carrie’s acting career appeared predestined; forming her
own theater company when she was 12, she handled the
tasks of writer, producer, director, costumer as well as
actress. Her early training, including a degree from the
prestigious Julliard School, serves her well as she channels
her creativity into her own production company, Daisy 3
Pictures, which tackles themes outside the standard main-
stream fare, including festival darling, “Ready, OK!” about a
young boy’s challenges when he tries to join his Catholic
school’s cheer leading squad. She is finishing up touches on
her latest feature, “That’s What She Said,” starring Anne
Heche.
Carrie’s choices for Daisy 3 Productions reflect her
humanitarian interests; among other issues, she and
Michael have campaigned on behalf of marriage equality.
In our interview with Carrie, she addresses her support for
equal rights for everybody.

What do you like most about your career?

I feel fortunate that so far in my career, I have gotten to
work on a really diverse range of projects on TV, in film and
on stage. I like having the opportunity to play wildly
different types of characters. And I enjoy going back and
forth between comedy and drama — or playing both at the
same time, like in "True Blood."

What do you find most challenging?

It's a challenge for most actors to keep the faith when they
are between jobs. I like structure in my life, so when a job
ends and nothing is lined up yet, it can be a challenge to
stay focused and confident that something else will come
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