Sherry Stringfield Bio
Sherry Stringfield (born June 24, 1967) is an American actress whose career has centered on television drama. She rose to prominence on the CBS daytime soap Guiding Light and became widely known for originating the role of Dr. Susan Lewis on NBC’s medical drama ER, a part that brought multiple award nominations and a Screen Actors Guild ensemble honor.
Early Life and Background
Sherry Stringfield was born on June 24, 1967. Publicly available records do not list a city of birth in the provided sources, but her professional biography traces an early commitment to acting that led quickly to work on stage and in daytime television by the late 1980s.
Early in her career Stringfield combined on-screen roles with stage work and short periods away from acting; after leaving Guiding Light in 1992 she spent time traveling, an interval she described as part of an early search for personal balance and perspective. That period preceded her move into higher-profile prime-time television roles.
Path to Celebrity
Stringfield’s first steady television role was as Christina “Blake” Thorpe on the CBS soap Guiding Light beginning in 1989, a platform that established her as a working actress and introduced her to a television audience. She left the soap in the early 1990s, spent time traveling, and returned to pursue prime-time work.
Her transition to prime-time came with a regular role on NYPD Blue in 1993, where she played Assistant District Attorney Laura Kelly during the series’ first season. That role led directly to greater visibility and set the stage for casting in a new medical drama, ER, where she originated a role that would define the next phase of her career.
Sherry Stringfield Career
Early Career (1989–1993)
Stringfield’s professional acting career began with Guiding Light, where she portrayed Christina “Blake” Thorpe from 1989 until 1992. Those years on daytime television gave her recurring screen experience and industry recognition, including early nomination attention within soap opera circles.
After a break following Guiding Light, she moved into prime-time television with NYPD Blue in 1993, portraying a Manhattan assistant district attorney. That NYPD Blue role was an important step toward mainstream dramatic television and preceded her casting on ER.
Breakthrough (1994–1996)
Sherry Stringfield joined the original cast of NBC’s ER in 1994, originating the role of Dr. Susan Lewis. Her portrayal quickly became central to the series’ early narrative and to its emotional core. Stringfield received three consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work on ER in 1995, 1996 and 1997, reflecting the critical attention her performance attracted during the show’s formative seasons.
Despite a contract that covered five seasons, Stringfield left ER during the third season in 1996, citing a desire for a more normal life and to escape the show’s demanding production schedule. Her departure was widely publicized and marked one of the more notable exits from a hit series in the 1990s; the episode surrounding her character’s exit drew substantial audience attention.
Return and Later Tenure (2001–2005)
Following a period away from the series and the birth of her daughter, Stringfield returned to ER in 2001 for the show’s eighth season. Her comeback was a ratings event and reestablished Dr. Susan Lewis as a key presence on the series. During this second tenure she remained a regular cast member for four seasons and was part of a notable crossover storyline with the NBC drama Third Watch in 2002.
Stringfield announced a second departure from ER in August 2005, explaining she was ready for new roles and challenges. She later returned for a guest appearance in the series finale in 2009, closing a long association with the medical drama that had defined much of her career profile.
Notable Works and Milestones
Beyond ER, Stringfield’s career includes regular and guest roles across television and appearances in feature films. She appeared in the films 54 (1998) and Autumn in New York (2000), and she took roles in television movies and a string of guest spots and recurring parts on series including Touched by an Angel, Shark, Tell Me You Love Me, In Plain Sight, Law & Order and Curb Your Enthusiasm. In later years she continued to work in guest and recurring roles on procedural and character-driven shows.
Sherry Stringfield Award Nominations
Stringfield has received multiple high-profile nominations for her television work, most prominently three consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Dr. Susan Lewis on ER in 1995, 1996 and 1997. These nominations underline the sustained industry recognition she earned during ER’s early run and the years immediately following.
Sherry Stringfield Awards Won
Among verified honors, Stringfield was part of the ER ensemble that won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 1997. That ensemble recognition reflected the series’ impact and the collaborative strength of its original cast.
| Award | Wins | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | 1 | 1997 |
Sherry Stringfield Family
Sherry Stringfield and journalist Larry Joseph married in 1998. The couple had two children together: a daughter, Phoebe, born in 2001, and a son, Milo, born in 2004. Public sources indicate the couple separated in 2006 and later divorced.
Personal Life
Stringfield has spoken publicly about choices to step away from full-time series work to prioritize family and a more balanced life, decisions reflected in her departures from ER. She has also taught and directed in academic and theatrical contexts and taken on a mix of film, television and voice work across her career.
Her professional profile emphasizes steady television work across decades, a willingness to leave high-profile projects for personal reasons, and a return to screen roles when new opportunities aligned with her priorities. She has continued to accept guest and recurring roles into the 2010s, maintaining a presence in both network and cable television dramas.