Laila Robins is an American stage, film and television actress. She has appeared in films including '' Planes, Trains and Automobiles'' (1987), ''

An Innocent Man ''An Innocent Man'' is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on August 8, 1983. The concept album is a tribute to the American popular music of Joel's adolescent years with Joel paying homage to a number of di ...

'' (1989), '' Live Nude Girls'' (1995), ''

True Crime True crime is a nonfiction literary, podcast, and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people associated with and affected by criminal events. The crimes most commonly include murder; about 40 per ...

'' (1999), '' She's Lost Control'' (2014), '' Eye in the Sky'' (2015), and ''

A Call to Spy A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...

'' (2019). Her television credits include regular roles on '' Gabriel's Fire'', ''

Homeland A homeland is a place where a cultural, national, or racial identity has formed. The definition can also mean simply one's country of birth. When used as a proper noun, the Homeland, as well as its equivalents in other languages, often has ethn ...

'', and '' Murder in the First''. In 2022, she portrays Pamela Milton in the final season of '' The Walking Dead''.

Life and career

Robins was born in

St. Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center o ...

, the daughter of Latvian American parents Brigita (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth ...

Švarcs) and Jānis, whose surname was originally spelled Robiņš. Her father was a research chemist. Robins has three sisters. She received her undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and attended the Yale School of Drama, earning a master of fine arts. Robins has been in a relationship with the actor Robert Cuccioli since 2000. They co-starred in ''

Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...

'' at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey as

and

Lady Macbeth Lady Macbeth is a leading character in William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Macbeth'' (). As the wife of the play's tragic hero, Macbeth (a Scottish nobleman), Lady Macbeth goads her husband into committing regicide, after which she becomes que ...

, among other plays.

Film and television

Robins made her big screen debut starring opposite Steve Martin in the 1987 comedy film '' Planes, Trains and Automobiles''. She then starred opposite

Tom Selleck Thomas William Selleck (; born January 29, 1945) is an American actor. His breakout role was playing private investigator Thomas Magnum in the television series '' Magnum, P.I.'' (1980–1988), for which he received five Emmy Award nominations ...

in the 1989 crime thriller ''

''; '' Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael'' (1990); the sex comedy '' Live Nude Girls'' (1995) with Dana Delany and Kim Cattrall; and ''

'' (1999). On the small screen, Robins co-starred with

James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor. He has been described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances in film, television, and theater, and "one of the greatest actors in America ...

in the ABC crime drama series '' Gabriel's Fire'', from 1990 to 1991, and guest-starred on ''

Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering o ...

'', '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', '' Law & Order: Criminal Intent'', '' Third Watch'', ''

Sex and the City ''Sex and the City'' is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO. An adaptation of Candace Bushnell's newspaper column and 1996 book anthology of the same name, the series premiered in the United St ...

'', ''

30 Rock ''30 Rock'' is an American satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live'', ta ...

'', and ''

The Good Wife ''The Good Wife'' is an American legal and political drama television series that aired on CBS from September 22, 2009, to May 8, 2016. It focuses on Alicia Florrick, the wife of the Cook County State's Attorney, who returns to her career in ...

''. She also played a younger version of Livia Soprano, the mother of mobster

Tony Soprano Anthony John Soprano is a fictional character and the antihero protagonist in the HBO television drama series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), portrayed by James Gandolfini. Soprano is a member of the Italian-American Mafia and, especially later ...

, in the two episodes of HBO crime drama series ''

The Sopranos ''The Sopranos'' is an American Crime film#Crime drama, crime drama television series created by David Chase. The story revolves around Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey-based American Mafia, Italian-American mobster, portraying h ...

''. In 2014, Robins starred as Martha Boyd, the U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, in the fourth season of

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global ...

drama series ''

''. The following year, she was a regular cast member in the TNT drama series '' Murder in the First'', and in 2016–2017, she had a recurring role in '' Quantico''. In 2018 she starred in the short-lived ABC drama series '' Deception''. She had a recurring role as Katarina Rostova in

season 7 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and ...

of the NBC series '' The Blacklist'' from 2019 to 2021. She also had recurring roles in '' In Treatment'', '' Bored to Death'', '' Mr. Mercedes'', '' Dr. Death'' and ''

The Boys Boys are young male humans. Boys or The Boys may also refer to: Film and television Films * ''The Boys'' (1962 British film), a courtroom drama by Sidney J. Furie * ''The Boys'' (1962 Finnish film), a war drama by Mikko Niskanen * ''Boys'' ( ...

''. In 2022, Robins joined the cast of AMC drama series '' The Walking Dead'' as Governor of the Commonwealth, Pamela Milton.

Theatre

Robins appeared on Broadway as Lady Utterword in the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...

's '' Heartbreak House'' (2006). Robins's other Broadway appearances were ''

Frozen Frozen may refer to: * the result of freezing * a paralysis response in extreme cases of fear Films * ''Frozen'' (1997 film), a film by Wang Xiaoshuai * ''Frozen'' (2005 film), a film by Juliet McKoen * ''Frozen'' (2007 film), a film by Sh ...

'' by

Bryony Lavery Bryony Lavery (born 1947) is a British dramatist, known for her successful and award-winning 1998 play ''Frozen''. In addition to her work in theatre, she has also written for television and radio. She has written books including the biography ...

(2004), '' The Herbal Bed'' by Peter Whelan (1998), and '' The Real Thing'' by

Tom Stoppard Sir Tom Stoppard (born , 3 July 1937) is a Czech born British playwright and screenwriter. He has written for film, radio, stage, and television, finding prominence with plays. His work covers the themes of human rights, censorship, and politi ...

(1985), directed by Mike Nichols. (Robins succeeded actress Glenn Close in the role). Robins has appeared

off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer th ...

in ''Sore Throats'' by Howard Brenton, ''

The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as ...

'' by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

, ''Mrs. Klein'' by Nicholas Wright (in which she also toured with Uta Hagen) (1995–1996), ''Burnt Piano'' by Justin Fleming, opposite

Richard Thomas Richard Thomas or Dick Thomas may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Dick Thomas (singer) (1915–2003), American singing cowboy and actor * Richard Thomas (actor) (born 1951), American actor * Richard Thomas (author) (born 1967), Americ ...

in Second Stage Theatre's ''Tiny Alice'' (2000). and ''The Film Society'' by Jon Robin Baitz, among others. She has also appeared in numerous regional theatre productions, such as the 1997 Fiftieth Anniversary production of ''

A Streetcar Named Desire ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' is a play written by Tennessee Williams and first performed on Broadway on December 3, 1947. The play dramatizes the experiences of Blanche DuBois, a former Southern belle who, after encountering a series of pe ...

'' at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. Robins also appeared as

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler. ...

in ''

Antony and Cleopatra ''Antony and Cleopatra'' ( First Folio title: ''The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed, by the King's Men, at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre in arou ...

'' at the

Guthrie Theater The Guthrie Theater, founded in 1963, is a center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The concept of the theater was born in 1959 in a series of discussions between Sir Tyrone Gu ...

in Minneapolis in 2002. Robins is also a frequent performer at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, where she has starred in ''Macbeth'', '' Three Sisters'' and ''

The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' (russian: Вишнёвый сад, translit=Vishnyovyi sad) is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by ''Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate edition ...

''.

Charles Isherwood Charles Isherwood (born 1964/65) is an American theater critic. Education Isherwood is a graduate of Stanford University. Career Isherwood wrote for '' Backstage West'' in Los Angeles. In 1993, he joined the staff of '' Variety'', where he was ...

, critic for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', assessed her stage work as Ariadne in

's '' Heartbreak House'' (2006) opposite Swoosie Kurtz as follows: "...this expert comic actress urtzmay not fit the textbook definition of ''siren'', as Hesione is called, but she may just be the most seductive woman on a New York stage right now...unless that nod goes to Ms. Robins, who locates the essence of her character's shallow allure in a languid, liquid strut and a smile both entrancing and devouring". Robins has won or been nominated for several awards for her work including the Actors' Equity Foundation Joe A. Callaway Award (1995), for ''The Merchant of Venice'', the 2012

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...

, Outstanding Ensemble for ''Sweet and Sad'', the Lucille Lortel Award nominations for Outstanding Featured Actress (2004) for ''Frozen'' and Outstanding Lead Actress (2007) for ''Sore Throats'', the 1997 Joseph Jefferson Award Best Actress for ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' at The Steppenwolf Theatre, the

Helen Hayes Award The Helen Hayes Awards are theater awards recognizing excellence in professional theater in the Washington, D.C. area since 1983. The awards are named in tribute of Helen Hayes, who is also known as the "First Lady of American Theatre." They ar ...

nomination, 1997 Supporting Performer, Non-Resident Production for ''Mrs. Klein'', and the Drama League Award. Robins is a guest instructor at HB Studio.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

* '' The Real Thing'' (1985)...Annie (Replacement); Plymouth Theatre (Broadway) * '' Summer and Smoke'' (1986)...Alma Winemiller; Williamstown Theatre Festival (Williamstown, MA) * ''

Bloody Poetry ''Bloody Poetry'' is a 1984 play by Howard Brenton centring on the lives of Percy Shelley and his circle. The play had its roots in Brenton's involvement with the small touring company Foco Novo and was the third, and final, show he wrote for t ...

'' (1987)...Mary Shelley; Manhattan Theatre Club (Off-Broadway) * ''The Film Society'' (1988)...Nan Sinclair; Second Stage Theatre/McGinn-Cazale Theatre (Off-Broadway) * '' The Lady from the Sea'' (1988)...Cast; Baltimore Center Stage (Baltimore, MD) * ''

Maids of Honor A maid of honour is a junior attendant of a queen in royal households. The position was and is junior to the lady-in-waiting. The equivalent title and office has historically been used in most European royal courts. Role Traditionally, a queen r ...

'' (1990)...Monica Bowlin; WPA Theatre (Off-Broadway) * ''The Extra Man'' (1992)...Laura; Manhattan Theatre Club (Off-Broadway) * '' The Women'' (1993)...Cast; Hartford Stage Company (Hartford, CT) * ''

'' (1995)... Portia; Joseph Papp Public Theater/Anspacher Theatre (Off-Broadway) * ''Mrs. Klein'' (1996)...Melitta; National Tour * ''Mrs. Klein'' (1995)... Melitta; Lucille Lortel Theatre (Off-Broadway) * ''

Skylight A skylight (sometimes called a rooflight) is a light-permitting structure or window, usually made of transparent or translucent glass, that forms all or part of the roof space of a building for daylighting and ventilation purposes. History Ope ...

'' (1997)...Kyra Hollis; Mark Taper Forum (Los Angeles, CA) * ''

'' (1997)...Blanche du Bois; Steppenwolf Theatre Company (Chicago, IL) * '' The Herbal Bed'' (1998)...Susanna Hall; Eugene O'Neill Theatre (Broadway) * '' Fool for Love'' (1999)...May; McCarter Theatre (Princeton, NJ) * '' Tiny Alice'' (2000)...Cast; Second Stage Theatre (Off-Broadway) * ''

Hedda Gabler ''Hedda Gabler'' () is a play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. The world premiere was staged on 31 January 1891 at the Residenztheater in Munich. Ibsen himself was in attendance, although he remained back-stage. The play has been ca ...

'' (2000)... Hedda Gabler; Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis, MN) * ''Burnt Piano'' (2001) ...Karen; HB Playwrights Theatre (Off-Broadway) * '' Three Sisters'' (2001)...Masha; New Jersey Shakespeare Theatre (Madison, NJ) * ''

'' (2002)...Cleopatra; Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis, MN) * '' Resurrection Blues'' (2002)...Emily; Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis, MN) * ''Fiction'' (2003)...Linda; McCarter Theatre (Princeton, NJ) * ''

King John King John may refer to: Rulers * John, King of England (1166–1216) * John I of Jerusalem (c. 1170–1237) * John Balliol, King of Scotland (c. 1249–1314) * John I of France (15–20 November 1316) * John II of France (1319–1364) * John I o ...

'' (2003)... Constance; New Jersey Shakespeare Theater (Madison, NJ) * ''

'' (2004)...Lady Macbeth; The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (Madison, NJ) * ''

'' (2004)...Agnetha; Circle in the Square Theatre (Broadway) * ''

'' (2004)... Agnetha; MCC Theater (Off-Broadway) * '' Heartbreak House'' (2006)...Lady Utterwood; American Airlines Theatre (Broadway)Laila Robins, Star File: Broadway.com Buzz
/ref> * '' A Street Car Named Desire'' (2008) The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (Madison, NJ) * ''

Noises Off ''Noises Off'' is a 1982 play by the English playwright Michael Frayn. Frayn conceived the idea in 1970 while watching from the wings a performance of ''The Two of Us'', a farce that he had written for Lynn Redgrave. He said, "It was funnier f ...

'' (2009) The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (Madison, NJ) * ''The Dance of Death'' (2013) The Red Bull Theater (New York, NY) * ''The Lion in Winter'' (2016) Guthrie Theatre (Minneapolis, MN)

References

External links

* * *
List of stage credits and other informationFamily Background and Obituary of Laila Robin's father
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robins, Laila American film actresses American musical theatre actresses American stage actresses American television actresses American people of Latvian descent Living people Yale School of Drama alumni Yale University alumni University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire alumni Actresses from Saint Paul, Minnesota 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Year of birth missing (living people)