From Grokipedia
Full articleLeslie Erin Grossman (born October 25, 1971) is an American actress recognized for her television roles, particularly her breakout portrayal of the eccentric mean girl Mary Cherry in the WB series Popular (1999–2001). Her performance in Popular, her first series regular role, established a long-term professional relationship with creator Ryan Murphy, leading to recurring appearances in his productions such as Nip/Tuck and multiple seasons of American Horror Story. Grossman also starred as Lauren in the sitcom What I Like About You across four seasons and has guest-starred in numerous series including The Good Place, Grey's Anatomy, and Modern Family. In 2024, she portrayed Judalon Smyth in Murphy's Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, depicting the real-life mistress of the Menéndez brothers' psychologist. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Grossman has maintained a steady career in television, with her collaborations with Murphy forming a defining aspect of her professional achievements.
In brief
Grossman has a gift for characters who arrive too much and stay anyway. Television noticed early.
Murphy kept calling her back into new skins. The work is comic and gothic by turns, always a little extra — which is the point.
Photographs

Hero photograph: Wikimedia Commons


