Laurie O'Brien


Laurie O'Brien is an American actress, playwright, and former psychologist. She is best known for voicing Baby Piggy on the Saturday morning cartoon Jim Henson's Muppet Babies and the CTW animated series Cro as Ivana.

Early years

Born in Denver, Colorado, O'Brien paid her way for attending the University of Colorado Boulder by working in a juvenile detention center, in a mental hospital, and with asthmatic children at the National Jewish Hospital in Denver. O'Brien developed a program of bibliotherapy by teaching asthmatic children while reading aloud with them. She also taught theater to people with schizophrenia and worked with unwed mothers, as well as people addicted to drugs, having "deeply psychotic" symptoms and profound hearing loss, and being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and autism.
Taking all theater courses she could attend, O'Brien graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Because she was not able to transition to a double major, she returned to the university in the mid-1970s and graduated with an interdisciplinary master's degree in theater, although they were fashioned from courses in literature, psychology, and theater. She described the combination of courses as "Reader's Theater".
Prior to moving to Los Angeles, O'Brien started to suffer depression from work and wanted a professional career as an actress. She left the job sometime in late 1980 and moved to Los Angeles in November 1980. O'Brien originally planned to move to New York City, but felt that she did not want to live in the city.

Career

After O'Brien moved to Los Angeles, O'Brien spent the first three months watching theater performances, taking classes for voice and movement, and studying the Equity Waiver Plan. O'Brien was one of 400 people who showed up to audition for parts in Mary Barnes, a theater play based on the autobiography Mary Barnes: Two Accounts of a Journey Through Madness. Director Rons Sossi initially considered her for the role of patient Angie, but after repeated callbacks and auditions, he selected her to portray Barnes. Her first role in Los Angeles, O'Brien initially turned the role down because a dramatic scene involving nudity frightened her, but Sossi convinced her to take a risk, stating to her that it would be okay to risk herself. O'Brien received L.A. Drama Critics Circle and LA Weekly awards for her performance of the role. O'Brien reprised the role in the revival of Mary Barnes in Odyssey Theatre in 1995. In 1984, O'Brien, along with six other actors, was nominated for the category of Ensemble Performance for the performance of the ensemble in Quilters at the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards. Her work on stage also included winning two major awards for her lead roles in Savage in Limbo and Times Like These.
As an on-camera actress, O'Brien has guest starred on the soap opera Santa Barbara as a hooker as well as other numerous TV series including Trapper John, M.D., NYPD Blue, Matlock, Chicago Hope, ER, CSI, CSI Miami, 7th Heaven, Reasonable Doubts, Shark, Three Rivers, Detroit 1-8-7, and L.A. Law on which she played a woman on trial for killing her rapist. TV movies include The Defiant Ones, Too Young to Die?, Infidelity, Children of the Night, Convicted, and One More Mountain. Movies include Bottle Shock in which she played Christopher Pine's mother.

Personal life

In 1973, O'Brien met a doctor while working at National Jewish Hospital. Being supportive of her remedial work, he was married to O'Brien in 1976. The marriage was later filed for a divorce in late 1980. Later, she married actor Carl Weintraub. The couple had one son named Cory, who was born in 1989 or 1990.

Awards

  • L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for the category of Performance/Leading Role for the role of Mary Barnes in Mary Barnes, 1983
  • LA Weekly award for the role of Mary Barnes in Mary Barnes, 1983
  • L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for the category of Lead Performance for the role of Denise Savage in Savage in Limbo, 1987
  • Ovation Award, Times Like These, 2003