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Christine Lahti

Christine Lahti

Actor, also director · Born April 4, 1950 (76) · Birmingham, Michigan, U.S.

Christine Ann Lahti (born April 4, 1950) is an American actress and filmmaker. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1984 film Swing Shift. Her other film roles include ...And Justice for All (1979), Housekeeping (1987), Running on Empty (1988), and Leaving Normal (1992), and The Fear Inside. For her directorial debut with the 1995 short film Lieberman in Love, she won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. Lahti made her Broadway debut in 1980 as a replacement in Loose Ends, and went on to star in the Broadway productions of Present Laughter (1982) and The Heidi Chronicles (1989). An eight-time Golden Globe nominee and six-time Emmy Award nominee, she won a Golden Globe for the 1989 TV movie No Place Like Home, and won a Golden Globe and an Emmy in 1998 for her role as Kate Austin in the CBS series Chicago Hope (1995–99). She returned to Broadway in 2009 to star in God of Carnage. She also had a recurring role as Sonya Paxton in the NBC series Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (2009–11), as Doris McGarrett in the CBS series Hawaii Five-0 (2012–19), and Laurel Hitchin in NBC's The Blacklist (2015–17). Description above from the Wikipedia article Christine Lahti, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.  

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 4, 1950 (76)
From
Birmingham, Michigan, U.S.
Works as
Actor, also director
Titles
63 on MovieCove · 80 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Down 32% in 30 days

What are Christine Lahti's films like?

Across their 48 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama23 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy17 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 94th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
30%
Self
25%
Morality
19%
Survival
12%
Society
7%
Power
4%
Ideas
3%
Self-worth12 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds12 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice11 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love8 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 45 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 12 · Serious 14 · Dark 19

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 40 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 14 · Charged 21 · Intense 10

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 24 · Shifting 18 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 23 · Some laughs 19 · Funny 3

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 24 · Even-paced 21 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 21 · Engaged 22 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 10 · Affecting 19 · Heavy 16

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 30 · Open-ended 14 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

36 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 10 of 36 analyzed roles.

Ally
10 of 36
Hero
9 of 36
Threshold guardian
6 of 36
Mentor
5 of 36
Shadow
3 of 36
Shapeshifter
1 of 36
Herald
1 of 36
Trickster
1 of 36
Show the 36 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
22
Melancholic
23
Warm
12
Hopeful
17
Bittersweet
13
Other
36

How their films linger

Hopeful30 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet29
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous7

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Christine Lahti's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 44 of their 63 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (20).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Christine Lahti's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

80 credits, 63 with a MovieCove page; 11 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Sheriff Country(2025)

    Show 1 episode · as Ruby Quinn

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Bird in Hand(2025)

    as Carlotta

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Fire Country(2022)

    Show 4 episodes · as Ruby Quinn

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • My Name Is Andrea(2022)

    as Pariah

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Gloria: A Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Gloria Steinem

  • Evil(2019)

    Show 50 episodes · as Sheryl Luria

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood(2019)

    as Ellen

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Becks(2017)

    as Ann

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Good Fight(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · as Andrea Stevens

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Operator(2016)

    as Beth Larsen

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Steps(2015)

    as Sherry

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Touched with Fire(2015)

    as Sara

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Safelight(2015)

    as Peg

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Grace and Frankie(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Lydia Foster

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Hateship Loveship(2013)

    as Eileen

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Blacklist(2013)

    Show 7 episodes · as Laurel Hitchin

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Petunia(2012)

    as Felicia Petunia

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • 8(2012)

    as Kris Perry

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Touchback(2011)

    as Thelma

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Hawaii Five-0(2010)

    Show 10 episodes · as Doris McGarrett

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Flying Lessons(2010)

    as Caroline Conway

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Good Wife(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · as Andrea Stevens

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Obsessed(2009)

    as Detective Monica Reese

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Operating Instructions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Commander Helen Keller

  • Smart People(2008)

    as Nancy

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Yonkers Joe(2008)

    as Janice

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip(2006)

    Show 3 episodes · as Martha O'Dell

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman(2004)

    as Rose

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Jack & Bobby(2004)

    Show 22 episodes · as Grace McCallister

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • The Book of Ruth(2004)

    as Maylene

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Out of the Ashes(2003)

    as Gisella Perl

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Open House(2003)

    as Samantha Morrow

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Women vs. Men(2002)

    as Dana

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Pilot's Wife(2002)

    as Kathryn Lyons

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • My First Mister(2001)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Curb Your Enthusiasm(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Christine Lahti

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Trial by Media(2000)

    as Lyssa Dent Hughes

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 7 episodes · as Sonya Paxton

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Judgment Day: The Ellie Nesler Story(1999)

    as Ellie Nesler

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Hope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Emma Percy

  • Ally McBeal(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Sydney Gale

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • SubwayStories: Tales from the Underground(1997)

    as Red Shoe Woman (segment "The Red Shoes")

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • A Weekend in the Country(1996)

    as Ruth Oakley

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Pie in the Sky(1995)

    as Ruby

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Four Diamonds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Dr. Burke / Sorceress Reptannehan

  • Hideaway(1995)

    as Lindsey

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Lieberman in Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director · as Shaleen

  • Chicago Hope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 97 episodes · Director · as Kathryn Austin

  • Ellen(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Ellen Screen Test #4

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • Frasier(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Laura (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • The Good Fight(1992)

    as Grace Cragin

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Fear Inside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Meredith Cole

  • Leaving Normal(1992)

    as Darly

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Crazy from the Heart(1991)

    as Charlotte Bain

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Doctor(1991)

    as Anne

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Funny About Love(1990)

    as Meg

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • No Place Like Home(1989)

    as Zan Cooper

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Gross Anatomy(1989)

    as Dr. Rachel Woodruff

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Miss Firecracker(1989)

    as Clara Archer

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Running on Empty(1988)

    as Annie Pope

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Housekeeping(1987)

    as Sylvie Fisher

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Amerika (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 7 episodes · as Alethea Milford

  • Stacking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Kathleen Morgan

  • Just Between Friends(1986)

    as Sandy Dunlap

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Desert Bloom(1986)

    as Voice of adult "Rose" (narrator)

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Love Lives On (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Marilyn

  • Single Bars, Single Women(1984)

    as Elsie

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Swing Shift(1984)

    as Hazel Zanussi

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • The Executioner's Song (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 2 episodes · as Brenda Nicol

  • Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains(1982)

    as Aunt Linda

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Executioner's Song(1982)

    as Brenda Nicol

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Kathleen Morgan

  • Whose Life Is It Anyway?(1981)

    as Dr. Clare Scott

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Wolcott(1981)

    Show 4 episodes · as Melinda Marin

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Henderson Monster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Dr. Louise Casimir

  • And Justice for All(1979)

    as Gail Packer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Last Tenant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Carol

  • The Harvey Korman Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • Dr. Scorpion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Tania Reston

  • Beverly Hills Cop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · as Helen

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 80 titles, 79 of them dated from 1978 to 2025; peak year 1988.

Biggest box office

Obsessed (2009)

$74M worldwide

Highest rated

Running on Empty (1988)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Evil (2019)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19782025

Peak 1988 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 7 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting79 of 80: 77 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thDirecting3 of 80: 1 only directing, 2 with another role

By decade

1970s4 · acting1980s19 · acting1990s19 · 19 acting · 2 crew2000s16 · 15 acting · 1 crew2010s16 · acting2020s5 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 17% of 23 roles
79899414

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Christine Lahti's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 47th percentile, the median of all 47; across their 45 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 48th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 45

Approval · how many liked their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 45

Reach · how many have seen their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 45

Midcredits score across 63 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up19
  • 50th to 74th15
  • 25th to 49th19
  • Below 25th10

Shape of the crowd

23 of their 63 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved12
  • Divisive3
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser18
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed23

Most divisive · actor

My Name Is Andrea (2022)

97th percentile spread · 35% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Running on Empty (1988)

Midcredits 95th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 43 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 51. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Christine Lahti's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles31–61 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles30–51 · median 42 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles39–62 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 36 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles34–64 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Christine Lahti work with?

People who share at least 2 of Christine Lahti's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Mary Kay Place shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles