Carrie Preston has known Elsbeth Tascioni for 15 years.
She first played the quirky lawyer with a penchant for brightly colored clothing and unconventional thinking on an episode of
The Good Wife
in 2010, winning an Emmy in 2013 for the role and returning for guest appearances several times.
The character now has her own spin-off show — CBS’s popular procedural
Elsbeth.
She plays the title character, who moves from Chicago to New York City and works to investigate crimes with the police instead of defending the accused in court.
“I never expected I’d have my own show, or that Elsbeth would be the center of a show, but the character did stay with me,” Preston told Yahoo Entertainment. “She’s very infectious. She’s joyful and positive and curious and mercurial and has this brilliant mind. That just doesn’t leave you easily when you play it. It stays with you.”
Since Elsbeth was technically a guest character on
The Good Wife
and
The Good Fight
for many years, she was never sure when she’d be coming back onscreen.
“I look at every day as a miracle and as if it’s the last day that I get to play her, because I don’t want to waste a moment,” she said. “People really love that she’s unconventional. She’s not like any of the other detectives on TV.”
One of Preston’s favorite things about Elsbeth is that fans tell her she “represents a lot of people who are underrepresented.”
“She mentioned women who are reshaping their lives, depending on their intellect to navigate daily challenges. These women aren’t tied down to a specific individual or partner,” she explained. “Their approach to tasks stands out as unconventional, and they think differently compared to those surrounding them.”
One of Elsbeth’s signature characteristics on the show is how she’s able to notice clues and quirks that other people can’t because of her unusual way of thinking. This has led
fans to speculate
whether Elsbeth could be neurodivergent, but Preston didn’t want to assign her a specific label.
We’re all extremely cautious about diagnosing her since she stands out as so distinctive,” Preston explained. “She embraces being entirely herself, which I adore. She has this one-of-a-kind quality.” He continued, “Any attempt at labeling or diagnosing her might constrain her potential. It could lead me to fall short of meeting the criteria set by the diagnosis or spark endless discussions with unresolved questions.
“I simply wanted to mention her name is Elsbeth,” Preston added.
She exudes joyfulness and positivity, filled with curiosity and unpredictability, and possesses an exceptional intellect.
Carrie Preston discussing her role as Elsbeth
An endearing aspect of the character is her penchant for adorning herself with vibrant hues and an abundance of accessories. Preston acknowledged Dan Lawson, the show’s costume designer, who has meticulously refined Elsbeth’s appearance from her first episode onwards.
The Good Wife,
for giving her such a prominent “visually distinctive” persona.
I admire her sense of fashion. I am someone who enjoys wearing vibrant hues. It’s an aspect that has always appealed to me throughout my life,” Preston stated. “For instance, ask my mother! She often referred to it as ‘playful styling’ since I would combine different prints and opt for looks that perhaps weren’t typical for other children.
Elsbeth
drew inspiration from Preston’s actual life in yet another manner—the series featured her genuine spouse, Michael Emerson, portraying her on-screen opponent. Although they have collaborated numerous times throughout their careers, this marks the first instance where he has taken on the role of the antagonist.
I would surely place this at the pinnacle [of the list] among everything we’ve undertaken jointly,” she stated. “Since we’re directly competing against each other, it has resulted in several intriguing and charged instances that we have not had the chance to experience previously as performers.
“And we definitely don’t share any of that in our everyday lives,” she said with a laugh.
Without spoiling Emerson’s character’s fate, Preston said it was “thrilling for the show,” albeit “sad and scary.”
“I think it shocked all the fans!” she said.
The
Elsbeth
Season 2 finale airs May 8 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.