Carrie Preston‘s role as Elsbeth Tascioni on the CBS spinoff has allowed her to cross paths with some familiar faces, with cameos from A-listers and reprisals from The Good Wife fan-favorites.
After originally being introduced on The Good Wife and The Good Fight, Elsbeth returns in her own show as an attorney who became a de facto detective that aids the NYPD in their investigations. The titular character’s quirky and unconventional methods lead her to make unique observations that help solve crimes.
Elsbeth, which premiered in 2024, also stars Wendell Pierce and Carra Patterson. The procedural setup of the show means each episode has new characters that need Elsbeth’s help — and many of them might look very familiar.
For example, Preston’s real-life husband, Michael Emerson, joined the show in season 2 as a judge who makes Elsbeth suspicious. The guest spot opportunity allowed Preston and Emerson to play characters that are extremely different from their actual dynamic.
While many TV shows have made household names out of their star players, occasionally showrunners have been able to corral some of Hollywood’s biggest names to drop in for a surprising cameo during a complete episode or a single scene. Perhaps one of the most polarizing cameos belonged to Ed Sheeran on HBO’s Game of […]
“Elsbeth is on the jury in a murder trial where the proceedings seem questionable. Can she go head-to-head with the judge and bring order to the court?” the pair said in a joint statement to Us Weekly in December 2024. “We’ve had so much fun waking up together and going off to work playing these courtroom adversaries on Elsbeth! It’s a tremendous battle of wits with life and death in the balance. Then we get to go back home and snuggle it off.”
In addition to Emerson, Elsbeth has also utilized Stephen Moyer, Jane Krakowski and more in killer roles. Keep scrolling to see a guide to every Elsbeth guest star throughout the seasons:
Stephen Moyer
The series premiere introduced Preston’s former True Blood costar as a respected drama instructor and professor who kills a student he was involved with leading up to the murder.
Jane Krakowski
Elsbeth gave Krakowski the chance to play a high-end real estate broker — who would do anything to make a sale.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson
For fans of Bravo, Ferguson’s performance as Skip Mason a.k.a the creator of a popular reality TV show was obviously inspired by Andy Cohen.
Retta
The actress played a matchmaker whose dishonesty leads to a shocking death.
Blair Underwood
During season 1, Underwood took on the role of a fictional father and coach of a rising tennis star who takes matters into his own hands when it comes to scoring his son a win.
Gina Gershon
Gershon played a cosmetic surgeon who isn’t afraid to seek revenge — regardless of the potential risks.
Keegan-Michael Key
Elsbeth allowed Key to flex his acting muscles as the CEO of a financial firm who sabotages his daughter’s wedding day.
Laura Benanti
Not only is the Tony winner’s character a successful supermodel, but she returned in season 2 as Elsbeth’s new friend.
Elizabeth Lail
The second season started strong with the You alum playing the creator of an app that isn’t above burying her secrets — and a body.
Nathan Lane
Lane scored the chance to play a former lawyer obsessed with opera.
Rob Riggle
Another season 2 killer was Riggle’s character, who was both a self-made billionaire and a man determined to seek revenge against an enemy.
Vanessa Williams
Williams played a socialite with financial struggles in the CBS show’s second season.
Micaela Diamond
In addition to playing a detective on Grotesquerie, Diamond moonlighted as one on Elsbeth as well.
Michael Emerson
Preston’s husband joined the show in a surprising role as the duo went toe-to-toe in a number of scenes.
Matthew Broderick and James Wilkie Broderick
Matthew and his son with Sarah Jessica Parker, James, are expected to play a father-son duo. In an upcoming episode, Matthew will play a man who helps the Manhattan elite get their children into their desired prep schools and colleges despite their shortcomings. James, meanwhile, works for his dad’s coaching company.
