Last updated on: October 8, 2025
You know how there are some actors who just slip quietly into your life through a performance and, before you know it, you’re addicted to everything they do? That’s Jeanne Tripplehorn for me. She’s not the most vocal star in Hollywood, but she’s one of those actresses who always leaves you going, wow, that was real.
Most of us initially saw her in films such as Basic Instinct or The Firm during the ’90s, but to be honest, some of her most memorable work has been done on television. She’s had roles ranging from a troubled wife in a polygamous family to an FBI agent who could read people like books. She even ventured into animation — and somehow managed to make you feel something using just her voice.
So if you’ve ever asked yourself, “Where do I begin if I want to truly enjoy Jeanne Tripplehorn?” — this list is your guide. Let’s discuss her top 5 television shows, the ones that really encapsulate why she’s such a great actress.
1. Criminal Minds (2012–2014)
When Jeanne Tripplehorn arrived on Criminal Minds as Alex Blake, she walked right into an established fan favorite. That’s not something to do lightly. Think about being the new student becoming part of a tight-knit group of friends — everyone already has their inside jokes, their routines, their groove. But Tripplehorn slotted in seamlessly.
Blake was an FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit linguistics expert, and what I liked best about her character was her demeanor. She wasn’t flashy. She wasn’t posing to upstage anybody. She was steady, calm, and extremely smart — the sort of person you’d want working on a case if your life depended on it.
The fans became attached to her because she was authentic. Not cartoonish, not exaggerated, just someone who was passionate about the work and the people around her. When she departed in Season 9, it was painful. Yes, she only lasted two seasons on the show, but Alex Blake left an impression. And truthfully? That is the strength of Tripplehorn — she makes you care, even for a brief period of time.
2. Big Love (2006–2011)
If you wish to be reminded of variously talented Jeanne Tripplehorn at her best, revisit HBO’s Big Love. She played Barbara “Barb” Henrickson, the primary wife in Bill Paxton’s character-led polygamist family.
Now, I’ll be honest — when I first heard the concept of this show years and years ago, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it. Polygamy? In contemporary-day Utah? It sounded like it was either going to be scandalous or judgmental. But what made the show so effective was how human it seemed, and a lot of that ultimately boiled down to Tripplehorn.
Barb was not merely “the first wife.” She was intelligent, torn, religious, and poignantly identifiable. She adored her family, yet she had doubts as well. She struggled with her faith. She questioned her role in a marriage that contradicted everything she had been taught.
Tripplehorn acted Barb with so much elegance and naked truth that you couldn’t help but be rooting for her even when her existence made no sense to anyone else. In five years, Barb became the emotional core of Big Love. And if you’ve ever been stuck between what everyone else wants from you and what your heart actually desires? Seeing Barb just may be a little too intimate for comfort.
3. The Gilded Age (2022–present)
Cut to HBO’s opulent drama The Gilded Age, and we have a very different Tripplehorn role: Sylvia Chamberlain. Imagine this — New York City in the 1880s, an era where the rich are battling over who gets into “society.” Old money scornfully regards new money, and image is everything.
Enter Sylvia. She’s wealthy, fashionable, and always in the spotlight. But there’s a catch: her history is shrouded in scandal, and the very people she dines with gossip behind her back. That tension makes her one of the most compelling figures in the series.
What distinguishes Tripplehorn from here is the way in which she captures the glamour of the time and yet also gives Sylvia an edge. You can see the weight of judgement bearing down upon her, but you also see her not wanting to be wiped off the face of the world that she cares for. It’s vintage HBO — glitzy on the outside, but stinging and caustic beneath.
If you loved Downton Abbey, you will likely adore The Gilded Age. And Tripplehorn? She’s part of the reason why it succeeds.
4. BoJack Horseman (2015)
Here’s a curveball. You know Jeanne Tripplehorn did voice work in BoJack Horseman? Yes. The same actress who provided Barb on Big Love and Alex Blake on Criminal Minds also ventured into the offbeat, animated universe of a has-been horse star.
Now, BoJack Horseman is not exactly your average cartoon. It’s strange, it’s funny, and it’s unflinchingly honest about depression, addiction, and the ugliness of being human. To have Tripplehorn voice this world was like discovering your go-to dramatic actress does secretly do stand-up comedy on the weekends. Surprising, but somehow ideal.
Her part wasn’t massive, but it was unforgettable. And it indicated that she’s never afraid to be a little risky or self-deprecating. And it vindicated something I think we all kind of suspected to begin with — Tripplehorn doesn’t put herself in a box. She follows the compelling stories wherever they lead, whether that’s on a gritty HBO series or a Netflix animated series about a horse who can’t quite get his life together.
5. Undone (2019–2022)
If you haven’t watched Undone yet, let me get things started: it’s an Amazon Prime series animated in rotoscope, so it appears surreal, almost dreamlike. The plot? A young woman, Alma, learns she may have the power to move through time. Is it real, though, or is it just in her mind?
Tripplehorn brings to life Camila Diaz, Alma’s mother. And as the world around Alma goes into disarray, Camila is the anchor. She’s sharp, sometimes infuriatingly so, but you know her heart is always in the right place.
I adore this job because it illustrates how Tripplehorn does not merely act characters — she grounds narratives. Even in a series packed with head-spinning visuals and time-travel shenanigans, her acting keeps everything centered on the human plane: family, love, and the terror of losing someone you love.
It’s simple to lose yourself in Undone’s trippy animation, but Camila Diaz keeps reminding you why it matters.
Why Jeanne Tripplehorn’s Television Characters Are Important
Comparing these shows collectively, one thing stands out: Jeanne Tripplehorn is skilled at playing complicated women. She’s not really interested in dull, one-dimensional characters. Rather, she presents us with wives who are conflicted between love and obligation, agents who have to balance strength and weakness, socialites with secrets, and mothers who just want to keep their children safe.
And here’s the thing — she makes them seem like people you know. You might meet a “Barb” at your church. You might work with someone like Alex Blake. That’s her gift. She makes TV seem less about entertainment and more about holding up a mirror.
FAQs About Jeanne Tripplehorn’s TV Career
What is Jeanne Tripplehorn most famous for on TV? Definitely Criminal Minds and Big Love. Those were her defining roles on television.
Why did she leave Criminal Minds? It was a creative decision at the end of Season 9. She departed amicably, although fans certainly did miss her.
Is she still on The Gilded Age? Yes, she’s still playing Sylvia Chamberlain and is still one of the show’s strongest characters.
What movies is she renowned for? She went to pieces in Basic Instinct and The Firm, and she appeared in Waterworld as well.
Did she do voice over before? Yeah — she voiced characters in both BoJack Horseman and Undone.
Final Thoughts
Here’s the bottom line: Jeanne Tripplehorn may never command headlines like some of her contemporaries, but her work on television doesn’t lie. She’s delivered some of the most complex, passionate performances on contemporary TV — from Barb on Big Love to Alex on Criminal Minds to Sylvia on The Gilded Age. And she’s not above trying new things, whether that involves voicing cartoon characters or taking on surreal, avant-garde like Undone.
If all you’ve seen is her in movies, do yourself a favor and watch these shows. You’ll have a newfound respect for an actress who can take a script and make it unforgettable.
That’s the magic of Jeanne Tripplehorn: she doesn’t simply portray characters. She makes them feel like people you’ve known your entire life.
