Amy Carlson

Amy Lynn Carlson, born on July 7, 1968, is an accomplished American actress renowned for her roles in television. She gained significant recognition for portraying Josie Watts on the soap opera "Another World" and Alex Taylor on the acclaimed series "Third Watch." More recently, she took on the role of Kelly Gaffney in the NBC courtroom drama "Law & Order: Trial by Jury." Currently, she stars as Linda Reagan in the popular CBS drama "Blue Bloods."

Carlson's early life took an interesting turn when, at the age of 13, her family relocated to Amman, Jordan, for a year, as her parents were assigned to teach at the American Community School. Upon their return to the U.S., she attended Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, where she became actively involved in the theater department, showcasing her talent in productions such as "Fifth of July," "Noises Off," "A Lie of the Mind," and "School for Scandal." She graduated cum laude.

In her personal life, Carlson resides in Manhattan's Chinatown with her husband, Syd Butler, who is the bassist for the band Les Savy Fav and runs Frenchkiss Records. Together, they have two children: a daughter born in 2006 and a son born in August 2009. Additionally, Carlson is set to star in her first feature film, "Sight Unseen," which was filmed in 2005, although a release date has yet to be announced.