# Julie Warner
**Julie Warner** (birth name Juliet Mia Warner; born 1965) is an American actress whose screen career broke through with the romantic comedy *Doc Hollywood* (1991), in which she played Vialula, known as "Lou", the love interest of [Michael J. Fox](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-j-fox)'s character[1](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/julie-warner/credits/3000053779/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julie_warner). She is also known for the comedy *Tommy Boy* (1995), opposite [Chris Farley](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-farley), and for starring as attorney Danni Lipton on the television series *Family Law*[3](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=5874) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/25603/julie-warner).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1965, New York City, New York, USA[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000689/) |
| Birth name | Juliet Mia Warner[1](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/julie-warner/credits/3000053779/) |
| Breakout role | Vialula ("Lou") in *Doc Hollywood* (1991), her highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes at 67%[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julie_warner) |
| Signature comedy | Michelle Brock in *Tommy Boy* (1995), opposite Chris Farley[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julie_warner) |
| Main television role | Danni Lipton on *Family Law*, 49 episodes from 1999 to 2001[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/25603/julie-warner) |
| Recurring TV part | Megan O'Hara on *Nip/Tuck*, 7 episodes across seasons 1, 2, and 4[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/25603/julie-warner) |
| Most recent credit | Sharon in the television movie *Where Are You, Christmas?* (2023)[6](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/julie-warner-filmography) |
## Early life and training
Warner grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Her father, Neil Warner, was a musical arranger who wrote jingles for products including Tic-Tacs and Fig Newtons, and her mother, Naomi, worked as a freelance book agent. Her brother James works for the New York City Parks Department[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000689/). At 12 she attended the [Dalton School](https://www.edgepedia.org/dalton-school), where she became friends with the future actress [Mary Stuart Masterson](https://www.edgepedia.org/mary-stuart-masterson). While there, an agent urged her to try out for a role in the film *Pretty Baby* (1978); she did not get the part, but the attempt led to a role on the soap opera *Guiding Light*[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000689/).
She majored in theater arts at [Brown University](https://www.edgepedia.org/brown-university) and graduated in 1987, then moved to Los Angeles rather than pursue stage work in New York. She explained the choice in terms of her height of 5 feet 3 inches: "I was too short for the stage. I would have been doing character roles, so I went to Los Angeles." While seeking her acting break she worked as a waitress[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000689/).
## Film career
**Early roles.** Warner's early television work included guest appearances as Alice Greenwood on *21 Jump Street* and Christy Henshaw on *Star Trek: The Next Generation*, the latter in two episodes[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/25603/julie-warner). Her first notable feature part was in *Flatliners* (1990), as one of Joe's women[6](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/julie-warner-filmography).
Her breakthrough came in *Doc Hollywood* (1991), a bucolic romantic comedy in which her character makes a striking entrance, arising nude from a lake, and turns out to be a vegetarian, animal-rights activist, ambulance driver, and law student[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julie_warner). In *Mr. Saturday Night* (1992) she played Elaine, the long-suffering wife of [Billy Crystal](https://www.edgepedia.org/billy-crystal)'s character, aging 40 years on screen over the course of the film[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julie_warner).
**Mid-1990s.** Warner joined the ensemble of *Indian Summer* (1993), playing Kelly Berman, one of a group of former summer campers reunited as adults; the film's lack of box office success stalled her career, and the science-fiction film *The Puppet Masters* (1994), in which she played Mary Sefton, fared worse, its 29% Rotten Tomatoes score the lowest of her listed films[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julie_warner). She rebounded with *Tommy Boy* (1995), the comedy starring Chris Farley and [David Spade](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-spade), in which she played Michelle Brock[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julie_warner). In 1996 she took lead roles in *Wedding Bell Blues*, as Micki, and *White Lies*, as Mimi Furst[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julie_warner).
Later film work included *Stick It* (2006), as Mrs. Charis, and *Forever Strong* (2008), as Natalie Penning[6](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/julie-warner-filmography).
## Television career
Television supplied Warner's steadiest work. She starred as Amy Sherman in the 1995 sitcom *Pride & Joy* for six episodes, and played Paige Stillwater in *Dean Koontz's Mr. Murder* (1998)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/25603/julie-warner). Her largest role was Danni Lipton on the legal drama *Family Law*, which she played in 49 episodes from the 1999 pilot through 2001[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/25603/julie-warner).
She then accumulated guest and recurring parts on prominent series: Allison on *Scrubs* (2004), Megan O'Hara on *Nip/Tuck* (7 episodes, 2003 to 2006), Margo Dalton on *[House](https://www.edgepedia.org/house-tv-series)* (2006), Andrea Schillo on *Crash* (7 episodes, 2009), a 2012 guest role on *Dexter*, Mrs. Lanz on *Grey's Anatomy* (2013), and Pam Dilallo on *The Good Doctor* (2 episodes, 2021)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/25603/julie-warner) • [7](https://www.metacritic.com/person/julie-warner/). Her most recent listed credit is the television movie *Where Are You, Christmas?* (2023), in which she played Sharon[6](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/julie-warner-filmography).
## Shape of the career
Comedy dominates Warner's film work: 10 of the 18 films in one filmography breakdown are comedies, with *Doc Hollywood*, *Mr. Saturday Night*, and *Tommy Boy* the best known[8](https://thefilmaholic.com/actress/julie-warner). Aggregated catalog data covering 29 movies and 21 television shows records her active from 1988 to 2023, with 15 leading roles and *Family Law* her highest-rated title at 73 out of 100[9](https://goodwatch.app/person/63681-julie-warner). On Rotten Tomatoes her highest-rated film remains *Doc Hollywood* at 67% and her lowest *The Puppet Masters* at 29%[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julie_warner). A contemporary profile described her as an "earthy brunette whose small-town beauty made her ideal for roles" in films such as *Doc Hollywood* and *Indian Summer*, while noting that her star "still shines bright" on series such as *Family Law*[10](https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/cast/15966772/julie-warner/).
## Personal life
In 1995 Warner married the writer-director Jonathan Prince; the marriage ended in divorce, with one child[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000689/).
## References
1. [Julie Warner List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/julie-warner/credits/3000053779/)
2. [Julie Warner Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julie_warner)
3. [Julie Warner, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=5874)
4. [Julie Warner, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/25603/julie-warner)
5. [Julie Warner, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000689/)
6. [Julie Warner Filmography in Order, Pop Culture Files](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/julie-warner-filmography)
7. [Julie Warner, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/julie-warner/)
8. [Julie Warner: Filmography, Characters & Career, The Filmaholic](https://thefilmaholic.com/actress/julie-warner)
9. [Julie Warner: Movies and TV Shows, GoodWatch](https://goodwatch.app/person/63681-julie-warner)
10. [Julie Warner TV Schedule, Movies & Shows, On TV Tonight](https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/cast/15966772/julie-warner/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames U to We*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license