# Sarah Joy Brown
**Sarah Joy Brown** (born 1975) is an American actress best known for originating the role of Carly on the ABC daytime drama *General Hospital*, a part she played from 1996 to 2001 and for which she won three [Daytime Emmy Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/daytime-emmy-awards) before her twenty-fifth birthday.[1](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/sarah-brown/) • [2](https://www.sarahbrown.net/about) She was born in [Eureka, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/eureka-california).[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/brown-sarah-1975)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975, Eureka, California[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/brown-sarah-1975) |
| Signature role | Carly on *General Hospital*, 1996–2001, the role's original performer[1](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/sarah-brown/) |
| Daytime Emmys | Winner, Outstanding Younger Actress, 1997 and 1998; winner, Outstanding Supporting Actress, 2000; nominee in 1999, 2010, 2015, and 2021[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0114638/awards/) |
| First professional role | Series lead Kaitlin Star on the children's series *V.R. Troopers*, chosen on her 19th birthday[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/sarah-joy-brown/bio/3060258264/) |
| Later soap roles | Julia on *As the World Turns* (2004–05), Claudia Zacchara on *General Hospital* (2008–09), Aggie on *The Bold and the Beautiful* (2009–11), Madison on *Days of Our Lives* (2011–12)[1](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/sarah-brown/) |
| Indie Series Awards | Winner, Best Lead Actress – Drama, 2015, for *Beacon Hill*[6](https://www.sarahbrown.net/awards) |
| Directing | Directed and edited ten episodes of the audio drama *Red Ridding Hoods* for Violet Hour Media in 2021[2](https://www.sarahbrown.net/about) |
## Early life and start in acting
Brown trained at the Los Angeles County High School for the Performing Arts, graduating from both LACHSA's Theatre Department and [Alexander Hamilton](https://www.edgepedia.org/alexander-hamilton)'s Academy of Music.[2](https://www.sarahbrown.net/about) By the time she finished high school she had attended 13 different schools.[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/sarah-joy-brown/bio/3060258264/)
Her professional career began on her nineteenth birthday, when she was selected as the series lead, Kaitlin Star, on the children's series *V.R. Troopers*, which aired in more than thirty countries.[2](https://www.sarahbrown.net/about) She had earlier guest appearances in the *Power Rangers* franchise, playing Heather Thompson in three 1996 episodes.[7](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/24145/sarah-brown)
## General Hospital and the role of Carly
Two years after *V.R. Troopers*, Brown won the role of Carly on *General Hospital*, originating the character in 1996.[1](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/sarah-brown/) • [2](https://www.sarahbrown.net/about) In five years on the show she received four Emmy nominations and won three awards: Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series in 1997 and 1998, and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2000, for playing Carly Benson.[2](https://www.sarahbrown.net/about) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0114638/awards/) She also won two [Soap Opera Digest Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/soap-opera-digest-awards) during this period, Outstanding Younger Leading Actress in 1998 and Favorite Actress in 2000, and was nominated for Favorite Couple in 2001 alongside [Maurice Benard](https://www.edgepedia.org/maurice-benard).[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0114638/awards/)
Her 2001 decision to leave the show drew a strong fan response; ABC received tens of thousands of letters protesting the departure.[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/sarah-joy-brown/bio/3060258264/)
## Career after General Hospital
Brown moved into primetime television with appearances on series including *Without a Trace*, *The Lyon's Den*, and *L.A. Dragnet*, and became a series regular on *Cold Case*.[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/sarah-joy-brown/bio/3060258264/) • [2](https://www.sarahbrown.net/about) She followed *Cold Case* with a co-starring role in the comedy film *Big Momma's House 2*.[2](https://www.sarahbrown.net/about) • [8](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/sarah-joy-brown/credits/3060258264/) Her television movie work includes *The Perfect Husband: The Laci Peterson Story* ([USA Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/usa-network), 2004).[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/brown-sarah-1975)
She returned to daytime in a series of new roles: Julia on *As the World Turns* from 2004 to 2005, then a return to *General Hospital* in 2008 as the newly created character Claudia Zacchara, played through 2009, which brought another Emmy nomination in 2010.[1](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/sarah-brown/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0114638/awards/) She then played Aggie on *The Bold and the Beautiful* from 2009 to 2011 and Madison on *Days of Our Lives* from 2011 to 2012.[1](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/sarah-brown/)
## Independent series and later work
In 2015 Brown was nominated for a Daytime Emmy as Outstanding Performer in a New Approaches Drama Series for her starring role as Katherine Wesley in the independent series *Beacon Hill*, and she won that year's Indie Series Award for Best Lead Actress in a Drama.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0114638/awards/) • [6](https://www.sarahbrown.net/awards) She stars on the series *Studio City* on [Amazon Prime](https://www.edgepedia.org/amazon-prime), playing Laurie Smith, and her 2021 Emmy nomination for that role marked her seventh Emmy nomination.[2](https://www.sarahbrown.net/about) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0114638/awards/)
In the summer of 2021 she moved into directing, directing and editing ten episodes of the streaming audio drama *Red Ridding Hoods* for Violet Hour Media, scheduled to premiere across audio platforms on October 11, 2021.[2](https://www.sarahbrown.net/about) She describes herself as an actor, writer, director, speaker, and activist.[6](https://www.sarahbrown.net/awards)
## References
1. [Sarah Brown, Soap Opera Digest actor page](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/sarah-brown/)
2. [Biography, SarahBrown.net (official site)](https://www.sarahbrown.net/about)
3. [Brown, Sarah 1975–, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/brown-sarah-1975)
4. [Sarah Joy Brown – Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0114638/awards/)
5. [Sarah Joy Brown Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/sarah-joy-brown/bio/3060258264/)
6. [Awards, SarahBrown.net (official site)](https://www.sarahbrown.net/awards)
7. [Sarah Brown, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/24145/sarah-brown)
8. [Sarah Joy Brown List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/sarah-joy-brown/credits/3060258264/)
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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 Br to B*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 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