American actress Kim Delaney, who was born and raised in Philadelphia, has an extensive filmography and an eventful personal life. Her breakout role came as Detective Diane Russell in the drama series NYPD Blue. For this work, Delaney was awarded an Emmy Award.
She later starred in many other series and feature films. At the same time, the actress struggled with alcoholism, facing legal troubles and personal hardships. Learn more about Kim Delaney’s tumultuous path to success and her life off-screen on philadelphiaski.
Early Life
Kim Delaney was born in Philadelphia on November 29, 1961. Her parents, Joan and Jack, were of Irish descent. Her mother was a homemaker, and her father was a union official. Kim had four brothers. She was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition and attended J. W. Hallahan Catholic Girls’ High School.
Despite a rather strict upbringing, her first job was as a model for the Elite agency. After finishing high school, she moved to New York City. There, she continued to work as a model and also began studying acting with William Esper.
Kim Delaney’s Acting Career
One of Kim Delaney’s first roles was as Jenny Gardner Nelson in the soap opera All My Children. The young actress starred in this project from 1981 to 1984 and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 1983. During this period, she gained popularity and a large fan following.
After leaving the series, Delaney began working in feature films. In 1985, she starred in the movie That Was Then… This Is Now. The following year, she played a nun in the military action film The Delta Force, which starred Chuck Norris. She then appeared in the film Some Kind of Wonderful with Peter Gallagher, and in the movie The Christmas Visitor. In 1988, the thriller The Drifter featuring her was released.
That same year, Kim Delaney was cast in the television series Tour of Duty. She left the project in 1989 due to the birth of her son. Her character was subsequently killed in an explosion. Interestingly, her character’s story in All My Children had previously ended in the same way.
Overall, critics and Delaney herself characterize this period of her acting career as one dominated by participation in projects of average quality. The reality was that Delaney needed to make a living, so she accepted all offers. At the same time, regular filming helped her to hone her acting skills and grow in her chosen field.
The next and qualitatively new stage in Kim Delaney’s professional life was the role of Detective Diane Russell in the drama series NYPD Blue. She began playing the part in 1995. Originally planned as a four-episode arc, the role was expanded and became a true hit. It was for this work that the actress was nominated for an Emmy Award three times, winning in 1997.
In 2001, Kim Delaney was cast in the lead role of the television series Philly. This project received positive reviews but was canceled after its first season. In 2002, the actress played the female lead in the series CSI: Miami, appearing in 10 episodes.
Subsequently, Kim returned to the series NYPD Blue and starred in the miniseries 10.5 and its sequel, 10.5: Apocalypse. She then had roles in the series The O.C., Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
The actress’s next major role was as Claudia Joy Holden in the series Army Wives. The project started in 2007, and Delaney starred in it until 2012. She did not return for the seventh season, and her character was once again killed off.
In 2016, the actress starred in the film God Bless the Broken Road. In 2020, she joined the cast of the soap opera General Hospital.
The Star’s Personal Life
The famous actress’s personal life has been no less eventful than her career:
- Her first husband was actor Charles Grant in 1984.
- From 1989 to 1994, she was married to actor Joseph Cortese. The couple had a son.
- After her second divorce, it was announced that Kim was engaged to producer Alan Barnette.
- In 2022, she married James Morgan.
For a long time, Delaney, much like her character from NYPD Blue, battled alcoholism. In 2002, she was arrested in Malibu for driving under the influence. She pleaded no contest. However, she was sentenced to two years of probation and fined. In 2003, after being written out of the series CSI: Miami, the actress checked into a rehabilitation center for alcoholism treatment. In 2005, she lost custody of her son due to endangering his life by drinking and driving.
The last television projects Kim Delaney participated in were in 2021. Since then, the actress has continued her rehabilitation and has been working somewhat less actively.