As the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards draw near, we look back at the careers of the lead acting nominees.

Margulies shot to fame as George Clooney's other half, Nurse Carol Hathaway, on the NBC hit. Carol was originally supposed to die in the pilot, but the character screened so well with test audiences that producers rewrote the storyline. Good thing because Margulies went on the win a best supporting actress in a drama Emmy for the first season. She was nominated every year during her six-year tenure and remains the only regular ER cast member to win an Emmy.

Margulies played a flight attendant in the 2006 cult film — perhaps much to the chagrin of her parents. "[My parents] have been so supportive of me and have such interest in my life and every role I take — except Snakes On A Plane," she quipped during her acceptance speech at this year's Screen Actors Guild Awards. "They weren't so proud of that one."

Margulies starred in this remake of the 1952 horror film of the same name alongside her then-boyfriend Ron Eldard. Eldard also had a recurring role on ER as paramedic Ray "Shep" Shepard, one of Carol's love interests.

Margulies appeared in four episodes of the HBO hit in 2006 as real estate agent Julianna Skiff, who has an affair with Christopher.

Margulies earned a Golden Globe nomination for her role as the sorceress Morgaine in this TNT movie on the Arthurian legend.

Margulies showed off her comedy chops on another NBC medical show when she guest-starred as Neena Broderick, a malpractice lawyer who sues Turk and sleeps with J.D.

Margulies picked up a Golden Globe, a record seventh SAG award and an Emmy nomination for her turn as Alicia Florrick, the litigator who tries to rebuild her life after her politician husband is jailed after a sex scandal.