Annika Boras (born February 28, 1981) is an American actress known for her dramatic stage work and for her portrayal of Louise Sinclair on The Following and for her role of Captain Lynette Cunningham on Chicago Fire. She was nominated for a Drama League Award for her portrayal of Elektra in An Oresteia at Classic Stage Company Off-Broadway. She also received a Lucille Lortel Award[1] nomination for her performance in Edward Bond's 'Chair.' In 2017, she worked alongside Octavia Spencer and Claire Danes for the film A Kid Like Jake, directed by Silas Howard. She also appeared as Mrs. Alsop in The Post, starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks directed by Steven Spielberg.
Annika Boras | |
|---|---|
| Born | Annika Ley Boras (1981-02-28) February 28, 1981 (age 41) Teaneck, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Actress |
Boras was born in New Jersey, to Erika (Nelson) Boras (now Erika Tesi), a classical cellist and music educator,[2] and Dr. Tom Boras, a jazz saxophonist, composer and the director of jazz studies at NYU.[citation needed] She was raised in Bergen County, New Jersey and Greenwich Village. Boras has one sister, Brit Boras. She began studies to receive a Bachelor of Music at New York University. After a year, she left NYU to study acting in London. Boras graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 2005.[3]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Bridal Party | Frances | Short |
| 2009 | Exit 19 | Detective Steigerwald | TV film |
| 2011 | The Street Cleaner | Female in Alley | Short |
| 2017 | The Post | Mrs. Alsop | |
| 2018 | A Kid Like Jake | Lynn | |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Northern Lights | Becky | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Law & Order | Trina Bailey | Episode: "The Family Hour" |
| 2008 | CSI: NY | Paramedic | Episode: "Veritas" |
| Ugly Betty | Anna Diaz | Episode: "Betty Suarez Land" | |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Leslie Schuster | Episode: "Lunacy" | |
| 2010 | Rescue Me | Alice | Episode: "Blackout" |
| 2011 | Lights Out | Charlie Baye | 3 episodes |
| Blue Bloods | Lacy Campisi | Episode: "Critical Condition" | |
| The Good Wife | Nina Dolan | Episode: "Feeding the Rat" | |
| Homeland | Jessica's Friend | Episode: "Semper I" | |
| 2012 | NYC 22 | Amber | Episode: "Lost and Found" |
| Royal Pains | KJ Golan | 2 episodes | |
| Elementary | Amy Damper | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| Made in Jersey | Penelope Banforth | Episode: "Camelot" | |
| 2013 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Melissa Murphy | Episode: "Criminal Hatred" |
| The Following | Louise Sinclair | 3 episodes | |
| Person of Interest | Nicole Spencer | Episode: "Reasonable Doubt" | |
| Unforgettable | Jacqueline Mikhailova | 2 episodes | |
| 2014 | The Blacklist | Kaja Tomczak | Episode: "Monarch Douglas Bank (No. 112)" |
| 2015 | Chicago Fire | Captain Lynette Cunningham | 3 episodes |
| 2016 | The Get Down | Mrs. Gunns | Episode: "Raise Your Words, Not Your Voice" |
| 2017 | Time After Time | Phyllis Holland | 2 episodes |
| 2018 | Succession | Anna Newman | Episode: "Sad Sack Wasp Trap" |
| Random Acts of Flyness | White Reporter | Episode: "I tried to tell my therapist about my dreams/MARTIN HAD A DREEEEAAAAM" | |
| 2019 | NCIS: New Orleans | Michelle Gardner | Episode: "Desperate Navy Wives" |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Carver | Waitress | Arcola Theatre, London, UK. |
| 2006 | Romeo & Juliet | Juliet | ART, Boston. |
| 2007 | The Error of Their Ways | Helena | HERE Arts, NYC. |
| 2008 | The Miracle Worker | Annie Sullivan | Paper Mill Playhouse, NJ. |
| 2008 | Chair | The Welfare Officer | Theatre For a New Audience, Duke Theatre, NYC. |
| 2009 | The Importance of Being Earnest | Gwendolyn | Paper Mill Playhouse, NJ. |
| 2009 | An Oresteia | Electra | Classic Stage Company, NYC. |
| 2009 | Ernest in Love | Gwendoline | Irish Repertory Theatre, NYC. |
| 2010 | Orlando | Sasha | Classic Stage Company, NYC. |
| 2011 | Macbeth | Lady Macbeth | Theatre For a New Audience, Duke Theatre, NYC. |
| 2012 | The Broken Heart | Penthea | Theatre For a New Audience, Duke Theatre, NYC. |
| 2014 | The Danish Widow | Aline | New York Stage & Film, Poughkeepsie, NY. |
| 2016 | The Prodigal Son | Louise | Manhattan Theatre Club, NYC. |
| 2016 | Junk | Amy Merkin | La Jolla Playhouse, CA. |
| 2017 | Man From Nebraska | Ashley | 2nd Stage Theatre, NYC. |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Lucille Lortel Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play | Chair | Nominated |
| 2009 | Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance in a Play | An Oresteia | Nominated |
Boras is the maternal granddaughter of The Public Theater actor Herbert Nelson and actress/director Joan Deweese.[4][5][6] As of September 2020, she is engaged to playwright Ayad Akhtar.[7]