Born in Massachusetts, Julianne Nicholsen moved to New York to study acting. After struggling through hardships and supporting herself financially by attending as a waitress, she made her film debut in a feature film by Peter Yates, named Curtain Call. She starred opposite Michael Caine and James Spader. Her television career began in 1997 with her appearance in a single episode of Nothing Sacred. Her role as feminist Jennifer McNeely in The Love Letter (1999) established her place in the film industry. She has worked with directors across the world, one of them being Alain Berliner, with whom she worked in Passion of Mind (2000). Films like Tully (2000), Seeing Other People (2004), and August: Osage County (2013) won her numerous nominations and awards. She starred in the television shows Conviction (2006) as Christina Finn, Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2006-2009) as Detective Megan Wheeler, and Eyewitness (2016) as Sheriff Helen Torrance, and won recognition.

Who is Julianne Nicholsen's hair stylist? Some of the hair stylists that Julianne Nicholsen has worked with for red carpet or editorial shoots include: Ramona Eschbach.