Julie Bowen (born March 3, 1970) is an American actress.
Bowen was born as Julie Bowen Luetkemeyer in Baltimore, Maryland. She attended Brown University majoring in Italian Renaissance studies and spending a year abroad in Florence, Italy. As a college student she had roles in Guys and Dolls, Stage Door and Lemon Sky; before graduating she got a lead role in the independent film Five Spot Jewel, a role which earned her the attention of an agent.
She had a role in the soap opera Loving and made her primetime debut on an episode of the college drama Class of '96. She also had the lead role in the 1994 television film Runaway Daughters, playing opposite Paul Rudd.
She had a role in Happy Gilmore as the girlfriend of the title character, as well as roles in An American Werewolf in Paris and Multiplicity. On television, she has had guest roles on Party of Five, Strange Luck, and a recurring role on ER as the girlfriend of Dr. Carter.
Her best-known role was on the television series Ed, where she played high school English teacher Carol Vessey and the love interest of the protagonist, Ed Stevens.
She guest starred as the character of Sarah Shephard in three episodes of Lost.
Bowen joined the cast of Boston Legal, playing attorney Denise Bauer, in the fall of 2005. Her character has become one of the featured roles on the comedy-drama series.
