Sarah Steele is an American actress. She is known for her role as Marissa Gold on the CBS legal drama series The Good Wife (2011–2016) and its CBS All Access spinoff series The Good Fight (2017–2022).

Early life

Steele was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her mother, Katherine A. High, is a hematology oncology physician at the University of Pennsylvania, and her father, George Steele, is an internal medicine physician specializing in nutrition who was on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Steele graduated with the class of 2006 from The Episcopal Academy, a private school in southeast Pennsylvania. She graduated from Columbia University in 2011 with a B.A. in English.

Career

Steele had her breakout role as Bernice in the 2004 comedy drama film Spanglish. Steele went on to appear in an episode of the crime drama series Law & Order; the dark comedy film Mr. Gibb, which co-stars Hayden Panettiere, Tim Daly and Dan Hedaya; and the drama film Margaret, which co-stars Matt Damon, Matthew Broderick, Anna Paquin, Mark Ruffalo, and Allison Janney.

Steele appeared in the Off-Broadway production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which ran in September 2006 to December 2006 at the Acorn Theater. From 2007 to 2008, she appeared in the Off-Broadway play Speech & Debate. From January to March 2012 she appeared in the Off-Broadway play Russian Transport at the Acorn Theatre, playing the role of Mira. In late 2014, Steele made her Broadway debut in The Country House by Donald Margulies, playing the granddaughter, Susie, opposite Blythe Danner. In 2015, she appeared in the play The Humans, first Off-Broadway and then on Broadway. She has also appeared in other Off-Broadway and regional productions.

In 2009, Steele appeared on Gossip Girl as Kira Abernathy, Jenny Humphrey's rival at Cotillion and Eric van der Woodsen's friend. Steele appeared in three episodes of The Good Wife in 2011 as Marissa Gold, the daughter of Eli Gold (Alan Cumming). She reprised the role from 2014 to 2016 in the show's later seasons, appearing in a total of 22 episodes. She went on to reprise the role of Marissa Gold in the Good Wife spinoff series The Good Fight, which premiered on CBS All Access in 2017, and in CBS's Elsbeth. In December 2025, it was announced that Steele will recur in the second season of NBC's Brilliant Minds.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004SpanglishBernice "Bernie" Clasky
2006Mr. GibbAmber Jinx
2008ManMaggieShort film
2008The Lucky OnesGirl with Jacket
2008Old DaysCarlaShort film
2009My Father's WillNancy Curtis
2010Please GiveAbby
2010MonkeywrenchGirlShort film
2011MargaretBecky
2012Last Kind WordsKatie
2013The To Do ListWendy
2013Song OneiPod Autograph Girl
2014The MendSarah
2014RelicsShelleyShort film
2014Adult BeginnersSarah
2014All RelativeBeth
2014SymposiumEllieShort film
2014StagFrancescaShort film
2016The Homeless BillionaireNancy Curtis
2017Speech & DebateDiwata Jones
2017PermissionStevie
2018Ask for JaneDonna
2020Viena and the FantomesLoona
2023You Hurt My FeelingsFrankie

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2006Law & OrderKatie WhiteEpisode: "Cost of Capital"
2008Law & Order: Criminal IntentTessa NobileEpisode: "Legacy"
2009Gossip GirlKira Abernathy2 episodes
2011–2016The Good WifeMarissa Gold22 episodes
2011Harry's LawSela VinsonEpisode: "Queen of Snark"
2013Lady BusinessJackieEpisode: "The Intern"
2013Blue BloodsRebeccaEpisode: "Men in Black"
2013Nurse JackieHannah Cohen2 episodes
2014GirlsRebeccaEpisode: "Flo"
2016BullEllen HuffEpisode: "Unambiguous"
2017–2022The Good FightMarissa GoldMain role; 58 episodes
2020–2022The Accidental WolfShelly3 episodes
2022Would I Lie to You?HerselfEpisode: "Allowance PowerPoint"
2023The Marvelous Mrs. MaiselPetraEpisode: "The Princess and the Plea"
2025ElsbethMarissa Gold2 episodes
2025Brilliant MindsSofia2 episodes

Theatre

YearTitleRoleVenueNotes
2006The Prime of Miss Jean BrodieMonicaOff-Broadway / Acorn Theater
2007Speech & DebateDiwataOff Broadway / Roundabout Underground
2011All-AmericanNatasha GordonOff-Broadway / The Duke on 42nd Street
2012Russian TransportMiraOff-Broadway / Acorn Theater
2012SlowgirlBeckyOff-Broadway / Claire Tow Theater
2014The Country HouseSusie KeeganBroadway / Samuel J Friedman Theatre
2015The HumansBrigid BlakeOff-Broadway / Laura Pels Theatre
2016Broadway / Helen Hayes TheatreDrama Desk Award winner for Outstanding Ensemble Performance
2018Tour / Ahmanson Theatre (Los Angeles)Original Broadway cast replaced tour cast for the final tour stop in LA
2023I Can Get It for You WholesaleBlanche BushkinOff-Broadway / CSC Theatre

Awards and nominations

YearAssociationCategoryWorkResult
2004Phoenix Film Critics Society AwardsBest Performance by Youth in a Leading or Supporting Role – FemaleSpanglishWon
2005Young Artist AwardsBest Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young ActressNominated
2010Gotham AwardsBest Ensemble PerformancePlease GiveNominated
2011Dorian AwardsRising Star of the YearNominated
Independent Spirit AwardsRobert Altman AwardWon
2016Drama Desk AwardsOutstanding Ensemble PerformanceThe HumansWon

External links