Lisa Edelstein (/ˈliːsə ˈɛdəlstiːn/; born May 21, 1966) is an American actress and playwright best known for playing Dr. Lisa Cuddy on the Fox medical drama series House. Since 2014, she stars as Abby McCarthy in the Bravo series Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce.
Edelstein was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the daughter of Bonnie and Alvin Edelstein. Her father is a pediatrician at Chilton Memorial Hospital (since retired). Her mother is a retired social worker. The youngest of three children in a Jewish family, she was raised in Wayne, New Jersey, and attended Wayne Valley High School, graduating in 1984.
At 16, Edelstein was a cheerleader for New Jersey Generals. Edelstein encountered trouble when she organized a protest because the team was forcing the cheerleaders to stand in bars while wearing their uniforms. Edelstein said she felt they were treated "like hookers" and organized a cheerleader walkout.