Dark-haired Lisa Darr spent nearly ten years working on a series of unsuccessful pilots and short-lived TV shows before two lesbian roles finally brought her the attention she had long been missing. Her first appearance on the big screen came in the form of a minor part in the 1991 film Defenseless, and she held recurring roles on four TV series that didn’t last long: Flesh ‘n’ Blood (NBC, 1991), Crime & Punishment (NBC, 1993), The Office (CBS, 1995), and Profit (Fox, 1996).
Throughout her early career, Lisa Darr was a familiar face in guest appearances, starting with Murphy Brown in 1991, and later showing up in popular shows such as Murder She Wrote, Quantum Leap, and Wings. Despite her steady work, she struggled to break into mainstream recognition. That changed in 1995 when NYPD Blue (ABC) cast her as Kathy, the romantic partner of Officer Abby Sullivan, played by Paige Turco. While that role gave her some visibility, it was her next project that really put her in the spotlight.
The following year, Lisa Darr landed a key role on Ellen (ABC) as the new love interest for Ellen DeGeneres’ character. Interestingly, the show’s producers hadn’t actually seen her performance on NYPD Blue before offering her the part. This meant that her consecutive roles as lesbian characters were purely coincidental, even though they ended up defining a significant part of her public image at the time.
Lisa Darr’s most acclaimed movie is The Big Time (2002), which also happens to be her least appreciated work—making it an interesting paradox in her filmography. While it might seem contradictory, this dual distinction highlights the varied reception of her performance in the film. Lisa Darr’s role in The Big Time (2002) clearly left a strong impression, even if opinions were divided. For fans and critics alike, discussing Lisa Darr often circles back to this particular project, as it remains one of the more talked-about entries in her career. Whether viewed as her best or worst, The Big Time (2002) is undeniably a significant part of Lisa Darr’s artistic journey.