Maggie Lawson

Actress Maggie Lawson worked steadily in juvenile roles throughout the late 1990s before finding success as James Roday's foil and romantic partner on the popular USA Network series "Psych" (2006-14). A likable presence in both straight drama and broad comedies, Lawson rose from bit parts in kid-friendly series like "Boy Meets World" (NBC 1993-2000) and the occasional feature like "Pleasantville" (1998) without making much impact. Her career turned around in earnest in 2006 when she was cast as Detective Julie O'Hara on "Psych." The smart, witty banter between Lawson and series lead James Roday, who also became her off-screen partner as well, became one of the highlights of the comedy series, and led to other opportunities for the actress, including a pair of fashion-themed mysteries for The Lifetime Network, before Lawson landed her own program in 2013 with "Back in the Game" (ABC), which in turn led to supposition that she would depart "Psych" after its seventh season that same year. Lawson's versatility and appeal with younger television viewers helped to mint her as a well-liked presence on the small screen for nearly two decades.