Ashlie Atkinson

While at the Neighborhood Playhouse School, director Jace Alexander saw Atkinson perform in a showcase there. This led to a 2004 guest starring appearance in the TV show Law & Order and a six-episode arc in the Denis Leary TV series, Rescue Me.

Atkinson then starred in a breakout role as Helen, the sweet-faced, plus-size librarian in Neil LaBute's 2004 off-Broadway play Fat Pig. The role garnered her a Theatre World Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Debut, as well as nominations for both a Lucille Lortel Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award.

In 2007, Atkinson appeared in a Broadway revival of the Terrence McNally play, The Ritz.

In 2011, Atkinson hit the three guest star appearance in the Law & Order franchise, following her 2005 debut on the original Law & Order with a 2007 appearance on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and then in 2011 both Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

In 2012, Atkinson guest starred on the TV series Boardwalk Empire as Gyp's wife, Gianconda Rosetti. She appeared on a 2012 episode of 30 Rock.

In 2013, Atkinson portrayed Rochelle Applebaum in the Martin Scorsese film The Wolf of Wall Street.

In 2013 and 2014, Atkinson had a four episode arc in the TV show, F to 7th. From 2013 to 2014, she was featured on the American remake of Gavin and Stacey, called Us & Them in the role of Nessa.

In 2018, Atkinson played the role of Connie Kendrickson in the Academy Award-winning film BlacKkKlansman, directed by Spike Lee. She had previously worked with Lee in the 2006 Denzel Washington film, Inside Man. Atkinson also worked alongside Lee's sister Joie Lee, contributing sound work on his 2008 WWII drama, Miracle at St. Anna. Also in 2018, Atkinson had a recurring role on the TV series, One Dollar.

From 2018 to 2019, Atkinson was Ace, Internal Affairs Detective, in four episodes of the Syfy TV show Happy!, a live-action/adult animated black comedy/action-drama television series.

In 2019, Atkinson portrayed Mrs. Fosse in the mini-series Fosse/Verdon. She had a two episode arc in the 2019 Allison Tolman thriller Emergence and played a trucker in the ensemble opposite Alfre Woodard in the Netflix movie, Juanita.

And also in 2019, Atkinson was on the fourth and final season of Mr. Robot, playing the character Janice.

Since 2022, Atkinson has played the social doyenne and influencer Mamie Fish in The Gilded Age on HBO.

From 2003, Atkinson is a former skater and long-time member of the 5-time world champion Gotham Girls roller derby team under the name of "Margaret Thrasher (Prime Minister of Your Demise)", although she has since retired.

In 2004, Atkinson appeared in the music video for the Kings of Leon song, "Four Kicks" off their album Aha Shake Heartbreak.

In 2006, Atkinson became the face of a fictional character called Chunky Pam. Her character, Chunky Pam, was featured in three videos: in a Christmas promotion for MTV called "Merry X.X.X.L.M.A.S. (Pam I Am)", in a Valentine's Day promotion called "Pampered", and a one-off music video titled "Dirrrty Jerzy", in which she raps about being from New Jersey.

In 2016, Atkinson appeared in the Ubisoft video game Watch Dogs 2 as Lenni.

In 2017, Atkinson starred as Dakota "Dak" Prentiss in a 14-episode noir science fiction thriller audio drama podcast called Steal the Stars, the story of two government employees guarding the biggest secret in the world: a crashed UFO.