Diane Russell
Encyclopedia
Diane Russell was a fictional character in the television series NYPD Blue
. She was played by Kim Delaney
from the second season to the eighth and made five further appearances in seasons ten and eleven.
During her years on the program, Diane had a number of personal problems. She battled alcoholism
with the help of her sponsor Andy Sipowicz
; confessed to lover Bobby Simone
that she had been molested
by her father when she was a child; dealt with domestic violence
in her parents' marriage and her father's death at the hands of her mother; had a miscarriage
; and later lost Bobby, by then her new husband, to a heart infection and failed heart transplant.
After Bobby's death she started a destructive relationship with his replacement, Danny Sorenson
, and eventually had to leave the department as she realised that she had not gotten over her husband's death. During her brief return it was revealed that, after her compassionate leave, she had been assigned to the sex crimes unit. Her return to the 15th Squad, however, was not as smooth as it might have been. When Diane's behavior became questionable, Connie suspected that she was drinking again, and her suspicions also caused friction between her and Andy when he got beat up trying to stop a bar fight started over her. The two women mended fences the next day, and Diane confided that she had been drinking because she discovered a lump in her breast, and her family has a history of breast cancer. Connie promised her support. Fortunately, the lump was not cancerous, and she returned to the Sex Crimes unit after they successfully apprehended their subject.
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
. She was played by Kim Delaney
Kim Delaney
Kim Delaney is an American actress best known for her starring role as Detective Diane Russell on the ABC drama television series, NYPD Blue. Early in her career, she played the role of Jenny Gardner in the hugely popular ABC daytime television drama, All My Children...
from the second season to the eighth and made five further appearances in seasons ten and eleven.
During her years on the program, Diane had a number of personal problems. She battled alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
with the help of her sponsor Andy Sipowicz
Andy Sipowicz
Andy Sipowicz is a fictional character and protagonist on the popular ABC television series NYPD Blue. Dennis Franz portrayed the character for its entire run....
; confessed to lover Bobby Simone
Bobby Simone
Bobby Simone was a fictional character in the television series NYPD Blue. He was played by Jimmy Smits from near the start of the second season until the beginning of the sixth....
that she had been molested
Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
by her father when she was a child; dealt with domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
in her parents' marriage and her father's death at the hands of her mother; had a miscarriage
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
; and later lost Bobby, by then her new husband, to a heart infection and failed heart transplant.
After Bobby's death she started a destructive relationship with his replacement, Danny Sorenson
Danny Sorenson
Danny Sorenson was a fictional detective on the popular TV series, NYPD Blue, appearing from season six through season eight. The character was played by actor Rick Schroder....
, and eventually had to leave the department as she realised that she had not gotten over her husband's death. During her brief return it was revealed that, after her compassionate leave, she had been assigned to the sex crimes unit. Her return to the 15th Squad, however, was not as smooth as it might have been. When Diane's behavior became questionable, Connie suspected that she was drinking again, and her suspicions also caused friction between her and Andy when he got beat up trying to stop a bar fight started over her. The two women mended fences the next day, and Diane confided that she had been drinking because she discovered a lump in her breast, and her family has a history of breast cancer. Connie promised her support. Fortunately, the lump was not cancerous, and she returned to the Sex Crimes unit after they successfully apprehended their subject.