| Jessalyn Gilsig | |
|---|---|
Gilsig at the Glee premiere party, May 11, 2009 |
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| Born | Jessalyn Sarah Gilsig November 30, 1971 [1][2] Montréal, Québec, Canada |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1984 – present |
Jessalyn Gilsig (born November 30, 1971)[1][2] is a Canadian actress known for her roles in the television series Boston Public, Nip/Tuck and as Will Schuester's ex-wife Terri Schuester in Glee. She has also appeared in several episodes of NYPD Blue, Prison Break, and Heroes as well as several other series.
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Gilsig was born in Montreal, Quebec, the daughter of Claire, a writer and translator, and Toby Gilsig, an engineer. She began acting at age 12. She attended high school at Trafalgar School for Girls in downtown Montreal. She later studied at Harvard University’s American Repertory Theater and attended McGill University from 1989 to 1993, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1993.[3]
Gilsig first met Bobby Salomon when both were Montreal high school students. They briefly dated, with Gilsig commenting that Salomon was the "cool guy" and football team quarterback. After Salomon, now a film producer, moved to Hollywood in 2002, he and Gilsig renewed their friendship and began dating again.[4] The pair wed on January 1, 2005.[5] As Salomon is Jewish and Gilsig is Jewish on her father's side, the couple had a traditional Jewish wedding.[4] Gilsig and Salomon have a daughter, Penelope, born on September 26, 2006. Gilsig filed for divorce from Salomon on September 8, 2010, citing irreconcilable differences. They had been separated since 2009.[6][7][8]
She began her career as a voice actress. She has done voices in the films Mascarade and The Journey Home and the television series The Little Flying Bears, Young Robin Hood and Gulliver's Travels.
In 1995, she moved to New York City where she appeared in several off-Broadway plays. Although she had appeared in several Canadian productions in the late 1980s/early 1990s, her television career began during the late 1990s when she guest-starred in several television series, including Viper and Seven Days. However, it was her association with David E. Kelley that led to her starring role in Boston Public.
After guest-starring in two episodes of Kelley's The Practice, Gilsig was cast in two episodes of another Kelley program, the short-lived Snoops. Although the series was cancelled before Gilsig's episodes were broadcast, Kelley wrote the part of Lauren Davis in Boston Public specifically for her. The series premiered in September 2000 on FOX. Gilsig left the series after the end of the season in May 2002.
Following her departure from Boston Public, Gilsig joined the cast of Nip/Tuck in 2003 as Gina Russo, a role she continued until her character was killed off in 2008. In 2004, she appeared in five episodes of NYPD Blue, followed by four episodes of FOX's Prison Break in 2005. In early 2006, she guest-starred in an episode of Law & Order.
In addition to her extensive credits in television and theatre, Gilsig also has some experience with films. She had a small role in the 1998 film The Horse Whisperer and provided the speaking voice for Kayley in the animated film Quest for Camelot (Andrea Corr performed the character's songs), also released in 1998. In 2004, she appeared in Chicks with Sticks as well as See This Movie.
In 2007-2008, she had recurring roles in two television series. On NBC she played Shelley, the sister of Tami Taylor in Friday Night Lights as well as Claire Bennet's biological mother, Meredith Gordon, on Heroes. Gilsig played the main role of Terri Schuester on the Fox show Glee from 2009-2011. She appeared in one of the lead roles in the 2007 movie Flood.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Mascarade | (voice) | Short film |
| 1989 | The Journey Home | Short film | |
| 1989 | Jacknife | His Girlfriend | |
| 1998 | The Horse Whisperer | Lucy | |
| 1998 | Quest for Camelot | Kayley (voice) | |
| 2004 | Chicks with Sticks | Paula Taymore | |
| 2004 | See This Movie | Annie Nicole | |
| 2007 | Flood | Samantha 'Sam' Morrison | |
| 2008 | Prom Night | Aunt Karen Turner | |
| 2009 | The Stepfather | Julie King | |
| 2011 | About Fifty | Jessica | |
| 2012 | Somewhere Slow | Anna Thompson | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | The Little Flying Bears | Tina (voice) | TV series |
| 1991-1992 | Young Robin Hood | Gertrude of Griswald (voice) | 26 episodes |
| 1992 | Gulliver's Travels | Folia (voice) | TV series |
| 1998 | To Have & to Hold | Paula | Episode: "Stuck in the Blizzard with You" |
| 1998 | Viper | Alyssa | Episode: "Family Matters" |
| 1999 | Seven Days | Carla Boyles | Episode: "Last Card Up" |
| 1999 | The Sentinel | RJ Shannon | Episode: "The Real Deal" |
| 1999 | A Cooler Climate | Callie | TV movie |
| 1999 | The Practice | ADA Jennifer | Episode: "Loser's Keepers" Episode: "Victimless Crimes" |
| 2000 | Snoops | Suzanne Shivers | Episode: "Swan Chant" Episode: "The Stolen Diskette" |
| 2000-2002 | Boston Public | Lauren Davis | 44 episodes |
| 2002 | Haunted | Elise Martin | Episode: "Three Hour Tour" |
| 2003 | Without a Trace | Whitney Ridder | Episode: "Confidence" |
| 2003-2008 | Nip/Tuck | Gina Russo | 17 episodes |
| 2004 | NYPD Blue | Det. Kelly Ronson | 5 episodes |
| 2005 | Fathers and Sons | Dianne (uncredited) | TV movie |
| 2005 | Prison Break | Lisa Rix | 4 episodes |
| 2006 | Law & Order | Angela Burquette | Episode: "Heart of Darkness" |
| 2007 | Backyards & Bullets | Eileen | TV movie |
| 2007 | Destination: Infestation | Dr. Carolyn Ross | TV movie |
| 2007-2008 | Friday Night Lights | Shelley Hayes | 6 episodes |
| 2007-2008 | Heroes | Meredith Gordon | 10 episodes |
| 2008 | The Apostles | Christine Rydell | TV movie |
| 2008 | CSI: NY | Jordan Gates | 3 episodes |
| 2008 | XIII | Kim Rowland | TV miniseries |
| 2008 | Imaginary Bitches | Jessalyn | Episode: "A New Leper in the Colony" Episode: "Three Bitches Is an Imaginary Crowd (Part Two)" |
| 2009 | Imaginary Bitches | Jessalyn | Episode: "Bitches Emmy Special" |
| 2009-2011 | Glee | Terri Schuester | 30 episodes; Seasons 1-2 |
| 2011 | Glee Encore | Terri Schuester | Video |