Jessalyn Gilsig (born 1971) is a Canadian actress most famous for her roles in the television series Boston Public and Nip/Tuck. She has also appeared in several episodes of NYPD Blue and Prison Break as well as several other series.
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 of 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 the big screen. 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.
Gilsig currently has recurring roles in two NBC television series: she plays Shelley, the sister of Tami Taylor in NBC's Friday Night Lights as well as Claire Bennet's biological mother, Meredith Gordon, on Heroes. She appeared in one of the lead roles in the 2007 movie Flood.
