Jessalyn Gilsig

Early Life:-

Jessalyn Gilsig was born and brought up in a well educated family of Montreal. She is a daughter of Toby Gilsig who was an engineer and her mother was a writer and translator. She is Jewish from her father’s side. She completed her initial learning at Trafalgar School in downtown Montreal. Later on, she attended American Repertory Theater of Harvard University. Besides this, in between the years 1989 and 1993, she attended McGill University to complete her graduation in English language.

She has an immense inclination for acting since her childhood and to give sharp edge to her passion, she started acting at the age of 12.

Career:-

She stepped into the world of Hollywood as a voiceover artist in the year 1994. She has lent her voice to various projects which include silver screen projects like Mascarade and The Journey Home and small screen projects like Young Robin Hood, Gulliver’s Travels and The Little Flying Bears.

In the year 1995 she shifted to New York City where she appeared for countless Off-Broadway plays.
Before these above mentioned projects she gave her special appearances in Canadian productions. In addition to this, she also appeared in numerous early 1980s plays including Seven Days and Viper.

She got her first major role when she was selected by David E. Kelley for his social drama Boston Public. In this particular project she appeared in the role of Lauren Davis who was a private school teacher. She worked for the same tele series assignment for two long years. This was considered as one of the most noticeable project in her career.
In the very same year, she appeared as a guest star for two episodes in the legal and procedural drama The Practice. She also made an appearance in Kelly’s another short–lived project Snoops.

After leaving Boston Public she joined hands with the star cast of Nip/Tuck in the year 2003. This is also considered as one of the biggest role of her career because she worked on it till 2008. She departed from the show when her character was slaughtered by the antagonist.

Furthermore, during the Nip/Tuck’s role, she also appeared in five selective interludes of NYPD Blue. In the year 2005 and 2006 she appeared in Fox’s production Prison Break and Law and Order.

Apart from the theatrical works and television appearances, she gave her contribution in movies as an actress. Though her role in the movie The Horse Whisperer was short but it brought her rave reviews.
In the year 2004, she lent her voice to Kayley in Quest for Camelot which was an animated movie directed by Frederik Du Chau. In the very same year she acted in Chicks with Sticks.

She was selected as the leading lady for the movie Flood which was released in the year 2007.
Presently, she is working in three multi-starrer projects which include, Friday Night Lights as Claire Bennet’s natal mother, in Heroes as Meredith Gordon, and in Glee as Terri Schuester.

Role in Glee:-

Glee is one of the shows which gave her incredible success and recognition. In this most exciting project she plays the role of Terri Schuester. In the series she is presented as a lady love of the director of Glee club, Will Schuester. She is vital for the show because through her director touches the issue of miscarriage and adoption. In addition to this, she is technically used for the love triangle which takes place between her, Will and Emma Pillsbury.

Personal Life:-

She was married to Bobby Salomon in Jewish tradition but due to their personal clashes she took a divorce. She also has a daughter named Penelope from Bobby Salomon. She lives with her daughter in Montreal.

Awards:-

Though she is critically appreciated again and again for her performances but in the year 2009 she was nominated by Daytime Emmy for the project Imaginary Bitches. Recently, she won the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for Glee.