Debra Messing Biography

Debra Lynn Messing (born August 15, 1968) is an American actress. She is known for her many television roles, most notably her eight-year run playing Grace Adler on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace.

Following her graduation from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Messing had short lived tenures on the Fox sitcom Ned & Stacey (1995-1997) and the ABC sci-fi Prey (1998). She rose to prominence in her role as interior designer Grace Adler on Will & Grace (1998-2006, 2017-), earning both commercial and critical success throughout the series' original run. She has also received acclaim for her work as Molly Kagan in the cable series The Starter Wife (2007-2008). More recently she has played Julia Houston in the musical-drama series Smash (2012-2013) and Detective Laura Diamond in the police-procedural comedy The Mysteries of Laura (2014-2016), both on NBC.

Messing's film work includes A Walk in the Clouds, The Mothman Prophecies, Jesus, Hollywood Ending, Along Came Polly, The Wedding Date, Lucky You, The Women, and Nothing like the Holidays. She has also voiced roles in several animated films such as Garfield and Open Season.

Throughout her career, she has received six Emmy Award nominations, winning one, and eight Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, winning one. She has also received eight Golden Globe Award nominations.

Early life

Messing was born in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, the daughter of Sandra (ne Simons), who worked as a professional singer, banker, travel and real estate agent, and Brian Messing, a sales executive for a costume jewelry packaging manufacturer. Messing is Jewish, and had a Bat Mitzvah ceremony; her ancestors emigrated from Poland and Russia. When Messing was three, she moved with her parents and her older brother, Brett, to East Greenwich, Rhode Island.

During her high school years, she acted and sang in a number of high school productions at East Greenwich High School, including the starring roles in the musicals Annie and Grease. She took lessons in dance, singing, and acting. In 1986, she was Rhode Island's Junior Miss and competed in Mobile, Alabama, in the America's Junior Miss scholarship program.

While her parents encouraged her dream of becoming an actress, they also urged her to complete a liberal arts education before deciding on acting as a career. Following their advice, she attended Brandeis University, where at her parents' request, three quarters of her courses were not theater related. During her junior year, she studied theater at the prestigious London based British European Studio Group program, an experience that consolidated her desire to act.

In 1990, after graduating summa cum laude from Brandeis with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts, Messing gained admission to the elite Graduate Acting Program at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, which accepts about 15 new students annually. She earned a Master of Fine Arts after three years.

Career

In 1993, Messing won acclaim for her acting in the pre-Broadway workshop production of Tony Kushner's play Angels in America: Perestroika. Subsequently, she appeared in several episodes of the television series NYPD Blue during 1994 and 1995.

In 1995, Messing made her film debut in Alfonso Arau's A Walk in the Clouds playing the unfaithful wife of main character Paul Sutton (Keanu Reeves). This exposure led the Fox network to make her the co-star of the television sitcom, Ned & Stacey. The series lasted for two seasons, from 1995 to 1997. Messing appeared as Jerry Seinfeld's romantic interest in two episodes of the series Seinfeld: "The Wait Out" in 1996 and "The Yada Yada" in 1997. Messing turned down a starring role in another television sitcom to appear in Donald Margulies's two-character play Collected Stories, which opened at the off-Broadway Manhattan Theater Club. She also co-starred in the Tom Arnold vehicle McHale's Navy in 1997.

In 1998, Messing played a lead role as the biolanthropologist Sloan Parker on ABC's dramatic science fiction television series Prey. During this time, her agent approached her with the pilot script for the television show Will & Grace. Messing was inclined to take some time off, but the script intrigued her, and she auditioned for the role of Grace Adler, beating out Nicollette Sheridan, who later guest-starred on the show as Grace's romantic rival. Will & Grace became a ratings success, and Messing became a star.

In 2002, she was named one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" by People. TV Guide picked her as its "Best Dressed Woman" in 2003. And Messing's trademark curls on Will & Grace won her five Crown Awards from voters at the celebrity hair site Super-Hair.Net between 2000 and 2008.

Messing was cast by director Woody Allen in a small role in his 2002 film Hollywood Ending. Her film roles since include Richard Gere's ill-fated wife in the supernatural thriller The Mothman Prophecies (2002) and a supporting role as an unfaithful bride in Along Came Polly (2004). The Wedding Date (2005) was Messing's first leading role in a high-profile film. It received mixed reviews, but performed fairly well at the box office.

Messing was featured as a judge on the season finale of the second season of Bravo's reality show, Project Runway. Also in 2005, along with Megan Mullally, she was awarded the Women in Film [[Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards#THE LUCY AWARD|Lucy Award]] in recognition of her excellence and innovation in her creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television

She also starred in the television miniseries The Starter Wife (2007), which was nominated for ten Emmy Awards, including one for Messing for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie. In 2008, Messing reprised her role as Molly Kagan in the television series The Starter Wife, consisting of 10 episodes. In early 2010, Messing starred in the ABC comedy pilot Wright vs. Wrong for the 2010-2011 primetime season, but the pilot was not picked up by ABC.

In July 2011, Messing was ranked no. 22 on the TV Guide Network special, Funniest Women on TV. In February 2011, it was announced that Messing would star in a new NBC musical pilot called Smash for the 2011-2012 primetime season. In May 2011, it was reported that NBC picked up the show as a series for the 2011-2012 season. The show premiered on February 6, 2012. The show was later renewed for a second season. After two seasons, it was cancelled.

Messing appeared with Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong and Leighton Meester in Frank Whaley's drama film Like Sunday, Like Rain in 2014.

She made her Broadway debut in John Patrick Shanley's play Outside Mullingar alongside Tony winner Bran F. O'Byrne, which began previews at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on January 3, 2014. Outside Mullingar was nominated for Best Play for the 2014 (68th Annual) Tony Awards.

Messing starred in The Mysteries of Laura, a police procedural television show that premiered in September 2014. The series lasted for two seasons and ended in 2016.

Messing was also cast as Marjorie Houseman in the television remake of the 1987 film, Dirty Dancing. It aired on ABC in May 2017.

Personal life

Messing met Daniel Zelman, an actor and screenwriter, on their first day as graduate students at New York University in 1990. They were married on September 3, 2000, and lived in Manhattan. On April 7, 2004, Messing gave birth to their son, Roman Walker Zelman. In December 2011, she and her husband separated after eleven years of marriage.

Messing filed for divorce on June 5, 2012. The divorce was officially completed on March 1, 2016.

Messing dated her Smash co-star Will Chase from the end of 2011 to October 2014.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1995	'	Betty Sutton
1997	McHale's Navy	Lt. Penelope Carpenter
1998	Celebrity	TV reporter
1999	Jesus	Mary Magdalene
2002	'	Mary Klein
2002	Hollywood Ending	Lori
2004	Along Came Polly	Lisa Kramer
2004	Garfield	Arlene	Voice only
2005	'	Kat Ellis
2006	Open Season	Beth	Voice only
2007	Purple Violets	Kate Scott
2007	Lucky You	Suzanne Offer
2008	'	Edie Cohen
2008	Nothing like the Holidays	Sarah Rodriguez
2014	Like Sunday, Like Rain	Barbara

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1994-95	NYPD Blue	Dana Abandando	3 episodes
1995	Partners	Stacey	1 episode
1995-97	Ned & Stacey	Stacey Colbert	46 episodes
1996-97	Seinfeld	Beth Lookner	2 episodes
1998	Prey	Dr. Sloan Parker	13 episodes
1998-06, 2017	Will & Grace	Grace Adler	189 episodes
2002	King of the Hill	Mrs. Hilgren-Bronson	1 episode
2007-08	The Starter Wife	Molly Kagan	10 episodes
2009	Sesame Street	Herself	1 episode
2011	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Alicia Harding	1 episode
2012-13	Smash	Julia Houston	32 episodes
2012	Project Runway	Herself/Guest judge	Season 10, Episode: "I Get a Kick Out of Fashion"
2014-16	The Mysteries of Laura	Detective Laura Diamond	Lead role, 38 episodes
2015	Jeopardy!	Herself	4 episodes
2016	Match Game	Herself	1 episode
2016	Nightcap	Herself	1 episode
2017	Dirty Dancing	Marjorie Houseman	Television film

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result
2000	American Comedy Award	Best Female Performer in a TV Series	Will & Grace
2000	Emmy Award	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series	Will & Grace
2000	Golden Globe Award	Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy or Musical	Will & Grace
2000	Viewers for Quality Television Award	Best Actress in a Comedy Series	Will & Grace
2001	American Comedy Award	Best Female Performer in a TV Series	Will & Grace
2001	Emmy Award	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series	Will & Grace
2001	Golden Globe Award	Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy or Musical	Will & Grace
2001	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	Will & Grace
2001	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series	Will & Grace
2001	Teen Choice Award	Choice TV Actress	Will & Grace
2001	TV Guide Award	Actress of the Year in a Comedy Series	Will & Grace
2002	Emmy Award	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series	Will & Grace
2002	Golden Globe Award	Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy or Musical	Will & Grace
2002	Satellite Award	Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy or Musical	Will & Grace
2002	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	Will & Grace
2002	Teen Choice Award	Choice TV Actress	Will & Grace
2003	Emmy Award	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series	Will & Grace
2003	Golden Globe Award	Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy or Musical	Will & Grace
2003	Satellite Award	Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy or Musical	Will & Grace
2003	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	Will & Grace
2004	Golden Globe Award	Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy or Musical	Will & Grace
2004	Satellite Award	Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy or Musical	Will & Grace
2004	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	Will & Grace
2004	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series	Will & Grace
2005	Golden Globe Award	Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy or Musical	Will & Grace
2005	People's Choice Award	Best Female TV Star	Will & Grace
2005	People's Choice Award	Best Female Comedic Star	Will & Grace
2005	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	Will & Grace
2006	Emmy Award	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series	Will & Grace
2006	Teen Choice Award	Choice TV Actress	Will & Grace
2007	Emmy Award	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie	The Starter Wife
2007	Satellite Award	Best Actress in a Mini Series or TV Movie	The Starter Wife
2008	Golden Globe Award	Best Actress in a Mini Series or TV Movie	The Starter Wife
2008	Gracie Allen Award	Outstanding Female Lead in a Mini Series	The Starter Wife
2008	Satellite Award	Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical	Nothing like the Holidays
2008	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Female Actor in a Mini Series or TV Movie	The Starter Wife
2009	Golden Globe Award	Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy or Musical	The Starter Wife
2009	Golden Raspberry Award	Worst Actress	The Women