Debra Messing

Debra Messing

Date of Birth
August 15, 1968, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Height
5' 8" (1.73 m)

Mini Biography
Messing was born in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, the daughter of Jewish American parents, Sandra (n?e Simons), who has worked as a professional singer, banker, travel and real estate agent, and Brian Messing, a sales executive for a jewelry manufacturer. When Messing was three, she moved with her parents and her older brother, Brett, to East Greenwich, a small town outside Providence, Rhode Island.

During her high school years, she acted (and sang) in a number of high school productions, including the starring role in the musical "Annie" and "Fiddler On the Roof." Messing 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 in Waltham, Massachusetts.

In 1990, after graduating summa cum laude from Brandeis with a bachelor's degree in theater arts, Messing gained admission to the elite Graduate Acting Program (which accepts only about 15 new students annually) at New York University, where she earned a master's degree in fine arts after three years.

In 1998, Messing played a lead role as the bio-anthropologist 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 a romantic rival of Grace's. Will & Grace became a ratings success, and Messing gained renown.

In 2002, she was named one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" by People Magazine. TV Guide picked her as its "Best Dressed Woman" in 2003. Messing met her husband, Daniel Zelman (an actor and screenwriter), on their first day as graduate students at NYU. The two were married on September 3, 2000, and live in New York City. On April 7, 2004, Messing gave birth to their son, Roman Walker Zelman.

**jimaroon** · 4th July 2007, 20:29

Debra Messing & Mariska Hargitay - family candids in Central Park, NYC (tagged)

omen5 · 5th July 2007, 16:34

The View - 5/31/07
Credit to RedWingsRule

**jimaroon** · 18th August 2007, 13:16

Debra Messing @ the opening of Saks Fifth Avenue's designer shoe floor in NY Aug 17

CB · 11th October 2007, 15:35

in NY 08.10.2007

**blueberryfiss** · 14th October 2007, 10:17

c-thru

**jimaroon** · 21st November 2007, 13:20

Debra Messing @ Labor Solidarity with Writers in Los Angeles Nov 20

**jimaroon** · 5th September 2008, 14:51

Debra Messing attends @ "The Women" Premiere in Westwood on September 4:

CB · 5th September 2008, 16:34

WESTWOOD, CA - SEPTEMBER 04: Actress Debra Messing attends "The Women" film premiere at the Mann Village Theatre on September 4, 2008 in Westwood, California.

CB · 29th September 2008, 17:21

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Actress Debra Messing arrives at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

**jimaroon** · 30th September 2008, 13:22

CB · 10th October 2008, 17:15

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 07: Actress Debra Messing visits the "Late Show with David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theatre on October 7, 2008 in New York City.

CB · 15th October 2008, 16:07

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 14: Actress Debra Messing attends the Saks Fifth Avenue's 10th annual "Key to the Cure" charity shopping weekend launch at Top of the Rock, Rockefeller Center on October 14, 2008 in New York City.

**jimaroon** · 25th October 2008, 10:35

Actress Debra Messing arrives at the Fashion Group's 25th annual Night of Stars in New York on October 23:

**jimaroon** · 1st November 2008, 05:32

**~~Xray~~** · 3rd November 2008, 05:07

Thread: Debra Messing

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The View 5/31/07

[09/04/08] Debra Messing @ "The Women" Premiere - x8

[09/04/08] Debra Messing @ "The Women" film premiere x13

[09/21/08] Debra Messing @ 60th Primetime Emmy Awards x8

[09/21/08] Debra Messing @ 60th Primetime Emmy Awards - x22

[10/07/08] Debra Messing @ "Late Show with David Letterman" x22 FIXED

[10/14/08] Debra Messing @ "Key to the Cure" x4

[10/23/08] Debra Messing @ Fashion Group's 25th annual Night of Stars - x2

[10/29/08] Debra Messing @ Sony Cierge Holiday Preview Party - x4

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