Debra Messing

Debra Lynn Messing (born August 15, 1968) is an American actress. After graduating from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Messing starred in the short-lived television series *Ned and Stacey* on Fox (1995–1997), and *Prey* on ABC (1998). She achieved her breakthrough role as Grace Adler, an interior designer, on the NBC sitcom *Will & Grace* (1998–2006, 2017–2020), for which she received seven Golden Globe Award nominations and five Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, winning once, in 2003.

From 2007 to 2008, Messing starred as Molly Kagan, the ex-wife of a Hollywood film mogul, on the television miniseries *The Starter Wife*, for which she received two Golden Globe nominations, a Primetime Emmy Award nomination, and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. Thereafter, she appeared as Broadway playwright Julia Houston on the NBC musical drama *Smash* (2012–2013) and as homicide detective Laura Diamond on the NBC police-procedural comedy *The Mysteries of Laura* (2014–2016). From 2017 to 2020, Messing reprised her role as Grace Adler on NBC's three-season revival of *Will & Grace*, garnering a ninth Golden Globe nomination for her performance.

Messing's film work includes *A Walk in the Clouds* (1995), *Jesus* (1999), *The Mothman Prophecies* (2002), *Hollywood Ending* (2002), *Along Came Polly* (2004), *The Wedding Date* (2005), *Lucky You* (2007), *The Women* (2008), *Nothing Like the Holidays* (2008), *Searching* (2018), and *13: The Musical* (2022). She has also lent her voice to animated films such as *Garfield* (2004) and *Open Season* (2006).