Deborah Ann Woll
Encyclopedia
Deborah Ann Woll is an American actress best known for her role as Jessica Hamby
on HBO's True Blood
.
in Brooklyn. She was shy and often bullied as a child. Woll began dying her hair red in her early teens. She graduated from the BFA program in the USC School of Theatre
at the University of Southern California
and has since moved to Los Angeles
.
, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
(17th episode of 8th season, For Gedda), My Name Is Earl
, The Mentalist
and Law and Order SVU.
Woll received her breakout role as Bill Compton
's vampire progeny Jessica on the HBO television series True Blood
. To help prepare for the role, she watched a lot of animal attack footage.
Her roles include Mother's Day
, which is directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
; Little Murder
, which co-stars Josh Lucas
; and the indie film Highland Park.
, which is a condition that slowly blinds its victim. She uses her celebrity status to help advocate for them and others with the disease. She has been quoted as saying that her boyfriend's bravery in fighting his disability has inspired her own battle with coeliac disease
, which makes her body intolerant to foods containing gluten.
Jessica Hamby
Jessica Hamby is a fictional character in the True Blood series. In the series, which chronicles the life of human waitress Sookie Stackhouse and her friends after vampires make themselves known to humans, Jessica is a newly turned vampire who must learn to deal with her vampiric abilities and...
on HBO's True Blood
True Blood
True Blood is an American television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, detailing the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana...
.
Early life
Deborah Ann Woll, who is of Irish and German descent, grew up in Brooklyn, New York and went to high school in the Packer Collegiate InstitutePacker Collegiate Institute
Packer Collegiate Institute is an independent college preparatory school for students from prekindergarten through grade 12. Formerly the Brooklyn Female Academy, Packer has been located at 170 Joralemon Street in the historic district of Brooklyn Heights since its founding in 1845.- History :A...
in Brooklyn. She was shy and often bullied as a child. Woll began dying her hair red in her early teens. She graduated from the BFA program in the USC School of Theatre
USC School of Theatre
The USC School of Theatre is the acting school with the University of Southern California. Multiple undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered within the school. The current dean is Madelin Puzo.-Notable SOT alumni:...
at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and has since moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Career
Woll has made guest appearances on several television programs including Life, Aces 'n Eights, ERER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
(17th episode of 8th season, For Gedda), My Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States...
, The Mentalist
The Mentalist
The Mentalist is an American police procedural television series which debuted on September 23, 2008, on CBS. The show was created by Bruno Heller, who is also the show's executive producer...
and Law and Order SVU.
Woll received her breakout role as Bill Compton
Bill Compton (vampire)
William Erasmus "Bill" Compton is a fictional character from the The Southern Vampire Mysteries/Sookie Stackhouse series by author Charlaine Harris. He is a vampire and is introduced in the first novel in the series, Dead Until Dark, and has appeared in all of the novels since.-Human life:In the...
's vampire progeny Jessica on the HBO television series True Blood
True Blood
True Blood is an American television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, detailing the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana...
. To help prepare for the role, she watched a lot of animal attack footage.
Her roles include Mother's Day
Mother's Day (2010 film)
Mother's Day is an upcoming American horror- thriller film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. It is a remake of Charles Kaufman's 1980 film of the same name and was written by Scott Millam.-Plot:...
, which is directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
Darren Lynn Bousman
Darren Lynn Bousman is an American film director and screenwriter.-Personal life:Bousman was born in Overland Park, Kansas, the son of Nancy and Lynn Bousman. He is a graduate of the Film School at Full Sail University. He attended high school at Shawnee Mission North High School in Overland Park,...
; Little Murder
Little Murder
Little Murder is a 2011 supernatural thriller film directed by Predrag Antonijević. The film premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on January 8, 2011.- Plot :...
, which co-stars Josh Lucas
Josh Lucas
Josh Lucas is an American actor. He has appeared in many films, including Glory Road, A Beautiful Mind, and Poseidon.-Early life:...
; and the indie film Highland Park.
Advocacy
Deborah's boyfriend, Edward "E.J." Scott, and his family are afflicted with choroideremiaChoroideremia
Choroideremia is an X-linked recessive retinal degenerative disease that leads to the degeneration of the choriocapillaris, the retinal pigment epithelium, and the photoreceptor of the eye....
, which is a condition that slowly blinds its victim. She uses her celebrity status to help advocate for them and others with the disease. She has been quoted as saying that her boyfriend's bravery in fighting his disability has inspired her own battle with coeliac disease
Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease , is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy onward...
, which makes her body intolerant to foods containing gluten.
Films
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Aces 'n Eights | Terrified Woman | TV-Film |
| 2010 | Mother's Day Mother's Day (2010 film) Mother's Day is an upcoming American horror- thriller film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. It is a remake of Charles Kaufman's 1980 film of the same name and was written by Scott Millam.-Plot:... |
Lydia Koffin | completed |
| 2011 | Catch .44 Catch .44 Catch .44 is an upcoming action drama starring Bruce Willis, Forest Whitaker, Malin Akerman and Nikki Reed. The film is written and directed by Aaron Harvey.- Cast :* Bruce Willis as Mel* Malin Åkerman as Tes* Deborah Ann Woll as Dawn... |
Dawn | post-production |
| Little Murder Little Murder Little Murder is a 2011 supernatural thriller film directed by Predrag Antonijević. The film premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on January 8, 2011.- Plot :... |
Molly | completed | |
| Highland Park | Lilly | post-production | |
| Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You | Gillian Sveck | filming | |
| Seven Days in Utopia Seven Days in Utopia Seven Days in Utopia is the inspirational drama sport film directed by Matt Russell, starring Robert Duvall, Lucas Black, and Melissa Leo.The film is based on the 2009 book Golf's Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia by Dr. David Lamar Cook, a psychologist who received a Ph.D... |
Sarah | completed |
Series
| Year | Series | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Life | Nancy | 1 Episode |
| 2008 | ER ER (TV series) ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television... |
Aurora Quill | 1 Episode |
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer... |
Stephane - Waitress | 1 Episode | |
| My Name Is Earl My Name Is Earl My Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States... |
Greta | 2 Episodes | |
| 2008- | True Blood True Blood True Blood is an American television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, detailing the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana... |
Jessica Hamby | Primary Character Satellite Award - Special Achievement Award for Best Ensemble - Television Satellite Awards The Satellite Awards are an annual award given by the International Press Academy. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards.- Film :*Best Actor – Drama*Best Actor – Musical or Comedy*Best Actress – Drama... Scream Award for Best Breakout Performance Female Scream Awards The Scream Awards is an award show dedicated to the horror, sci-fi, and fantasy genres of feature films. Originally only having Scream Queen and Heroic Performance awards for actors, the personnel awards have expanded to include actors and actresses of all three recognized genres. In addition,... Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Screen Actors Guild Awards A Screen Actors Guild Award is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild to recognize outstanding performances by its members. The statuette given, a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, is called "The Actor"... |
| 2009 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced... |
Lily Milton | 1 Episode |
| The Mentalist The Mentalist The Mentalist is an American police procedural television series which debuted on September 23, 2008, on CBS. The show was created by Bruno Heller, who is also the show's executive producer... |
Kerry Sheehan | 1 Episode |