Jill Hennessy
Encyclopedia
Jillian Noel "Jill" Hennessy (born November 25, 1968) is a Canadian actress and musician known for her television roles on Law & Order
and Crossing Jordan
.
, Alberta
. Her father, John Hennessy, was a meat salesman and sales/marketing executive, a job that required considerable travel and resulted in frequent moves for the family. Her mother, Maxine, a secretary, left the family in 1982, leaving her daughter to be partially raised by her paternal grandmother, Eleanor, in Kitchener, Ontario
. She has a younger brother, John Paul "J.P." Hennessy Jr., and an identical twin
sister, Jacqueline
, who is a magazine writer and TV show host in Canada. Hennessy has Irish
, French
, Swedish
and Italian
ancestry on her father's side, and mostly Ukrainian
, as well as Austria
n, ancestry on her mother's. She graduated from Grand River Collegiate Institute
in Kitchener, Ontario
and used to busk
in the Toronto Subway.
s in 1988's Dead Ringers
. She was short-listed for the role of Dana Scully
, on The X-Files
. In 1993, she played Dr. Marie Lazarus in RoboCop 3
. Hennessy is most well-known for playing assistant district attorney
Claire Kincaid
on Law & Order (1993 – 1996) and for playing the lead role as medical examiner
Jordan Cavanaugh on Crossing Jordan
. In 1999, she played Lisa in Chutney Popcorn
. In 2000, Hennessy wrote, produced, and co-directed with Elizabeth Holder an independent film
called The Acting Class
. Inspired by a true story, the mockumentary
looks at the trials and tribulations of a dysfunctional acting class. The film co-starred her sister, and included cameos by a number of Hennessy's former Law & Order co-stars. She also starred in the film Nuremberg
as Elsie Douglas.
In 2001, she portrayed Jackie Kennedy in the film Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot. In 2003, she made a cameo appearance in the film Abby Singer
. She appeared on Broadway
in the musical Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story
in 1990. From 2001 to 2007, she appeared on the TV show Crossing Jordan
as Jordan Cavanaugh. Most recently, she portrayed Tim Allen
's wife in the 2007 film Wild Hogs
. On June 9, 2007, she received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame
.
Hennessy has recorded an album in Austin, Texas
, Ghost in My Head, which was released in June 2009. She performed as a guest of the Indigo Girls
on a November 2009 show of Mountain Stage
and was the focus of a show for herself later that same month. She performed on the Village Stage of the 2010 edition of Lilith Fair
.
Hennessy starred in the independent crime thriller, Small Town Murder Songs
, in 2010
, Italian
, French
, Spanish
and German
. Hennessy plays the guitar and sings, and enjoys riding motorcycle
s with her husband. They had a second marriage ceremony in January 2001, which took place at New York City Hall
with Mayor Rudolph Giuliani officiating. Their son, Marco, was born on September 17, 2003 and second son, Gianni, born on November 21, 2007.
wrote the song "The Ballad of Jill Hennessy" in honor of the actress. Hennessy was reportedly very pleased, and offered to perform with the band on rhythm guitar.
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
and Crossing Jordan
Crossing Jordan
Crossing Jordan is an American television crime/drama series that aired on NBC from September 24, 2001 to May 16, 2007. It stars Jill Hennessy as Jordan Cavanaugh, M.D., a crime-solving forensic pathologist employed in the Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Medical Examiner's Office...
.
Early life
Hennessy was born in EdmontonEdmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. Her father, John Hennessy, was a meat salesman and sales/marketing executive, a job that required considerable travel and resulted in frequent moves for the family. Her mother, Maxine, a secretary, left the family in 1982, leaving her daughter to be partially raised by her paternal grandmother, Eleanor, in Kitchener, Ontario
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
. She has a younger brother, John Paul "J.P." Hennessy Jr., and an identical twin
Twin
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
sister, Jacqueline
Jacqueline Hennessy
Jacqueline Hennessy is a Canadian journalist, television host, and occasional actress. She is the identical twin sister of actress Jill Hennessy. Hennessy is of Irish, Italian, Swedish, French, and Ukrainian descent...
, who is a magazine writer and TV show host in Canada. Hennessy has Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
ancestry on her father's side, and mostly Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, as well as Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n, ancestry on her mother's. She graduated from Grand River Collegiate Institute
Grand River Collegiate Institute
Grand River Collegiate Institute is a public secondary school in Kitchener, Ontario. The school is located at 175 Indian Road, Kitchener, Ontario. It is part of the Waterloo Region District School Board...
in Kitchener, Ontario
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
and used to busk
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
in the Toronto Subway.
Career
Hennessy and her sister played twin call girlCall girl
A call girl or female escort is a sex worker who is not visible to the general public; nor does she usually work in an institution like a brothel, although she may be employed by an escort agency...
s in 1988's Dead Ringers
Dead Ringers (film)
Dead Ringers is a 1988 psychological horror film starring Jeremy Irons in a dual role as identical twin gynecologists. Director David Cronenberg co-wrote the screenplay with Norman Snider; their script was based on the novel Twins by Bari Wood and Jack Geasland...
. She was short-listed for the role of Dana Scully
Dana Scully
FBI Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, M.D. is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series The X-Files , played by Gillian Anderson. She also appeared in two theatrical films based on the series...
, on The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
. In 1993, she played Dr. Marie Lazarus in RoboCop 3
RoboCop 3
RoboCop 3 is a science fiction action film, released in 1993, set in the near future in a dystopian metropolitan Detroit, Michigan, and filmed in Atlanta, Georgia. Most of the buildings seen in the film were slated for demolition to make way for facilities for the 1996 Olympics. Nancy Allen as...
. Hennessy is most well-known for playing assistant district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
Claire Kincaid
Claire Kincaid
Assistant District Attorney Claire Kincaid is a fictional character on the television series Law & Order, played by Jill Hennessy from 1993 to 1996.-Character overview:...
on Law & Order (1993 – 1996) and for playing the lead role as medical examiner
Medical examiner
A medical examiner is a medically qualified government officer whose duty is to investigate deaths and injuries that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictions to initiate inquests....
Jordan Cavanaugh on Crossing Jordan
Crossing Jordan
Crossing Jordan is an American television crime/drama series that aired on NBC from September 24, 2001 to May 16, 2007. It stars Jill Hennessy as Jordan Cavanaugh, M.D., a crime-solving forensic pathologist employed in the Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Medical Examiner's Office...
. In 1999, she played Lisa in Chutney Popcorn
Chutney Popcorn
Chutney Popcorn is a 1999 comedy-drama film starring, directed and co-written by Nisha Ganatra. Ganatra plays a young lesbian Indian American woman called Reena. Jill Hennessy plays her girlfriend Lisa and Reena's mother and sister are played by real life mother and daughter Madhur Jaffrey and...
. In 2000, Hennessy wrote, produced, and co-directed with Elizabeth Holder an independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
called The Acting Class
The Acting Class
The Acting Class is a 2000 American independent film directed by and starring Jill Hennessy and Elizabeth Holder. The film's supporting cast includes many of Hennessy's former Law & Order castmates, including Chris Noth, Jerry Orbach, and Benjamin Bratt. The film also features Alec Baldwin....
. Inspired by a true story, the mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
looks at the trials and tribulations of a dysfunctional acting class. The film co-starred her sister, and included cameos by a number of Hennessy's former Law & Order co-stars. She also starred in the film Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
as Elsie Douglas.
In 2001, she portrayed Jackie Kennedy in the film Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot. In 2003, she made a cameo appearance in the film Abby Singer
Abby Singer (film)
Abby Singer is a darkly comic tale that chronicles the life of Curtis Clemins, who is torn between the love of his life and accomplishing his dream. Originally released in 2003, there was a different version released in 2006 and a limited DVD release in 2007. The film had some film festival...
. She appeared on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in the musical Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story
Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story
Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story is a jukebox musical in two acts with a book written by Alan Janes, and music and lyrics by a variety of songwriters. Based on the life and career of early rock and roller Buddy Holly, the musical hews closer to Holly's actual life story than the 1978 film version...
in 1990. From 2001 to 2007, she appeared on the TV show Crossing Jordan
Crossing Jordan
Crossing Jordan is an American television crime/drama series that aired on NBC from September 24, 2001 to May 16, 2007. It stars Jill Hennessy as Jordan Cavanaugh, M.D., a crime-solving forensic pathologist employed in the Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Medical Examiner's Office...
as Jordan Cavanaugh. Most recently, she portrayed Tim Allen
Tim Allen
Tim Allen is an American comedian, actor, voice-over artist, and entertainer, known for his role in the sitcom Home Improvement...
's wife in the 2007 film Wild Hogs
Wild Hogs
Wild Hogs is a 2007 comedy film directed by Walt Becker and starring Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, and William H. Macy. It was released nationwide in the United States and Canada on March 2, 2007, though preview film screenings were held in select areas on February 24, 2007.-Plot:Doug...
. On June 9, 2007, she received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame
Canada's Walk of Fame
Canada's Walk of Fame , located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of successful Canadians...
.
Hennessy has recorded an album in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Ghost in My Head, which was released in June 2009. She performed as a guest of the Indigo Girls
Indigo Girls
The Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duo, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. They met in elementary school and began performing together as high school students in Decatur, Georgia, part of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
on a November 2009 show of Mountain Stage
Mountain Stage
Mountain Stage is a two-hour music radio show, first aired in 1983, produced by WV Public Broadcasting and distributed worldwide by National Public Radio and the Voice of America's satellite radio service. Hosted by Larry Groce, the program showcases diverse music, from the traditional to modern...
and was the focus of a show for herself later that same month. She performed on the Village Stage of the 2010 edition of Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
.
Hennessy starred in the independent crime thriller, Small Town Murder Songs
Small Town Murder Songs
Small Town Murder Songs is a 2010 Canadian crime-thriller directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival September 14, 2010...
, in 2010
Personal life
Hennessy is multi-lingual, speaking EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. Hennessy plays the guitar and sings, and enjoys riding motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s with her husband. They had a second marriage ceremony in January 2001, which took place at New York City Hall
New York City Hall
New York City Hall is located at the center of City Hall Park in the Civic Center area of Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA, between Broadway, Park Row, and Chambers Street. The building is the oldest City Hall in the United States that still houses its original governmental functions, such as...
with Mayor Rudolph Giuliani officiating. Their son, Marco, was born on September 17, 2003 and second son, Gianni, born on November 21, 2007.
Fan honors
The Minneapolis-based band MollycuddleMollycuddle
Mollycuddle was a Minneapolis, Minnesota based alternative rock band active from 1994 to 2000.The band was signed under the Guilt-Ridden Pop label....
wrote the song "The Ballad of Jill Hennessy" in honor of the actress. Hennessy was reportedly very pleased, and offered to perform with the band on rhythm guitar.