# Jessica Collins

Jessica Collins (born Jessica Lynn Capogna; April 1, 1971) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Dinah Lee Mayberry on the ABC soap opera Loving (1991–1994) and Avery Bailey Clark on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless (2011–2015), for which she won a Daytime Emmy. She also starred as Meredith Davies on Fox's Tru Calling, and appeared in recurring and guest roles in many other shows.

## Early life

Collins was born in Schenectady, New York. She attended Amsterdam High School in Amsterdam, New York. In 1988, she won the title Miss New York Teen USA and was the first runner-up for the Miss Teen USA Pageant in that same year. Collins later attended London's Royal National Theatre Studio and the Howard Fine Acting Studio in Los Angeles.

## Career

Collins starred in ABC daytime soap opera Loving as Dinah Lee Mayberry from 1991 to 1994. After leaving daytime, Collins appeared in the films Leprechaun 4: In Space (1996), Best of the Best: Without Warning (1998), and Beautiful (2000), and guest-starred in primetime shows such as Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Star Trek: Voyager, Beverly Hills 90210, and Dawson's Creek.
Collins played Meredith Davies on the Fox Network's Tru Calling from 2003 to 2004. She had a major recurring role in the NBC period drama, American Dreams, and later appeared in the short-lived series Unscripted and Scoundrels. She also starred in the short-lived ABC comedy-drama Big Shots from 2007 to 2008. In film, Collins played roles in Ritual (2002), Catch Me If You Can (2002), Dirty Love (2005), Live! (2007), and Open House (2010). Her other television credits include CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Two and a Half Men, Nip/Tuck, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and NCIS.
In 2011, Collins returned to soaps with a role as Avery Bailey Clark on CBS's The Young and the Restless. In 2013 and 2016, she was nominated for Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role, winning in 2016. In May 2015, Soap Opera Digest reported that Collins was leaving the show, with Avery's last appearance airing on July 21, 2015.
Collins guest-starred on 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy and in 2019 starred in an episode entitled "Cracker Jack" of the Netflix anthology series, Dolly Parton's Heartstrings. In 2021, she began starring in the Apple TV+ comedy series, Acapulco.

## Personal life

Collins married Robert Tyler, her co-star from Loving, on November 11, 1996. The couple divorced February 15, 2002, citing irreconcilable differences.
On May 4, 2016, she married writer and producer Michael Cooney. She and Cooney have a daughter, born in January 2016.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1997 | Leprechaun 4: In Space | Dr. Tina Reeves | Direct-to-video |
| 1998 | Best of the Best 4: Without Warning | Karina | Direct-to-video |
| 2000 | Beautiful | Miss Lawrenceville | |
| 2002 | Ritual | Jackie | |
| 2002 | Catch Me If You Can | Peggy | |
| 2003 | King for a Day | Mother | Short film |
| 2005 | Dirty Love | Mandy | |
| 2007 | Live! | Starlet | |
| 2010 | Open House | Lauren | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1991–1994 | Loving | Dinah Lee Mayberry Alden | Regular role |
| 1992 | All My Children | Dinah Lee Mayberry Alden | Recurring/Guest role: September 23 – October 19, 1992 |
| 1994 | Robin's Hoods | Celeste Fontaine / Celeste Baxter | Episode: "Unto Thyself Be True" |
| 1994 | M.A.N.T.I.S. | Corrine | Episode: "Through the Dark Circle" |
| 1995 | Coach | Bridget McDermott | Episode: "Working Girl" |
| 1995 | Renegade | Grace | Episode: "Family Ties" |
| 1995 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Mindy Church | Episodes: "We Have a Lot to Talk About", "Home Is Where the Hurt Is" |
| 1996 | Diagnosis: Murder | Wendy Windsor | Episode: "A Model Murder" |
| 1996 | Life with Roger | Heather | Episode: "The Way We Was" |
| 1997 | Star Trek: Voyager | Linnis Paris | Episode: "Before and After" |
| 1997 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Jody Carlisle | Episodes: "Friends, Lovers and Children", "Child of the Night", "Deadline" |
| 2000 | Dawson's Creek | Sherry Eisler | Episode: "To Green, with Love" |
| 2002 | Off Centre | Kristi Lee | Episode: "The Good, the Bad and the Lazy" |
| 2002 | Andy Richter Controls the Universe | Leslie | Episode: "Little Andy in Charge" |
| 2002–2003 | American Dreams | Colleen | Recurring role (season 1) |
| 2003–2004 | Tru Calling | Meredith Davies | Main role (season 1) |
| 2004 | The Ranch | Kim | TV film |
| 2005 | Everwood | Cameron | Episode: "Giving Up the Girl" |
| 2005 | Unscripted | Jessica | Episodes: "1.8", "1.9", "1.10" |
| 2005 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Missy | Episode: "Dog Eat Dog" |
| 2006 | Two and a Half Men | Gloria | Episode: "Walnuts and Demerol" |
| 2007–2008 | Big Shots | Marla | Regular role |
| 2008 | Gary Unmarried | Leslie | Episode: "Gary and Allison Brooks" |
| 2009 | Nip/Tuck | Tracy Pierce | Episode: "Lola Wlodkowski" |
| 2010 | Scoundrels | Valerie Bottoms | Recurring role (season 1) |
| 2010 | CSI: Miami | Marcie Westerfield | Episode: "Happy Birthday" |
| 2011 | Memphis Beat | Margo | Episode: "Troubled Water" |
| 2011; 2013; 2019 | It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | Jackie Denardo | 3 episodes |
| 2011–2015 | The Young and the Restless | Avery Bailey Clark | Regular role |
| 2012 | NCIS | Judy Ford | Episode: "Recovery" |
| 2014 | Perception | Anne-Marie Bishop | Episode: "Prologue" |
| 2018 | 9-1-1 | Christina Gallagher | Episode: "Heartbreaker" |
| 2018 | Grey's Anatomy | Denise | Episode: "Flowers Grow Out Of My Grave" |
| 2019 | Heartstrings | Monica | Episode: "Cracker Jack" |
| 2021 | Acapulco | Diane Davies | Main cast |

## Awards and nominations

List of acting awards and nominations :
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
| 1994 | Soap Opera Digest Award | Hottest Female Star | Loving | Nominated |
| 1994 | Soap Opera Digest Award | Outstanding Younger Lead Actress | Loving | Nominated |
| 2013 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | The Young and the Restless | Nominated |
| 2016 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | The Young and the Restless | Won |