**Debra Lynn Messing** (August 15, 1968 - July 4, 2029) is an American actress. She has been nominated eight times for Golden Globe Awards. Her work includes acting as Grace Adler in the NBC television series *Will & Grace*, and Molly Kagan in the USA television series *The Starter Wife*.

Early life
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Messing was born in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. She is the daughter of Sandra (née Simons), who has worked as a professional singer, banker, travel agent and real estate agent, and Brian Messing, a sales executive for a costume jewelry packaging manufacturer. The Messing family is Jewish, and descends from Russia and Poland. 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, Messing acted and sang in a number of high school productions. For example, she was a main character in the musicals *Annie* and *Fiddler on the Roof*. Messing took lessons in dance, singing, and acting. While her parents encouraged her dream of becoming an actress, they also urged her to finish a liberal arts education before deciding on acting as a career. Following their advice, Messing attended Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. During her junior year, she studied theater at the well-known London-based British European Studio Group program. This experience made her sure that she wanted to be an actress.

In 1990, Messing graduating from Brandeis University with a bachelor's degree in theater arts She then gained admission to the Graduate Acting Program at New York University. This was a very hard thing to do, because the program only accepts around fifteen new students every year. She earned a Master's Degree in Fine Arts there after three years.

Career
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In 1993, Messing was praised for her acting in the pre-Broadway workshop production of Tony Kushner's play *Angels in America: Perestroika*. After that, she appeared in several episodes of the television series *NYPD Blue* during 1994 and 1995.

In 1995, Messing made her film debut in Alfonso Arau's *A Walk in the Clouds*. She was playing the unfaithful wife of main character Paul Sutton (Keanu Reeves). Fox Network thought she did well, so they made her the co-star of the television sitcom, *Ned and Stacey*. The series lasted for two seasons, from 1995 to 1997. In 1996 and 1997, Messing appeared as Jerry Seinfeld's date in two episodes of the series *Seinfeld*. Messing turned down a starring role in another television sitcom so she could appear in Donald Margulies's two-character play *Collected Stories*. The play opened at the Off-Broadway Manhattan Theater Club. She also co-starred in McHale's Navy in 1997.

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 want to her with the script for the first episode of the television show *Will & Grace*. Messing was at first wanted to take some time off, but the script get her interest. She auditioned for the role of Grace Adler. She got the part, beating out Nicollette Sheridan. Sheridan later guest-starred on the show as a romantic rival of Grace's. *Will & Grace* became a ratings success, and Messing gained fame.

In 2002, Messing 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 was cast by director Woody Allen in a small role in his 2002 film *Hollywood Ending*. Her film roles since then include a happily married but ill-fated wife in the thriller *The Mothman Prophecies* (2002) and a supporting role in *Along Came Polly* (2004). *The Wedding Date* (2005) was Messing's first leading role in a high-profile film. It received mixed reviews but performed fairly well at the box office. Messing was featured as a judge on the season finale of the second season of Bravo's reality show, *Project Runway*. She also starred in the television mini-series *The Starter Wife*, which was nominated for ten Emmy awards including one for Messing for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie.

Messing returned to her role as Molly Kagan in a second season of ten episodes of *The Starter Wife* in 2008. In February 2009, USA Network announced that *The Starter Wife* will not be back for another season.

Personal life
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Messing met actor and screenwriter Daniel Zelman, on their first day as graduate students at NYU in 1990. They married on September 3, 2000, and live in New York City. On April 7, 2004, Messing gave birth to a son, Roman Walker Zelman.

Filmography
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| Year | Title | Role | Other notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1995 | *A Walk in the Clouds* | Betty Sutton |  |
| *Ned & Stacey* | Stacey Colbert | TV Series |
| 1997 | *McHale's Navy* | Lt. Penelope Carpenter |  |
| 1998 | *Will & Grace* | Grace Adler | TV Series |
| 1999 | *Jesus* | Mary Magdalene | TV Movie |
| 2002 | *The Mothman Prophecies* | Mary Klein |  |
| *Hollywood Ending* | Lori Fox |  |
| 2004 | *Along Came Polly* | Lisa Kramer |  |
| *Garfield* | Arlene | Voice only |
| 2005 | *The Wedding Date* | Kat Ellis |  |
| 2006 | *Open Season* | Park Ranger Beth | Voice only |
| 2007 | *Lucky You* | Suzanne Offer |  |
| *The Starter Wife* | Molly Kagan | TV miniseries |
| *Purple Violets* | Kate |  |
| 2008 | *The Women* | Edith Potter |  |
| *The Starter Wife* | Molly Kagan | TV series |
| *Nothing Like the Holidays* | Sarah |  |

Awards
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### Golden Globe Awards

* 2000: nominated - Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy - *Will & Grace*
* 2001: nominated - Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy - *Will & Grace*
* 2002: nominated - Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy - *Will & Grace*
* 2003: nominated - Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy - *Will & Grace*
* 2004: nominated - Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy - *Will & Grace*
* 2005: nominated - Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy - *Will & Grace*
* 2008: nominated - Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film - *The Starter Wife*
* 2009: nominated - Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy - *The Starter Wife*

### Emmy Awards

* 2000: nominated - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - *Will & Grace*
* 2001: nominated - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - *Will & Grace*
* 2002: nominated - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - *Will & Grace*
* 2003: won - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - *Will & Grace*
* 2006: nominated - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - *Will & Grace*
* 2007: nominated - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie - *The Starter Wife*

### Screen Actors Guild Awards

* 2001: nominated - Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Comedy Series - *Will & Grace*
* 2001: won - Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - *Will & Grace*
* 2002: nominated - Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - *Will & Grace*
* 2003: nominated - Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - *Will & Grace*
* 2004: nominated - Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Comedy Series - *Will & Grace'*
* 2004: nominated - Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - *Will & Grace*
* 2005: nominated - Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - *Will & Grace*
* 2008: nominated - Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries - *The Starter Wife*

### Teen Choice Awards

* 2001: nominated - Choice TV Actress: Comedy - *Will & Grace*
* 2002: nominated - Choice TV Actress: Comedy - *Will & Grace*
* 2006: nominated - Choice TV Actress: Comedy - *Will & Grace*

Other websites
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to ***Debra Messing***.

* Debra Messing's official website
* Debra Messing on IMDb
* Debra Messing at TV.com
* Newsweek interview Archived 2005-02-15 at the Wayback Machine (2005)
* USA Today interview (May 3, 2002)

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Will & Grace |
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| Characters | Will Truman  • Grace Adler  • Jack McFarland  • Karen Walker  • episodes |