Debra Messing
1.4Acting

Debra Messing

Aug 15, 1968 - Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

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 shortlived 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).

Description above from the Wikipedia article Debra Messing, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Credits

Cast

Media
Movie1999JesusMary Magdalene
Movie2007Lucky YouSuzanne Offer
Movie2002The Mothman PropheciesMary Klein
Movie2007Purple VioletsKate Scott
Movie2004Along Came PollyLisa Kramer
Movie2006Open SeasonBeth (voice)
Movie2005The Wedding DateKat Ellis
Movie2008Nothing Like the HolidaysSarah Rodriguez
Movie1995A Walk in the CloudsBetty Sutton
Movie2002Hollywood EndingLori
Movie2008The WomenEdie Cohen
Movie1997McHale's NavyLt. Penelope Carpenter
Movie2014Like Sunday, Like RainBarbara
Movie202213: The MusicalJessica Goldman
Movie2022BrosDebra Messing
Movie2002NBC 75th Anniversary SpecialSelf
Movie2025The Alto KnightsBobbie Costello
Movie1998CelebrityTV Reporter
Movie2016Must See TV: An All Star Tribute to James BurrowsSelf
Movie2017Dirty DancingMarjorie Houseman
Movie2016Albion: The Enchanted StallionThe Queen
Movie2018SearchingDetective Vick
Movie2004GarfieldArlene (voice)
Movie2010Wright vs. WrongEvelyn Wright
Movie2019StuccoCounselor
Movie2020The Dark DivideThea Pyle
Movie2020Bombshell in Concert
Movie2020IrresistibleBabs Garnett (uncredited)
Movie2020The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVUSelf
Movie2025October 8Self
Movie2021The War of the Worlds 2021
TV Show1994Inside the Actors StudioSelf1
TV Show1989SeinfeldBeth Lukner2
TV Show2003The Ellen DeGeneres ShowSelf4
TV Show1952TodaySelf1
TV Show1997King of the HillMrs. Hilgren-Bronson (voice)1
TV Show1997The ViewSelf3
TV Show2019Tamron HallSelf - Guest2
TV Show1992The Tonight Show with Jay Leno3
TV Show1999Law & Order: Special Victims UnitAlicia Harding1
TV Show1995Ned and StaceyStacey Colbert46
TV Show1998PreyDr. Sloan Parker13
TV Show2007The Starter WifeMolly Kagan16
TV Show1998Will & GraceGrace Adler194
TV Show1993Late Night with Conan O'BrienSelf - Guest1
TV Show1995Partners1
TV Show2012SmashJulia Houston32
TV Show2014The Mysteries of LauraDetective Laura Diamond38
TV Show2011Billy on the StreetSelf1
TV Show2004Project RunwaySelf - Guest Judge2
TV Show2004Project RunwaySelf1
TV Show2017Will & GraceGrace Adler52
TV Show2016The $100,000 PyramidSelf1
TV Show1988LIVE with Kelly and MarkSelf - Guest1
TV Show2007The Graham Norton ShowSelf1
TV Show2015Close Up with The Hollywood ReporterSelf1
TV Show2014The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonSelf1
TV Show2016Match GameSelf - Panelist1
TV Show2009Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenSelf - Guest5
TV Show2005The Reichen ShowSelf - Guest1
TV Show2014Late Night with Seth MeyersSelf1
TV Show2014Trailblazer HonorsSelf1
TV Show1995MADtv(uncredited)1
TV Show2011Project AccessorySelf - Guest Judge1
TV Show2006The Megan Mullally ShowSelf - Guest2
TV Show2000JesusMary Magdalene2
TV Show2014Variety Studio: Actors on ActorsSelf1
TV Show1997The View1
TV Show2006The One ShowSelf1

Crew

Media
Movie2025October 8Executive ProducerProduction