Debra Messing

Acting

Debra Messing

Born August 15, 1968Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA70 credits

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.

Known For

Filmography

The Alto Knights
2025The Alto Knights
as Bobbie CostelloMovie
October 8
2025October 8
as SelfMovie
Bros
2022Bros
as Debra MessingMovie
13: The Musical
202213: The Musical
as Jessica GoldmanMovie
Irresistible
2020Irresistible
as Babs Garnett (uncredited)Movie
The Dark Divide
2020The Dark Divide
as Thea PyleMovie
Tamron Hall
2019Tamron Hall
as Self - GuestTV
Stucco
2019Stucco
as CounselorMovie
Searching
2018Searching
as Detective VickMovie
Will & Grace
2017Will & Grace
as Grace AdlerTV
Dirty Dancing
2017Dirty Dancing
as Marjorie HousemanMovie
Match Game
2016Match Game
as Self - PanelistTV
The Mysteries of Laura
2014The Mysteries of Laura
as Detective Laura DiamondTV
Smash
2012Smash
as Julia HoustonTV
Project Accessory
2011Project Accessory
as Self - Guest JudgeTV
Wright vs. Wrong
2010Wright vs. Wrong
as Evelyn WrightMovie
Nothing Like the Holidays
2008Nothing Like the Holidays
as Sarah RodriguezMovie
The Women
2008The Women
as Edie CohenMovie
The Starter Wife
2007The Starter Wife
as Molly KaganTV
Lucky You
2007Lucky You
as Suzanne OfferMovie
Purple Violets
2007Purple Violets
as Kate ScottMovie
Open Season
2006Open Season
as Beth (voice)Movie
The Reichen Show
2005The Reichen Show
as Self - GuestTV
The Wedding Date
2005The Wedding Date
as Kat EllisMovie
Project Runway
2004Project Runway
as Self - Guest JudgeTV
Garfield
2004Garfield
as Arlene (voice)Movie
Along Came Polly
2004Along Came Polly
as Lisa KramerMovie
The Mothman Prophecies
2002The Mothman Prophecies
as Mary KleinMovie
Jesus
2000Jesus
as Mary MagdaleneTV
Jesus
1999Jesus
as Mary MagdaleneMovie
Celebrity
1998Celebrity
as TV ReporterMovie
Will & Grace
1998Will & Grace
as Grace AdlerTV
Prey
1998Prey
as Dr. Sloan ParkerTV
The View
1997The View
as SelfTV
McHale's Navy
1997McHale's Navy
as Lt. Penelope CarpenterMovie
King of the Hill
1997King of the Hill
as Mrs. Hilgren-Bronson (voice)TV
MADtv
1995MADtv
as (uncredited)TV
Ned & Stacey
1995Ned & Stacey
as Stacey ColbertTV
A Walk in the Clouds
1995A Walk in the Clouds
as Betty SuttonMovie
Extra
1994Extra
as Self - GuestTV
Seinfeld
1989Seinfeld
as Beth LuknerTV
Today
1952Today
as SelfTV