Jill Hennessy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jill Hennessy
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Hennessy at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival
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| Born |
Jillian Noel Hennessy
November 25, 1968 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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| Occupation | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Paolo Mastropietro
(m. 2000) |
| Children | 2 |
Jillian Noel Hennessy (born November 25, 1968) is a Canadian actress and singer. She is famous for her roles on American TV shows. She played a prosecutor named Claire Kincaid on Law & Order for three seasons. Later, she starred as Jordan Cavanaugh in the show Crossing Jordan for six seasons. Jill has also appeared in movies like RoboCop 3 and Wild Hogs.
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Early Life and Family
Jill Hennessy was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Her father worked in sales, which meant her family moved often. Her mother left the family in 1982. Jill was then partly raised by her grandmother in Kitchener, Ontario.
Jill has a younger brother, J.P., and an older sister, Faith. She also has an identical twin sister named Jacqueline. Jacqueline is a writer for magazines and a TV show host in Canada. Jill's family background includes Irish, French, Swedish, and Italian roots from her father's side. Her mother's family has Ukrainian Roma and Austrian ancestry.
Jill went to Stanley Park Senior Public School. She later graduated from Grand River Collegiate Institute in Kitchener, Ontario. Before becoming famous, she used to perform music in the Toronto subway to earn money.
Acting and Music Career
Jill Hennessy and her twin sister Jacqueline first acted together in the 1988 movie Dead Ringers. Jill was considered for the role of Dana Scully in the TV show The X-Files. However, the part eventually went to actress Gillian Anderson.
In 1990, Jill performed on Broadway in the musical Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. She played Dr. Marie Lazarus in the 1993 film RoboCop 3.
Breakthrough on Television
Jill's big break on TV came in 1993. She was cast as Assistant district attorney Claire Kincaid in the NBC crime drama Law & Order. She played this important role for three seasons, leaving the show in 1996.
In 1999, she appeared in the movie Chutney Popcorn. In 2000, Jill wrote, produced, and helped direct an independent film called The Acting Class. This movie was a mockumentary about a group of actors. Her sister Jacqueline also appeared in it. The film even had special appearances from some of Jill's former Law & Order co-stars. She also acted in the TV movie Nuremberg as Elsie Douglas.
Starring Roles and Music
In 2001, Jill played Jackie Kennedy in the film Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot. That same year, she had a small role in the action movie Exit Wounds. From 2001 to 2007, she starred as the main character, Dr. Jordan Cavanaugh, in the TV show Crossing Jordan. She also played the wife of Tim Allen's character in the 2007 movie Wild Hogs. On June 9, 2007, Jill received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. This is a special honor for Canadians who have achieved great things.
Jill is also a singer. She recorded her first album, Ghost in My Head, in Austin, Texas. It was released in June 2009. She performed at the Lilith Fair music festival in 2010.
In 2010, Jill starred in the independent crime thriller Small Town Murder Songs. She also appeared in the HBO series Luck as a veterinarian. In 2015, Jill appeared in several episodes of Madam Secretary. In October of that year, she released her second album, titled I Do.
More recently, in 2018, she appeared on the TV series Bull. She also began a role as Senator Huntington on the series Yellowstone. From 2019 to 2022, she was a main cast member on the series City on a Hill. In 2023, she appeared in an episode of Accused. In 2024, she had a role in the movie Madame Web.
Personal Life
Jill Hennessy is very talented with languages. She can speak English, Italian, French, Spanish, and German fluently. She also plays the guitar and sings. She enjoys riding motorcycles with her husband, Paolo Mastropietro, whom she married in 2000. They had a second wedding ceremony in January 2001, led by Mayor Rudy Giuliani in New York City Hall. Their first son was born in 2003, and their second son was born in 2007.
Selected Film and Television Roles
Jill Hennessy has had many roles in both movies and TV shows. Here are some of her notable appearances:
Movies
- 1988: Dead Ringers as Mimsy
- 1993: RoboCop 3 as Dr. Marie Lazarus
- 1994: The Paper as Deanne White
- 1997: Most Wanted as Dr. Victoria Constantini
- 1999: Chutney Popcorn as Lisa
- 2000: The Acting Class as Amanda Smythe / Jill / Anonymous
- 2001: Exit Wounds as Commander Annette Mulcahy
- 2007: Wild Hogs as Kelly Madsen
- 2010: Small Town Murder Songs as Rita
- 2019: Crypto as Robin Whiting
- 2024: Madame Web as NSA Agent
Television Shows
- 1993–1996: Law & Order as Assistant District Attorney Claire Kincaid (68 episodes)
- 1996: Homicide: Life on the Street as Assistant District Attorney Claire Kincaid (1 episode)
- 2000: Nuremberg as Elsie Douglas (Television movie)
- 2001: Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot as Jackie Kennedy (Television movie)
- 2001–2007: Crossing Jordan as Dr. Jordan Cavanaugh (115 episodes)
- 2011–2012: Luck as Jo (9 episodes)
- 2015: Madam Secretary as Jane Fellows (15 episodes)
- 2018: Yellowstone as Senator Huntington (1 episode)
- 2019–2022: City on a Hill as Jenny Rohr (26 episodes)
- 2023: Accused as Lynn Harmon (1 episode)
See also
In Spanish: Jill Hennessy para niños
