Debra Messing

Debra Messing is an American actress, known for her critically acclaimed role as Grace Adler on the NBC sitcom "Will & Grace." After graduating from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Messing received roles in television series such as "Ned and Stacey" and "Prey" before achieving her breakthrough. For her portrayal of Grace Adler, she received seven Golden Globe Award nominations and five Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2003.

From 2007 to 2008, Messing starred as Molly Kagan in "The Starter Wife," a television miniseries that earned her two Golden Globe nominations, a Primetime Emmy Award nomination, and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. She also starred in other notable NBC shows like the musical drama "Smash" (2012–2013) and the police procedural comedy "The Mysteries of Laura" (2014–2016). Messing reprised her role as Grace Adler in the three-season revival of "Will & Grace" from 2017 to 2020, for which she received a ninth Golden Globe nomination.

Messing's filmography also includes roles in a variety of films such as "A Walk in the Clouds" (1995), "The Mothman Prophecies" (2002), "Along Came Polly" (2004), "The Wedding Date" (2005), "Searching" (2018), and "13: The Musical" (2022). In addition to her on-screen roles, she has lent her voice to animated films such as "Garfield" (2004) and "Open Season" (2006).

Messing's portfolio extends to theatre as well, with her Broadway debut in John Patrick Shanley's play "Outside Mullingar" in 2014, which was nominated for Best Play at the 68th Annual Tony Awards. She has also added award-winning performances in television series and films to her credit, such as her performance in "Like Sunday, Like Rain," which won the Best Actress Award at The Williamsburg Independent Film Festival in 2014. Additionally, she has won the Audiobook of the Year at the Audie Awards in 2010 for "Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales" and the Best Actress in a Comedy Television Series at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards in 2019 for "Will & Grace."

In 2017, Messing was honored with the Excellence in Media Award from GLAAD and was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She is also a dedicated advocate for voting rights and has been involved in civic engagement and voter registration initiatives. Her advocacy work includes appearances on "Morning Joe" discussing 'Register a Friend' Day and an Instagram post focusing on voter ID laws in Georgia and promoting the organization VoteRiders. Currently, Messing is traveling around the U.S. speaking on various issues, including antisemitism. She is also executive producing the documentary "Primal Fear," which addresses the rise of antisemitism since October 7th.