
Debra Messing
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- August 15, 1968
- Birthplace
- 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.
Filmography
- The Problem with Poets
The Problem with Poets TBA
as Mrs. Sternberg

The Alto Knights 2025
as Bobbie Costello

October 8 2025
as Self, Executive Producer

Bros 2022
as Debra Messing

13: The Musical 2022
as Jessica Goldman

The War of the Worlds 2021 2021
Actor

Irresistible 2020
as Babs Garnett (uncredited)

Bombshell in Concert 2020
Actor

The Dark Divide 2020
as Thea Pyle

The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU 2020
as Self

Stucco 2019
as Counselor

Searching 2018
as Detective Vick

Dirty Dancing 2017
as Marjorie Houseman

Albion: The Enchanted Stallion 2016
as The Queen

Must See TV: An All Star Tribute to James Burrows 2016
as Self

Like Sunday, Like Rain 2014
as Barbara

Sesame Street: Wild Words and Outdoor Adventures 2011
Actor

Wright vs. Wrong 2010
as Evelyn Wright

Nothing Like the Holidays 2008
as Sarah Rodriguez

The Women 2008
as Edie Cohen

Lucky You 2007
as Suzanne Offer

Purple Violets 2007
as Kate Scott

Open Season 2006
as Beth (voice)

The Wedding Date 2005
as Kat Ellis

Garfield 2004
as Arlene (voice)

Along Came Polly 2004
as Lisa Kramer

NBC 75th Anniversary Special 2002
as Self

Hollywood Ending 2002
as Lori

The Mothman Prophecies 2002
as Mary Klein

Jesus 1999
as Mary Magdalene

Celebrity 1998
as TV Reporter

McHale's Navy 1997
as Lt. Penelope Carpenter

A Walk in the Clouds 1995
as Betty Sutton
Credits from TMDB.