Debra Messing
Biography
Debra Lynn Messing is an American actress born on August 15, 1968, in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. After graduating from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, she starred in the television series Ned and Stacey on Fox from 1995 to 1997 and Prey on ABC in 1998. She achieved her breakthrough role playing interior designer Grace Adler on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace from 1998 to 2006 and again from 2017 to 2020. For this role, she received seven Golden Globe Award nominations and five Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, winning the Emmy in 2003. From 2007 to 2008, she starred as Molly Kagan in the television miniseries The Starter Wife.
Career overview
Debra Lynn Messing is an American actress born on August 15, 1968, in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. After graduating from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Messing starred in the shortlived television series Ned and Stacey on Fox from 1995 to 1997, and Prey on ABC in 1998.
She achieved her breakthrough role as Grace Adler, an interior designer, on the NBC sitcom Will and Grace, which ran from 1998 to 2006 and again from 2017 to 2020. For her work on Will and Grace, she received seven Golden Globe Award nominations and five Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, winning once in the year 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.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- The Alto Knights (2025) as Bobbie Costello
- October 8 (2025) as Self
- October 8 (2025) Executive Producer
- 13: The Musical (2022) as Jessica Goldman
- Bros (2022) as Debra Messing
- The War of the Worlds 2021 (2021)
- Irresistible (2020) as Babs Garnett (uncredited)
- Bombshell in Concert (2020)
- The Dark Divide (2020) as Thea Pyle
- The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU (2020) as Self
- Tamron Hall (2019) as Self - Guest
- Stucco (2019) as Counselor
- Searching (2018) as Detective Vick
- Will & Grace (2017) as Grace Adler
- Dirty Dancing (2017) as Marjorie Houseman
- Match Game (2016) as Self - Panelist
- The $100,000 Pyramid (2016) as Self
- Albion: The Enchanted Stallion (2016) as The Queen
- Must See TV: An All Star Tribute to James Burrows (2016) as Self
- Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter (2015) as Self
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) as Self - Guest
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self
- Variety Studio: Actors on Actors (2014) as Self
- The Mysteries of Laura (2014) as Detective Laura Diamond
- Trailblazer Honors (2014) as Self
- Like Sunday, Like Rain (2014) as Barbara
- Smash (2012) as Julia Houston
- Billy on the Street (2011) as Self
- Project Accessory (2011) as Self - Guest Judge
- Sesame Street: Wild Words and Outdoor Adventures (2011)
- Wright vs. Wrong (2010) as Evelyn Wright
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (2009) as Self - Guest
- The Starter Wife (2008) as Molly Kagan
- The Women (2008) as Edie Cohen
- Nothing Like the Holidays (2008) as Sarah Rodriguez
- The Graham Norton Show (2007) as Self
- The Starter Wife (2007) as Molly Kagan
- Lucky You (2007) as Suzanne Offer
- Purple Violets (2007) as Kate Scott
- The One Show (2006) as Self
- The Megan Mullally Show (2006) as Self - Guest
- Open Season (2006) as Beth (voice)
- The Reichen Show (2005) as Self - Guest
- The Wedding Date (2005) as Kat Ellis
- Project Runway (2004) as Self - Guest Judge
- Project Runway (2004) as Self
- Garfield (2004) as Arlene (voice)
- Along Came Polly (2004) as Lisa Kramer
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) as Self
- The Mothman Prophecies (2002) as Mary Klein
- Hollywood Ending (2002) as Lori
- NBC 75th Anniversary Special (2002) as Self
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) as Alicia Harding
- Jesus (1999) as Mary Magdalene
- Jesus (1999) as Mary Magdalene
- Will & Grace (1998) as Grace Adler
- Celebrity (1998) as TV Reporter
- Prey (1998) as Dr. Sloan Parker
- King of the Hill (1997) as Mrs. Hilgren-Bronson (voice)
- The View (1997) as Self
- McHale's Navy (1997) as Lt. Penelope Carpenter
- Ned & Stacey (1995) as Stacey Colbert
- A Walk in the Clouds (1995) as Betty Sutton
- Partners (1995)
- MADtv (1995) as (uncredited)
- Extra (1994) as Self - Guest
- Inside the Actors Studio (1994) as Self
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) as Self - Guest
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992) as Self - Guest
- Seinfeld (1989) as Beth Lukner
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988) as Self - Guest
- Entertainment Tonight (1981)
- Today (1952) as Self