Jessica Hecht
Encyclopedia
Jessica Hecht is an American
actress, known for numerous Broadway appearances and TV roles.
, the daughter of Lenore, a psychotherapist, and Richard Hecht, a physicist
. Jessica moved with her parents and her sister to Bloomfield, CT, at the age of three. Following the divorce of her parents, her mother remarried when Jessica was twelve and she and her sister Elizabeth, fourteen, were brought up by her mother and her step-father Howard Iger, a psychiatrist, who had custody of his two young children Andrea age five and Russell age 3. The new family grew quite close and Jessica had the support of all three parents as she struggled to become an actress. She graduated in 1987 from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts
, earning a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Drama.
She has made appearances in television shows such as ER
, Seinfeld
, Once and Again
, Law & Order
, Breaking Bad
, Bored to Death
and The Good Wife; and in movies such as Sideways
, Anarchy TV
, Kicking and Screaming and Starting Out in the Evening
. Hecht is perhaps best known for her recurring role on Friends
as Susan Bunch, the lesbian
life partner of Ross Geller
's ex-wife, Carol Willick.
She was also a featured cast member in the Jonathan Silverman
sitcom The Single Guy
.
Hecht starred in a supporting role as Amy Burns in the 2007 comedy-drama Dan in Real Life
, co-starring with Steve Carell
and Juliette Binoche
, and also in 2009's Whatever Works
directed by Woody Allen
.
She most recently appeared in A View From The Bridge
on Broadway
with Scarlett Johansson
and Liev Schrieber, which wrapped on April 4, 2010. She also has a semi-recurring role as Gretchen Schwartz on the popular AMC drama series Breaking Bad
, and appeared in a guest role on Desperate Housewives in 2011.
, a U.S. film director, since 1995. They have two children together, Stella and Carlo Bernstein.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress, known for numerous Broadway appearances and TV roles.
Background
Hecht was born in Princeton, New JerseyPrinceton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, the daughter of Lenore, a psychotherapist, and Richard Hecht, a physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
. Jessica moved with her parents and her sister to Bloomfield, CT, at the age of three. Following the divorce of her parents, her mother remarried when Jessica was twelve and she and her sister Elizabeth, fourteen, were brought up by her mother and her step-father Howard Iger, a psychiatrist, who had custody of his two young children Andrea age five and Russell age 3. The new family grew quite close and Jessica had the support of all three parents as she struggled to become an actress. She graduated in 1987 from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....
, earning a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Drama.
She has made appearances in television shows such as ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, Once and Again
Once and Again
Once and Again is an American television series that aired on ABC from September 21, 1999 to April 15, 2002. It depicts the family of a single mother and her romance with a single father...
, Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
, Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is an American television drama series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White , a struggling high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with advanced lung cancer at the beginning of the series...
, Bored to Death
Bored to Death
Bored to Death is an American comedy series, which premiered on HBO on September 20, 2009. , three seasons have aired, each consisting of eight episodes. The show was created by author Jonathan Ames, and stars Jason Schwartzman as a fictional Jonathan Ames – a writer based in Brooklyn, New York...
and The Good Wife; and in movies such as Sideways
Sideways
Sideways is a 2004 comedy-drama film written by Jim Taylor and Alexander Payne and directed by Payne. Adapted from Rex Pickett's 2004 novel of the same name, Sideways follows two forty-something year old men, portrayed by Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church, who take a week-long road trip to...
, Anarchy TV
Anarchy TV
Anarchy TV is a 1998 low budget, independent comedy film. It was directed by Jonathan Blank, and features Alan Thicke, Jessica Hecht, Jonathan Penner, Tamayo Otsuki, and Ahmet, Dweezil, Diva and Moon Unit Zappa...
, Kicking and Screaming and Starting Out in the Evening
Starting Out in the Evening
Starting Out in the Evening is a 2007 American drama film directed by Andrew Wagner. The screenplay by Wagner and Fred Parnes is based on the novel of the same name by Brian Morton.-Plot:...
. Hecht is perhaps best known for her recurring role on Friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
as Susan Bunch, the lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
life partner of Ross Geller
Ross Geller
Ross Eustace Geller, Ph.D. is a fictional character on the popular U.S. television series Friends, portrayed by David Schwimmer. The character is noted for his geeky, lovable demeanor.- Origin :...
's ex-wife, Carol Willick.
She was also a featured cast member in the Jonathan Silverman
Jonathan Silverman
-Personal life:Silverman was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Devora and Hillel Emanuel Silverman, a rabbi. He is the grandson of famous Conservative Rabbi Morris Silverman. David Schwimmer was his best friend in high school. He is married to actress Jennifer Finnigan who he briefly co...
sitcom The Single Guy
The Single Guy
The Single Guy is an American television sitcom that ran for two seasons on NBC, from September 1995 to April 1997. It starred Jonathan Silverman as struggling New York City writer Jonathan Eliot, and followed several of his close friends The series also starred Joey Slotnick as Eliot's best...
.
Hecht starred in a supporting role as Amy Burns in the 2007 comedy-drama Dan in Real Life
Dan in Real Life
Dan in Real Life is a 2007 American comedy-drama film directed by Peter Hedges, starring Steve Carell and Juliette Binoche.-Plot:Dan Burns is a newspaper advice columnist, a widower, and a controlling father to his children Jane, Cara and Lilly in the New Jersey suburbs. His column is in...
, co-starring with Steve Carell
Steve Carell
Steven John "Steve" Carell is an American comedian, actor, voice artist, producer, writer, and director. Although Carell is notable for his role on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he found greater fame in the late 2000s for playing Michael Scott on The Office...
and Juliette Binoche
Juliette Binoche
Juliette Binoche is a French actress, artist and dancer. She has appeared in more than 40 feature films, been recipient of numerous international accolades, is a published author and has appeared on stage across the world. Coming from an artistic background, she began taking acting lessons during...
, and also in 2009's Whatever Works
Whatever Works
Whatever Works is a 2009 American comedy film directed and written by Woody Allen, starring Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson, Ed Begley, Jr., Michael McKean, and Henry Cavill.-Plot:...
directed by Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
.
She most recently appeared in A View From The Bridge
A View from the Bridge
A View from the Bridge is a play by American playwright Arthur Miller that was first staged on September 29, 1955 as a one-act verse drama with A Memory of Two Mondays at the Coronet Theatre on Broadway. The play was unsuccessful and Miller subsequently revised the play to contain two acts; this...
on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
with Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson is an American actress, model and singer.Johansson made her film debut in North and was later nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead for her performance in Manny & Lo . She rose to further prominence with her roles in The Horse Whisperer and Ghost World...
and Liev Schrieber, which wrapped on April 4, 2010. She also has a semi-recurring role as Gretchen Schwartz on the popular AMC drama series Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is an American television drama series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White , a struggling high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with advanced lung cancer at the beginning of the series...
, and appeared in a guest role on Desperate Housewives in 2011.
Personal
She has been married to Adam BernsteinAdam Bernstein
Adam Bernstein is an American film, music video and television director and screenwriter. He was born in Princeton, New Jersey...
, a U.S. film director, since 1995. They have two children together, Stella and Carlo Bernstein.