Jessica Capshaw
Born
Jessica Brooke Capshaw

(1976-08-09) August 9, 1976 (age 47)
Columbia, Missouri, U.S.
Alma materBrown University (BA)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • activist
  • entrepreneur
Years active1997–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2004)​
Children4
Parents
RelativesSteven Spielberg (stepfather)

Jessica Brooke Capshaw (born August 9, 1976) is an American actress known for her roles as Jamie Stringer in The Practice, and as Arizona Robbins on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy.

Early life

Capshaw was born on August 9, 1976, in Columbia, Missouri,[1] the daughter of actress and producer Kate Capshaw and Robert Capshaw, a sales manager, marketing director, business executive and high school principal.[citation needed] She is the stepdaughter of director Steven Spielberg, whom her mother married when Capshaw was 15.[2]

Capshaw graduated from Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles in 1994, then attended Brown University,[3] where she was in productions of Arcadia and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.[1] She graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in English literature.[1] During summers, she attended classes at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) in London,[4] where she appeared as Puck in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.[1]

Career

Capshaw had a minor role in the drama The Locusts (1997), co-starring her mother, at age 19,[1] then appeared in Adam Rifkin's independent film Denial (1998).[1] She played Dorothy Wheeler in the slasher film Valentine (2001), had a minor role in Minority Report (2002), then a lead role in Edward Burns's The Groomsmen (2006).[1]

In 2009, Capshaw became a regular on the medical drama Grey's Anatomy. It was announced in December 2008 that she would join the cast as pediatric surgeon Arizona Robbins for a multi-episode arc.[5] Initially scheduled to appear in only three episodes of the show's fifth season, series creator Shonda Rhimes extended her contract to appear in all of the season's remaining episodes,[6] and she became a series regular in the sixth season.[7]

Capshaw was established as a love interest for orthopedic surgery resident Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez). Rhimes was pleased with the chemistry between them, saying that the addition of Capshaw to the cast was an element of the season of which she was most proud: "I love Jessica Capshaw, and when I say love I mean love. She couldn't be a more wonderful person, and I feel like the chemistry Arizona and Callie have feels like the Meredith and Derek chemistry to me. I find them delightful to watch."[8] Initial media reaction was positive. Matt Mitovich of TV Guide called Capshaw a "fan favorite", and Chris Monfette of IGN praised the addition of "fresh, new characters" such as Robbins over the course of the season.[9][10][11]

In March 2018 Capshaw left Grey’s Anatomy, with the producers citing creative reasons.[12] She posted a statement on Twitter highlighting her character's significance: "She was one of the first members of the LGBTQ community to be represented in a series regular role on network television. Her impact on the world is permanent and forever."[13]

Personal life

Capshaw is married to Christopher Gavigan.[14] They have four children.[15]

In 2010, she posed nude for the May issue of Allure magazine.[16]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1997 The Locusts Patsy
1998 Denial Marcia
1999 The Love Letter Kelly
2000 Killing Cinderella Beth
2000 Big Time Claire Short film
2001 Valentine Dorothy Wheeler
2002 The Mesmerist Daisy Valdemar
2002 Minority Report Evanna
2003 View from the Top Royalty International Flight Attendant Uncredited
2006 The Groomsmen Jen
2007 Blind Trust Cassie Stewart
2014 The Hero of Color City Duck
2020 Holidate Abby
2022 Dear Zoe Elly Gladstone

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1999 ER Sally McKenna 1 episode: "Rites of Spring"
1999-2000 Odd Man Out Aunt Jordan Main cast
13 episodes
2001 The Back Page TV movie
2002-2004 The Practice Jamie Stringer Main cast
Season 7 & 8; 42 episodes
2005 How I Met Your Mother uncredited 1 episode: “Okay Awesome”
2005 Into the West Rachel Wheeler 1 episode: "Manifest Destiny"
2006 Thick and Thin Mary Unaired
2006 Bones Rebecca Stinson 2 episodes: "Mother and Child in the Bay", "The Truth in the Lye"
2007 The L Word Nadia Karella 3 episodes: "Livin' La Vida Loca", "Lassoed", "Layup"
2009 Head Case 1 episode: "Tying the Not"
2009–2018 Grey's Anatomy Arizona Robbins Recurring (Season 5)
Main Cast (Season 6–14) 214 episodes
2010 One Angry Juror Sarah Walsh TV movie
2022 Tell Me Lies CJ Albright

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Jessica Capshaw Biography". Broadway World. Wisdom Digital Media. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  2. ^ "Steven Spielberg Fast Facts". CNN. March 19, 2018. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  3. ^ "Reunion Report 1998". Brown Alumni Magazine. July–August 2003.
  4. ^ "Character Bios". ABC.com. Archived from the original on January 31, 2012.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ^ Ausiello, Michael (December 3, 2008). "'Grey's Anatomy' Exclusive: Eric Stoltz lands killer role". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
  6. ^ Ausiello, Michael (February 26, 2009). "'Grey's' exclusive: Jessica Capshaw inks contract!". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Archived from the original on September 28, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
  7. ^ Ausiello, Michael (June 17, 2009). "Exclusive: 'Grey's Anatomy' promotes Jessica Capshaw". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Archived from the original on August 6, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
  8. ^ Marsi, Steve. "Jessica Capshaw Promoted to Full Time Cast Member". TV Fanatic. SheKnows Entertainment. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
  9. ^ Mitovich, Matt (June 19, 2009). "ABC Makes It Official: Heigl Is Staying on Grey's". TV Guide. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
  10. ^ Monfette, Chris (May 29, 2009). "Grey's Anatomy: Season 5 Review". IGN. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
  11. ^ Ausiello, Michael (May 15, 2009). "Exclusive: 'Grey's' boss on finale's Izzie-George shocker, Mer-Der 'wedding,' and more!". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 6, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
  12. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 8, 2018). "'Grey's Anatomy' Shocker: Jessica Capshaw & Sarah Drew To Exit ABC Medical Drama After Season 14". Deadline. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  13. ^ @JessicaCapshaw (March 8, 2018). "For the past ten years..." Twitter. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  14. ^ "Christopher Gavigan". Penguin.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2013.
  15. ^ Park, Andrea (May 9, 2016). "Jessica Capshaw Welcomes Fourth Child. Daughter Josephine Kate". People.
  16. ^ The Naked Truth: 5 celebrities bare it all for Allure Allure. Archived on April 15, 2010.

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