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 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 and the TV series of the same name, 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), 13: The Musical (2022), and The Alto Knights (2025). She has also lent her voice to animated films such as Garfield (2004) and Open Season (2006).
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Early life and education
Messing was born in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Sandra Ellen (née Simons), who worked as a professional singer, banker, and travel and real estate agent, and Brian Messing, a sales executive for a costume jewellery packaging manufacturer. Her family is Jewish, and her ancestors emigrated to the U.S. from Russia; Przecław, Poland; and London, England. Messing had a Bat Mitzvah ceremony. When Messing was three, she moved with her parents and her older brother, Brett, to East Greenwich, Rhode Island.
While Messing's parents encouraged her dream of becoming an actress, they also urged her to complete a liberal arts education before deciding on acting as a career. Following their advice, she attended Brandeis University, where, at her parents' request, three-quarters of her courses were not theater-related.
In 1990, after graduating summa cum laude from Brandeis with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts, Messing gained admission to the elite Grad Acting Program at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, which accepts 16 new students annually. She earned a Master of Fine Arts after three years.
Career
In 1993, Messing won acclaim for her performance as Harper in the pre-Broadway workshop production of Tony Kushner's play Angels in America: Perestroika. Subsequently, she appeared in several episodes of the television series NYPD Blue during 1994 and 1995.
In 1995, Messing made her film debut in Alfonso Arau's A Walk in the Clouds playing the unfaithful wife of main character Paul Sutton (Keanu Reeves). This exposure led Fox to make her the co-star of the television sitcom Ned & Stacey. The series lasted for two seasons, from 1995 to 1997. Messing appeared as Jerry Seinfeld's romantic interest in two episodes of the series Seinfeld: "The Wait Out" in 1996 and "The Yada Yada" in 1997. Messing turned down a starring role in another television sitcom to appear in Donald Margulies's two-character play Collected Stories, which opened at the off-Broadway Manhattan Theatre Club. She also co-starred in the Tom Arnold vehicle McHale's Navy in 1997.
In 1998, Messing played a lead role as the bioanthropologist Sloan Parker on ABC's dramatic science-fiction television series Prey. During this time, her agent approached her with the pilot script for the television show Will & Grace. Messing was inclined to take some time off, but the script intrigued her, and she auditioned for the role of Grace Adler, beating Nicollette Sheridan, who later guest-starred on the show as Grace's romantic rival. Will & Grace became a ratings success, and Messing received critical acclaim for her performance.
Director Woody Allen cast Messing in a supporting role in his film Hollywood Ending (2002). Her film roles since include Richard Gere's ill-fated wife in the supernatural thriller The Mothman Prophecies (2002) and a supporting role as an unfaithful bride in Along Came Polly (2004). The Wedding Date (2005) was Messing's first leading role in a high-profile film. It received mixed reviews but performed fairly well at the box office.
Messing was featured as a judge on the season finale of the second season of Bravo's reality show Project Runway. Also in 2005, along with Megan Mullally, she was awarded the Women in Film Lucy Award in recognition of her excellence and innovation in her creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television.
Activism
In 2004, Messing started working on political campaigns by knocking on doors and making phone calls. She has frequently criticized Donald Trump since his presidential run in 2016. She was a part of "the Resistance" during the first Trump administration, and has championed liberal causes such as LGBTQ rights.
In 2018, Messing and Mandana Dayani founded a nonpartisan organization called "I am a voter" to educate and mobilize voters. As of July 2022, Messing supported the Democratic Party, but has since said that she feels she no longer has a political home and considers herself "party-less".
Gaza war
Messing has been a vocal supporter of Israel since the October 7 attacks. In November 2023, she gave a speech at the March for Israel in Washington, D.C. During a video call between 30 Jewish celebrities and TikTok executives that included Messing, she questioned why the anti-Zionist slogan "from the river to the sea" was not blocked by TikTok. On a December 2023 trip to Israel organized by the Creative Community for Peace, Messing met with members of the Israeli military and families of the hostages.
Some social media users have expressed gratitude to Messing for sharing stories about the hostages and their families, while others have criticized her posts about the Gaza war as disregarding the Gaza humanitarian crisis and the Palestinian death toll. In January 2024, Messing was criticized for mocking Palestinian journalist Motaz Azaiza over his decision to leave the Gaza Strip amid Israel's killing of journalists.
Messing has signed open letters related to the Gaza war, including letters criticizing Jonathan Glazer's Oscars acceptance speech for The Zone of Interest, Bisan Owda's Emmy nomination, and the Film Workers for Palestine boycott of Israeli film institutions.
Messing appeared in and served as executive producer for October 8, a 2025 documentary about antisemitism during the Gaza war.
Personal life
Messing met Daniel Zelman, an actor and screenwriter, on their first day as graduate students at New York University in 1990. They were married on September 3, 2000, and lived in Manhattan. They have a son. In 2011, she and Zelman separated, and were officially divorced in 2016. Messing dated her Smash co-star Will Chase from the end of 2011 to October 2014.
Filmography
Awards and nominations
Messing's most honored role is as Grace Adler on Will & Grace, which earned her seven Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Lead Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical; five Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, one of which she won in 2003; and seven Screen Actors Guild Award nominations: two for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series and five for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series – winning one in 2001.
Honors
2005: Nominated for Favorite Funny Female Star by the People's Choice Awards.
2005: Honored with the Lucy Award, by the Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards – to recognize women and men and their creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television.
2017: Honored with the Excellence in Media Award by the GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) – to individuals in the media and entertainment industries who through their work have increased the visibility and understanding of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community.
2017: Inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame and received a star for her contribution to Television – located at 6201 Hollywood Blvd.
2024: Was named one of 18 “American Zionist Women You Should Know” by Hadassah Foundation, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America.
2024: Received the Hadassah Foundation’s Honor of Esther: Women of Courage, Inspiration, and Commitment Award, for her public advocacy and leadership on issues affecting Jewish people and Israel, as well as supporting the fight against antisemitism.
2025: Honored with the Israeli Film Festival Achievement In Film And Television Award.