---
name: "Debra Messing"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/debra-messing"
fi1m_id: "debra-messing"
imdb_id: "nm0005226"
tmdb_id: 23959
wikidata_id: "Q228739"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "15 August 1968"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-10-05T04:54:08.352345+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Debra Messing

## Identity

Debra Messing

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/debra-messing
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** debra-messing
- **IMDb ID:** nm0005226
- **TMDB ID:** 23959
- **Wikidata ID:** Q228739
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debra_Messing, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q228739, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005226/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/23959

Actor. Born 15 August 1968 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 15 August 1968, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
- **Also known as:** Дебра Мессинг, Debra Lynn Messing, デブラ・メッシング, 戴博拉·梅西, دبرا مسینگ
- **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 1 Emmy (1 won)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debra_Messing, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q228739, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005226/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/23959

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Open Season*](https://film.one/film/open-season.md) (49)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Debra Messing is an American actress. She was born on 15 August 1968 in Brooklyn, New York City. She graduated from Brandeis University and earned an MFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Messing first gained attention in the television series *Ned and Stacey* (1995–1997) and *Prey* (1998). Her breakthrough came as Grace Adler in the NBC sitcom *Will & Grace* (1998–2006, 2017–2020), for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2003. She later starred in *The Starter Wife* (2007–2008), *Smash* (2012–2013) and *The Mysteries of Laura* (2014–2016).

Her film credits include *A Walk in the Clouds* (1995), *The Mothman Prophecies* (2002), *Along Came Polly* (2004), *The Wedding Date* (2005) and *Searching* (2018). She provided the voice of Beth in the animated film *Open Season* (2006).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Open Season* (2006), Fi1m 49, as Beth (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/open-season.md)

## Complete filmography (43)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Alto Knights* (2025), as Bobbie Costello
- *October 8* (2025), 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
- *Stucco* (2019), as Counselor
- *Searching* (2018), as Detective Vick
- *Will & Grace* (2017), series, as Grace Adler
- *Dirty Dancing* (2017), as Marjorie Houseman
- *Albion: The Enchanted Stallion* (2016), as The Queen
- *The Mysteries of Laura* (2014), series, as Detective Laura Diamond
- *Like Sunday, Like Rain* (2014), as Barbara
- *Smash* (2012), series, as Julia Houston
- *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 Starter Wife* (2008), series, as Molly Kagan
- *The Women* (2008), as Edie Cohen
- *The Starter Wife* (2007), series, as Molly Kagan
- *Lucky You* (2007), as Suzanne Offer
- *Purple Violets* (2007), as Kate Scott
- *Open Season* (2006), as Beth (voice) — Fi1m 49, [page](https://film.one/film/open-season.md)
- *The Wedding Date* (2005), as Kat Ellis
- *Garfield* (2004), as Arlene (voice)
- *Along Came Polly* (2004), as Lisa Kramer
- *Hollywood Ending* (2002), as Lori
- *The Mothman Prophecies* (2002), as Mary Klein
- *Jesus* (1999), as Mary Magdalene
- *Jesus* (1999), series, as Mary Magdalene
- *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Alicia Harding
- *Celebrity* (1998), as TV Reporter
- *Will & Grace* (1998), series, as Grace Adler
- *Prey* (1998), series, as Dr. Sloan Parker
- *McHale's Navy* (1997), as Lt. Penelope Carpenter
- *King of the Hill* (1997), series, as Mrs. Hilgren-Bronson (voice) — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/king-of-the-hill-1997.md)
- *MADtv* (1995), series, as (uncredited)
- *Ned & Stacey* (1995), series, as Stacey Colbert
- *Partners* (1995), series, Actor
- *A Walk in the Clouds* (1995), as Betty Sutton
- *Seinfeld* (1989), series, as Beth Lukner — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/seinfeld.md)

## Gallery

- ![Debra Messing at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Woody Allen's Whatever Works.](https://film.one/media/person/1340346/gallery-d6acb4cbaf20.jpg) Debra Messing at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Woody Allen's Whatever Works. — David Shankbone, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Debra_Messing_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_Festival_3.jpg/1280px-Debra_Messing_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_Festival_3.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Debra Messing at the Vanity Fair party to kick of the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.](https://film.one/media/person/1340346/gallery-cfd342e14a30.jpg) Debra Messing at the Vanity Fair party to kick of the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival. — David Shankbone, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Debra_Messing_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_Festival.jpg/1280px-Debra_Messing_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_Festival.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Debra Messing at the "Whatever Works" Premiere, Tribeca Film Festival 2009](https://film.one/media/person/1340346/gallery-d20c25c3dc0d.jpg) Debra Messing at the "Whatever Works" Premiere, Tribeca Film Festival 2009 — Rubenstein, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Debra_Messing_%28April_2009%29_3.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Debra Messing at the Vanity Fair kickoff part for the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.](https://film.one/media/person/1340346/gallery-45e91f264c6a.jpg) Debra Messing at the Vanity Fair kickoff part for the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival. — David Shankbone, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/56/Debra_Messing_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_Festival_2.jpg/1280px-Debra_Messing_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_Festival_2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Debra Messing](https://film.one/media/person/1340346/gallery-14fa3f278c4c.jpg) Debra Messing — Image via TMDB
- ![Debra Messing at the Vanity Fair party to kick of the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.](https://film.one/media/person/1340346/gallery-12952d2d44e1.jpg) Debra Messing at the Vanity Fair party to kick of the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival. — David Shankbone, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Debra_Messing_Shankbone_2009_Vanity_Fair.jpg/1280px-Debra_Messing_Shankbone_2009_Vanity_Fair.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Debra Messing](https://film.one/media/person/1340346/gallery-bf1daf3f3f1c.jpg) Debra Messing — Mingle Media TV, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Debra_Messing_July_13_2014_cropped_and_lighting_corrected.jpg/1280px-Debra_Messing_July_13_2014_cropped_and_lighting_corrected.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Primetime Emmy Awards — 1 won

- 2003: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (won), for *Will & Grace*

### SAG Awards — 5 won

- 2004: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (won), for *Will & Grace*
- 2003: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (won), for *Will & Grace*
- 2002: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (won), for *Will & Grace*
- 2001: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (won), for *Will & Grace*
- 2000: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (won), for *Will & Grace*

### Other awards — 6 won

- TV Guide Award 2016: TV Guide Award (won)
- TV Guide Award 2012: TV Guide Award (won), for *Smash*
- Lucy Award 2005: Lucy Award (won)
- Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy 2003: Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (won), for *Will & Grace*
- Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy 2002: Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (won), for *Will & Grace*
- TV Guide Award 2001: TV Guide Award (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/debra-messing