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Jessica Capshaw
Born
Jessica Brooke Capshaw

(1976-08-09) August 9, 1976 (age 48)
Alma mater Brown University (BA)
Occupation
  • Actress
  • activist
  • entrepreneur
Years active 1997–present
Spouse(s)
Christopher Gavigan
(m. 2004)
Children 4
Parents
Relatives Steven Spielberg (stepfather)

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

Early life

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

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

Career

Capshaw had a minor role in the drama The Locusts (1997), co-starring her mother, at age 19, then appeared in Adam Rifkin's independent film Denial (1998). 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).

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. 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, and she became a series regular in the sixth season.

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." 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.

In March 2018, Capshaw left Grey’s Anatomy, with the producers citing creative reasons. 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."

Personal life

Capshaw is married to Christopher Gavigan. They have four children.

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Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1997 The Locusts Patsy
1998 Denial Marcia
1999 The Love Letter Kelly
2000 Killing Cinderella Beth
Big Time Claire Short film
2001 Valentine Dorothy Wheeler
2002 The Mesmerist Daisy Valdemar
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 Benson
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
Seasons 7 & 8; 42 episodes
2005 How I Met Your Mother uncredited 1 episode: “Okay Awesome”
Into the West Rachel Wheeler 1 episode: "Manifest Destiny"
2006 Thick and Thin Mary Unaired
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; 2024 Grey's Anatomy Dr. Arizona Robbins Recurring (Season 5)
Main Cast (Seasons 6–14)
Guest star (Season 20); 214 episodes
2010 One Angry Juror Sarah Walsh TV movie
2022 Tell Me Lies CJ Albright

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Jessica Capshaw para niños

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