Bonnie Somerville

Bonnie Somerville was born on February 26, 1974 in Brooklyn, New York, where she spent her childhood in the Bay Ridge neighborhood. From a young age she gravitated toward performing, starring in high‑school productions at Poly Prep Country Day School and cultivating a love for both acting and singing. After graduating, she pursued a degree in Musical Theatre at Boston College, refining her vocal technique and stagecraft. At twenty‑two, driven by ambition, she relocated to Los Angeles, assembled a rock‑pop band, and secured her first representation, setting the foundation for a dual career in screen acting and music.

Somerville’s on‑screen debut arrived as an extra in the 1996 political drama City Hall, but it was her recurring role as Mona, Ross Geller’s on‑again‑off‑again girlfriend, in seven episodes of Friends that introduced her to a broad audience. She subsequently anchored the short‑lived WB comedy Grosse Pointe (2000), starred in the CBS miniseries Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story (1999), and delivered memorable guest turns on NYPD Blue, The O.C. and Golden Boy. Her film résumé includes supporting parts in Bedazzled (2000), Spider‑Man 2 (2004), Without a Paddle (2004) and The Ugly Truth (2009). A talented vocalist, she contributed the track “Winding Road” to the Garden State soundtrack, sang backup on Joshua Radin’s debut album, and performed with the charity ensemble Band from TV. In recent years she portrayed Dr. Christa Lorenson in the first season of Code Black and appeared in Hallmark’s festive movie A Holiday Engagement (2011). Although a cameo filmed for A Star Is Born (2018) was cut, her versatile body of work continues to showcase her blend of comedic timing, dramatic depth, and musical artistry.