Jennifer Carpenter

Jennifer Carpenter (born December 7, 1979) is an esteemed American actress widely recognized for her stellar performances in numerous films and television series. Her role as titular character in the supernatural horror film The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) catapulted her to fame as 'scream queen'. In 2006, she played Debra Morgan in the crime drama series Dexter, a role that was reprised for the miniseries Dexter: New Blood in 2021–2022. Carpenter's notable critical accolades include an MTV Movie Award, a Saturn Award, a Critics' Choice Television Award nomination, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations. Beyond Dexter, her portfolio of television roles include Rebecca Harris in comedy drama series Limitless (2015–2016) and Erica Shepard in The Enemy Within (2019). Her filmography comprises of Angela Vidal in Quarantine (2008) and Sonya Blade in the direct-to-video Mortal Kombat films Scorpion's Revenge (2020) and Battle of the Realms (2021). Carpenter was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, and later moved to New York City to attend Juilliard School (Drama Division Group 31: 1998–2002). Before graduating from Juilliard, she found success in Broadway through a 2002 revival of Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Carpenter's acting career began with a 'gruelling' performance in The Exorcism of Emily Rose that earned her positive response from critics. Her TV role in Dexter also garnered critical acclaim. In 2014, Carpenter provided voice for a character and received much appreciation for her work in the survival horror video game The Evil Within. On July 13, 2021, Showtime confirmed her returning as Debra Morgan in Dexter: New Blood miniseries.