Krysten Ritter

Krysten Alyce Ritter, born December 16, 1981, is an accomplished American actress who has made notable contributions to both television and cinema. She kick-started her acting career in 2001, following an initial modeling stint. Ritter first appeared on the television series 'Veronica Mars' (2005–2006) and 'Gilmore Girls' (2006–2007). Her breakthrough role was in the AMC drama series 'Breaking Bad' (2009–2010) as Jane Margolis, a character she later reprised in its spinoff film 'El Camino' (2019). She later starred in the ABC sitcom 'Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23' (2012–2013) before tackling the title character in the superhero series 'Jessica Jones' (2015–2019) and miniseries 'The Defenders' (2017). Ritter continued her successful foray into film with roles in multiple romantic comedies such as '27 Dresses' (2007), 'What Happens in Vegas' (2008), and 'Confessions of a Shopaholic' (2009). Beyond acting, Ritter serves as a singer and guitarist for the indie rock duo Ex Vivian and dove into the literary world with the psychological thriller novel 'Bonfire' in 2017.

Ritter was born in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, to Garry Ritter and Kathi Taylor and raised in rural Shickshinny, Pennsylvania. Her first introduction to showbiz came when she was scouted by a modeling agent at the age of 15. She then traveled to high fashion metropolises like New York City, Tokyo, Paris, and Milan for her modeling work. Her transition into acting was kickstarted with a Wendy's commercial and she would later earn bit part roles starting in 2001, leading to a critically acclaimed role in a 2003 Mona Lisa Smile. She continued to hone her craft through numerous TV guest-starring roles and recurring characters before achieving her major breakthrough with Breaking Bad. She also dabbled in writing and producing, exemplified by the 2011 comedy 'Life Happens'. Despite achievements in film and TV, Ritter maintains her musical pursuits within the Ex Vivian duo, and has concurrently embarked on a literary career with her debut novel.