Laura San Giacomo

Laura San Giacomo is an American actress whose career spans over three decades, marked by memorable roles in both film and television. Born on November 14, 1961 in West Orange, New Jersey, she grew up in an Italian‑American family and later earned a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University, where she honed her craft onstage before moving to New York. Early on she appeared in regional theatre productions such as The Tempest and Romeo and Juliet, earning praise for her ability to bring depth to even minor parts, and she quickly transitioned to television with guest spots on Crime Story and Miami Vice in the late 1980s. Her breakthrough came with Steven Soderbergh’s groundbreaking indie film Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989), a role that earned her an Independent Spirit Award and a Golden Globe nomination, establishing her as a rising talent in Hollywood. The following year she captured audiences as Kit De Luca, the witty roommate to Julia Roberts’s character in the blockbuster Pretty Woman, a performance that contributed to the film’s $178 million box‑office success. Throughout the 1990s she demonstrated range with parts in Quigley Down Under, The Stand miniseries, and Nina Takes a Lover, while also lending her voice to the animated series Gargoyles. In 1997 she joined the cast of the sitcom Just Shoot Me! as the sharp‑tongued journalist Maya Gallo, a role that earned her a Golden Globe nomination and kept her in the public eye for six seasons. After the show ended, San Giacomo continued to work steadily, appearing in guest spots on series such as Veronica Mars, starring in the drama Saving Grace, and recurring as Dr. Grace Confalone on NCIS through 2024. Off screen she is known for her advocacy work on behalf of people with cerebral palsy, inspired by her son Mason’s condition, and she serves on the boards of several charitable organizations. Her long‑standing dedication to both her craft and philanthropy makes her a respected figure in the entertainment industry.