Jessica Phillips
Born
Jessica Leigh Phillips

(1971-11-03) November 3, 1971
Nashville, Tennessee
Alma materEmerson College
(BFA, 1994)
OccupationActor
Spouse
Nicholas Rohlfing
​
(div. 2011)​
Tad Wilson
​
​
(m. 2017; div. 2021)​
Children2

Jessica Phillips (born November 3, 1971) is an American actress, best known for her roles in multiple Broadway shows and the role of Pippa Cox in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Early life and education

Phillips is the eldest daughter of Dr. Gary Phillips, a religious historian and writer, and Alice Phillips.[1][2] She was born in Nashville, Tennessee, but raised in Sutton, Massachusetts. Phillips was a competitive dancer before turning to acting, studying the Linklater Technique as a teen and later training under Kristin Linklater herself. Phillips attended the Worcester Academy in Worcester, Massachusetts, where she graduated in 1989.[3] She then earned a BFA in musical theatre in 1994 from Emerson College, where she studied under director Leo Nickole.

Career

Her first audition after college led to the role of Mrs. Walker in the Broadway touring company of The Who's Tommy.[4]

In 1999, she returned to Nashville for five years, where she appeared in the Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat musical and performed on radio as a demo singer.[5]

Phillips has starred in multiple Broadway shows, including all three versions of The Scarlet Pimpernel (Marguerite), Next to Normal (Diana), Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Marion), and most recently Leap of Faith (Marla).[6][4]

Phillips performed at the grand re-opening of Radio City Music Hall, hosted by Billy Crystal and has shared the stage with Billy Porter, Estelle Parsons, Marc Kudisch, Leslie Odom Jr., and Alice Ripley. She also starred as Ellen in the world premiere of Unknown Soldier at the Williamstown Theater Festival in 2015.[7] and as Michele Serling in Deathless by Zack Zadek at Goodspeed Musicals in 2017.[8]

Television

She has guest starred in several television series including Unforgettable, Royal Pains, and Elementary. Between 2013 and 2016, Phillips played attorney Pippa Cox in seven episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on NBC.[9] NBC nominated her for the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for the 2016 Emmy Awards, but she did not progress to the final round.[10]

Country music

With Tad Wilson, a former cast member (and her future husband), Phillips sang in the country duo, "10th & Carlisle."[11][12]

Personal life

Phillips has two sons, Jonah and Malcolm, from a prior marriage to Nicholas Rohlfing.[4] She married Tad Wilson on July 15, 2017, and the two split up in 2021. Phillips came out publicly as queer in February 2022.[13]

Theatre credits

Year Title Role Theatre Director(s) Ref.
1996 The Who's Tommy Mrs. Walker National Tour Victoria Bussert
1998–99 The Scarlet Pimpernel Ensemble (replacement) Minskoff Theatre Peter H. Hunt
1999–00 Neil Simon Theatre
2005-06 The Who's Tommy Mrs. Walker European Tour Dan Stewart
2009–10 Next to Normal Diana (understudy) Booth Theatre Michael Greif
2011–12 Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Marion Palace Theatre Simon Phillips
2012 Leap of Faith Marla McGowan St. James Theatre Christopher Ashley
2015 Unknown Soldier Ellen Williamstown Theater Festival
2017 Deathless Michele Serling Goodspeed Musicals Tina Landau
2018 Dear Evan Hansen Heidi Hansen U.S. National Tour Michael Greif
2019-2020 Music Box Theatre

• Credits in bold indicate Broadway production(s)

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2012 Bronx Warrants Adele Destefano Television film
2013 La vida inesperada Camarera Cantante
2015 Albert Cummings Project Diane Video short
2018 Absent Mind Kimberly Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2013 Unforgettable Melanie Lambert Episode: "Reunion"
2013–20 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit A.D.A. Pippa Cox 8 episodes
2014 Royal Pains Actress Episode: "A Bridge Not Quite Far Enough"
2017 Elementary Marine Archaeologist Episode: "Dead Man's Tale"
2021 Why Women Kill Joan Recurring role

References

  1. ↑ "Gary Phillips". Wabash College. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Gary A. Phillips". Vanderbilt Divinity School. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Law & Order Actress Jessica Phillips '89 Returns For May 7 Concert". Worcester Academy. April 11, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Gans, Andrew (April 20, 2012). "DIVA TALK: Chatting With Leap of Faith Star Jessica Phillips". Playbill. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Tad Wilson and Jessica Phillips Join For SOUTH OF BROADWAY Concert, 2/13". Broadway World. February 13, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Jessica Phillips Broadway and Theatre Credits". Broadway World. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  7. 1 2 Soloski, Alexis (August 10, 2015). "Review: In 'Unknown Soldier,' a War Echoes Through Generations". New York Times.
  8. ↑ Hetrick, Adam. "Jennifer Damiano and Jessica Phillips to Lead Goodspeed's Deathless". Playbill. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  9. 1 2 "Jessica Phillips - IMDb". IMDb.
  10. ↑ "2016 Emmy Ballot" (PDF). www.emmys.com.
  11. ↑ Daniel, Danica (April 26, 2012). "Jessica Phillips on Stepping Into the Spotlight Opposite Raúl Esparza in Leap of Faith". Broadway.com.
  12. ↑ "From Broadway to Country Music: 10th & Carlisle". Fox News. May 16, 2011.
  13. ↑ Gioia, Michael (February 24, 2022). "Dear Evan Hansen Star Jessica Phillips Is Rediscovering Herself at 50 as Part of the LGBTQ Community". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  14. ↑ Hetrick, Adam. "Jennifer Damiano and Jessica Phillips to Lead Goodspeed's Deathless". Playbill.com.
  15. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "Jessica Phillips Will Join Ben Levi Ross in National Tour of Dear Evan Hansen". Playbill.com.
  16. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "Jessica Phillips Joins Cast of Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen November 26" Playbill, November 26, 2019
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