Jessica Weixler (born June 8, 1981) is an American actress. She played Dawn O'Keefe in the comedy horror film Teeth and Jordan in the comedy The Big Bad Swim and played the role of defense lawyer for Lyle Menendez in the Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.

Early life Born in Louisville, Kentucky on June 8, 1981,"Horoscopes: Birthday Gal". The Macon Telegraph. June 8, 2014. p. G2. Retrieved April 8, 2025. "Actress Jess Weixler was born in Louisville, Ky., on this date in 1981. This birthday gal currently co-stars as Robyn Burdine on 'The Good Wife.' She’s also guest-starred on 'Law and Order,' 'Medium' and 'Everwood.' On the big screen, Weixler’s film resume includes such films as 'Best Man Down,' 'Peter and Vandy' and 'The Big Bad Swim.' Weixler is the only child of Mark Weixler, a photo re-toucher, and Donna Emerick, a nurse. The couple divorced shortly after her birth and Weixler was raised by her father in and around Louisville.Egerton, Julie (February 7, 2007). "Film Clips: Atherton grad honored for role with 'Teeth'". The Courier-Journal. p. E1. Retrieved April 8, 2025. "Weixler, 25, is a former Walden Theatre student and Atherton High School graduate with a theater arts degree from the Juilliard School of New York City. She is the only child of Donna Emerick, a nurse at Highlands Adult Day Care Center for Alzheimer's patients in Louisville, and Mark Weixler, a photographic retoucher and former Louisvillian who now lives in Florida. Her parents divorced when Weixler was young."Ordoña, Michael (October 8, 2009). "Finding Order: In the time-jumbled ‘Peter and Vandy,’ the young actress delights in putting together the pieces of a romantic-comedy puzzle". The Los Angeles Times. She attended Westport Middle School and graduated from Atherton High School in 1999.Preston, Gayle (March 3, 1993). "Learning to Branch Out; Westport Middle humanites/arts program lauded". The Courier-Journal. p. 29. Retrieved April 8, 2025. "Jessica Weixler, 11, and Tim Beem, 12, worked on a mobile at Westport Middle School last week. The sixth-grade class was finding new uses for things that otherwise would be thrown away."Elson, Martha (February 15, 1999). "Around the World: Eastern Jefferson". The Courier-Journal. p. B2. Retrieved April 8, 2025. "Jessica Weixler of the Worthington area is the state winner of the English Speaking Union's Shakespeare Monologue Contest, which was held Feb. 7 at Actors Theatre of Louisville. The Atherton High School senior will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to New York to represent Kentucky in the national contest, which will be April 23–25 at Lincoln Center. Jessica has been a company member of Walden Theatre for five years.""The Atherton High School Alumni Association: 17th Annual Hall of Fame Banquet; Congratulations 2018 Hall of Fame Inductees!". The Courier-Journal. October 7, 2018. p. E2. Retrieved April 8, 2025. During that period, she also attended the Walden Theatre Conservatory Program."Weekend Calendar". The Courier-Journal Weekend Extra. October 17, 1997. p. 13. Retrieved April 8, 2025. "Jessica Weixler, left, and Sarah Teeple appear in Walden Theatre's 'Jack!' a musical that unravels the mystery of Jack the Ripper, at 7:30 p.m. today and tomorrow at the Kentucky Center for the Arts." In addition, she was in The River City Players acting group and the Chamber Singers choral group. Subsequently, she attended Juilliard, graduating in 2003 with a BA in theater arts. While there, Weixler befriended classmate—and future onscreen sibling—Jessica Chastain and was a participant during the first year of Bruce Brubaker's InterArts performance project.

Career In November 2003, Weixler made her prime time TV debut alongside David Morse, Andre Braugher and Robert Pastorelli in "Blind Faith", an episode in the CBS crime series, Hack, in which key murder witness Weixler finds her own life under attack even as her sanity is questioned.Dorsey, Tom (November 14, 2003). "Atherton grad stars on 'Hack' episode". The Courier-Journal. p. 22. Retrieved April 8, 2025. "'It was so cool acting with David Morse, Andre Braugher and Robert Pastorelli,' said Jess Weixler, a 1999 Atherton High School graduate from Louisville who has a major role in 'Hack' tomorrow night at 9 on CBS. Weixler, 22, who once performed at Walden Theatre, plays a young woman who witnesses a murder and finds herself being railroaded into an insane asylum and pursued by a killer to keep her from testifying. The 2003 graduate of the Juilliard School in New York has had roles in 'All My Children' and 'Guiding Light and has appeared in a T.J. Maxx TV/RADIO CRITIC commercial. But 'Hack' is her primetime TV debut." In 2007 Weixler was nominated for a Breakthrough Award at the Gotham Awards, and won the Special Jury Prize "for a juicy and jaw-dropping performance" at the Sundance Film Festival, both for her role in Teeth. She also appeared in the TV series Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In January 2009, she was named by New York magazine as the "New Indie Queen" of the year and one of the fourteen "New Yorkers you need to know".

In 2013, she joined the cast of CBS series The Good Wife, playing investigator Robyn Burdine. That same year she appeared in The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby as the title character's sister. The part was written specifically for her.

Weixler next turned her hand to writing, penning the script for Apartment Troubles with her friend, and former roommate Jennifer Prediger. The two co-directed and co-starred in the movie. Apartment Troubles premiered at the 2014 Los Angeles Film Festival. It was picked up by Gravitas Ventures and given theatrical and VOD distribution in March 2015.

In June 2015, she joined the cast of Money, directed by Martin Rosete and produced by Atit Shah.

She played Audra Phillips in the sequel It Chapter Two.

Personal life In December 2015, Weixler married Hamish Brocklebank, an English businessman and co-founder of Flooved, a school textbook distribution company."Start-up Stays Afloat by Ditching Shore". Evening Standard. February 13, 2013. p. A41. Retrieved April 9, 2025. "Hamish Brocklebank and Nicolas Philippe, founders of educational start-up Flooved, have taken to London’s waterways to launch their venture — on board HMS President. [...] The pair want Flooved — an online subscription service giving university students access to textbooks, journals and course notes — to become the 'Netflix of academia'." In 2019 their first daughter was born.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes2005Little ManhattanTV Cowgirl2006Jordan Gallagher2007TeethDawn O'KeefeGoodbye BabyDenise2009Peter and VandyVandyAlexander the LastAlexWelcome to AcademiaSophieToday's SpecialCarrie2010As Good as DeadAmyUncreditedA WomanJulieAudrey the TrainwreckTammyYesWomanShort film2011The LieCloverGinnyShort filmPeripheryMadison2012Somebody Up There Likes MeLylaFree SamplesJillianBest Man DownKristinThe NormalsGretchen2013Katy RigbySummer2014Listen Up PhilipHolly KaneKaty RigbyApartment TroublesNicole2015LambLinny2016Sister CitiesAustin BaxterMoneySylvia 2017EntanglementHanna WeathersWho We Are NowGabby2019Chained for LifeMabelJane Long It Chapter TwoAudra Phillips 2020AvaJudy Faulkner Fully Realized HumansJackieAlso writer and associate producer2021The Eyes of Tammy FayeMakeup Artist (voice)2026Let's LoveJess

Television Year Title Role Notes2003 Guiding Light Caroline Boyle 1 Episode Hack Martha Skulnick Episode: "Blind Faith" 2004 Everwood Nikki Episode: "Do or Die" 2005Law & Order: Criminal Intent Amy Buckley Episode: "In the Wee Small Hours" 2009 Laura Green Episode: "The Glory That Was..."2010 Medium Mandy Sutton Episode: "An Everlasting Love" Law & Order Carrie Newton Episode: "Brilliant Disguise" 2013–2014 Robyn Burdine Recurring role (19 episodes) 2017–2019 The Son Sally McCullough Main role 2018 Deception Joan Episode: "Escapology"2024Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez StoryJill Lansing3 episodes

Web Year Title Role Notes 2020 Day by Day Riley's Mom (voice) 2 episodes

References

External links