Jessica Elise De Gouw (born February 15, 1988) is an Australian actress. She is known for her role as Helena Bertinelli/The Huntress in the television series Arrow, as Mina Murray and Ilona in the NBC TV series Dracula, and as Elizabeth Hawkes in the WGN series Underground.
Early life De Gouw grew up in Lesmurdie, an eastern suburb of Perth, Western Australia, where she attended Lesmurdie Senior High School. She appeared in an episode of The Sleepover Club, as well as a short film. In 2010, she graduated from Curtin University with a degree in performance studies. She also appeared in another short film the same year.
Career After graduation, De Gouw moved to Sydney for her acting career. While there, she appeared in a number of TV series, mainly in guest starring roles.
In 2012, she debuted in the film Kath & Kimderella as Isabella, Kath and Kim's maid. She moved to Los Angeles later that year and landed the recurring role of Helena Bertinelli/The Huntress in the action-adventure series, Arrow.
In 2013, De Gouw was cast in the NBC series Dracula as Mina Murray alongside Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Oliver Jackson-Cohen. The series was cancelled after the first season.
In 2016, De Gouw was cast as fictional abolitionist Elizabeth Hawkes in the WGN series, Underground. She played the lead role Ren Amari in the 2017 feature film OtherLife based on the novel Solitaire by Kelley Eskridge.
De Gouw appeared in the 2018 Australian television movie Riot, about the 78ers, the Australian LGBTQ rights movement who fought for decriminalisation, recognition and equality.
She played the role of Sergeant Klintoff's wife, Louisa, in Leah Purcell's debut feature film, The Drover's Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson (2021).
On 11 July 2024, De Gouw was named for Stan Australia series Sunny Nights. On 31 January 2025 De Gouw was named as part of the cast for Netflix series The Survivors.
Personal life De Gouw was in a relationship for several years with her Dracula costar, Oliver Jackson-Cohen.
In a June 2022 interview, she described herself as queer and said that she was in a relationship with a woman. De Gouw and her girlfriend, hairstylist Sophie Roberts, spoke about the pair's relationship for the February edition of Vogue in 2023.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2009 Bedtime Stories Mother Short 2010 The Ballad of Nick Chopper Iva Short 2011 Works Well with Others Andrea Short2012 Kath & Kimderella Isabella The Dinner Meeting Natalie Short The Mystery of a Hansom Cab Madge TV film By Shank's Pony Short 2013 These Final Hours Zoe 2014 Cut Snake Paula 2015 The Rezort Melanie Gibbs 2017 OtherLife Ren Amari 2018 Riot Robyn Plaister TV film 2020 Gretel & Hansel Witch2021 The Walk Hero Short The Drover's Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson Louisa Klintoff 2023 The Portable Door Rosie Tanner 2024 The Union Juliet Quinn 2025You, AlwaysJen Bell
Television Year Title Role Notes 2006 The Sleepover Club Amanda Hart Episode: "Fallen Star"2011 Underbelly Constable Edie McElroy 3 episodes Crownies Melody Kingston 1 episode 2012 Tricky Business Yvette Bell Episode: "Opportunity Knocks" 2012–2014 Arrow Helena Bertinelli 4 episodes 2013–2014 Dracula Mina Murray/Ilona Series regular 2015 Deadline Gallipoli Vera Grant Mini-series2016–2017 Underground Elizabeth Hawkes Series regular The Last Tycoon Minna Davis 2 episodes 2017 Sparebnb Emma Episode: "Steve and Emma"2019 The Hunting Eliza Mini-series The Crown Lucy Lindsay-Hogg Episode: "Cri de Coeur" Vienna Blood Amelia Lydgate 3 episodes 2020 Operation Buffalo Eva Lloyd-George Series regular 2020–2021 Pennyworth Melanie Troy 5 episodes 2020–2022 The Secrets She Keeps Meghan Shaughnessy Series regular 2021 The Moth Effect Sephen Episode: "Celestial Graveyard"2023The Couple Next DoorBeckaLead roleThe Artful DodgerPeggy Gaines4 episodes2024Ladies in BlackFay JanosiSeries regular2025The SurvivorsOlivia "Liv" BirchTV seriesRecklessSharneTV seriesSunny NightsSusiTV series
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2019 Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Mini-series or Telemovie (with Damon Herriman, Kate Box, Xavier Samuel & Josh Quong Tart) Riot
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