Gloria Elizabeth Reuben (born June 9, 1964) is a Canadian actress, producer, and singer. She is well-known for her role as Jeanie Boulet on the medical drama ER (1995–1999, 2008), for which she was twice nominated for an Emmy Award, and for portraying Elizabeth Keckley in the 2012 Steven Spielberg–directed film Lincoln.

She has featured in films such as Timecop (1994), Nick of Time (1995), Admission (2013), and Reasonable Doubt (2014). She played Krista Gordon on Mr. Robot (2015–2019), as well as a recurring character on City on a Hill (2019–2021). She also played Adina Johnson on Cloak & Dagger from 2018 to 2019. Beginning in 2025, she is a series regular on Boston Blue.

Early life and education Gloria Elizabeth Reuben was born on June 9, 1964 in Toronto, Ontario, to Pearl Avis (Mills), a classical singer, and Cyril George Reuben, a civil engineer. Her parents are both Jamaican-born. Her father was mostly Jewish (with Ashkenazi and Sephardi roots), though he also had some African ancestry; her mother is of mostly African descent.Stated on Finding Your Roots, PBS, September 23, 2014 Her father, an elderly widower with five adult children when he married her mother, died when she was young. Her parents had split up before his death. Reuben was the subject of a segment of Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s television genealogy series Finding Your Roots.

Gloria was one of six children. Her older half-brother, Denis Simpson, was an actor and children's television host and died in 2010. Her younger brother David died in 1988. Reuben details her relationship and experience with the deaths of her brothers in her 2019 memoir My Brothers' Keeper.

Reuben began learning piano as a child and later studied music technique and theory, ballet, and jazz at the Royal Conservatory of Music.

Career

Screen acting Reuben began her career as an actress after having a few jobs as a model and in television advertisements.

Reuben came to prominence on the American television series ER as Jeanie Boulet, an HIV-positive physician assistant on the hospital's staff. She was a guest star throughout the first season and was promoted to full-time cast member at the beginning of the second. She continued that role until early in the sixth season. In 2008, Reuben returned to ER for one episode during its 14th season. She has stated that this role led to her HIV/AIDS activism.KTLA Morning Show interview, October 9, 2008. In 1996, she was chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World.

Reuben again held a major role in a television series when she starred as FBI agent Brooke Haslett in 1-800-Missing (2003–2004). She later starred as Rosalind Whitman in the TNT series Raising the Bar.

Reuben guest-starred in the season two finale of Drop Dead Diva as Professor Kathy Miller. Reuben guest-starred in season 12 of NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, reprising her role as U.S. Attorney Christine Danielson. In 2012, she appeared in the CBS TV movie Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt. In 2012, Reuben played Elizabeth Keckley in the historical drama film Lincoln and her portrayal of the character received critical praise."Oscars 2013: Keep Your Eye On..." , ew.com; accessed November 27, 2014. In 2013, she guest starred on the sci-fi drama series Falling Skies.

In October 2014, it was announced that Reuben had joined the cast of the USA Network series Mr. Robot. Reuben plays Dr. Krista Gordon, the psychiatrist of the show's unstable main character, Elliott. The show premiered on in June 2015. She acted in all four seasons of the show. At first a recurring role, Reuben's character was upgraded to a season regular for the fourth and final season.

In 2017, Reuben was cast as Adina Johnson, mother of Tyrone Johnson, in the series Cloak & Dagger.

In 2025, Reuben joined the cast of Blue Bloods spinoff Boston Blue as Mae Silver, the District Attorney for Boston.

Stage acting In 1999, Reuben acted in an off-Broadway production of The Vagina Monologues. In 2006, she starred as Condoleezza Rice in the play Stuff Happens at the Public Theater. The following year, she won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actress, the preeminent honour for off-Broadway productions, for her portrayal. In 2008, she returned to the Public Theater for Conversations in Tusculum.

Music In 2000, Reuben sang backup vocals for Tina Turner on her Twenty Four Seven Tour.

Reuben is a regularly performing jazz singer and pianist. She released her first record, Just for You, in December 2007. Her second album, Perchance to Dream, was released in April 2015; it was her first jazz record. Her latest album, For All We Know, was released on February 14, 2020, on the MCG Jazz recording label, where she is accompanied by guitarist and Grammy winning producer Marty Ashby. She performed all around New York City in the fourth quarter of 2019 to promote her upcoming record.

Author On November 19, 2019, Reuben released a memoir, My Brothers' Keeper, detailing her journey and an exploration of the life she shared with her two brothers, as well as her emotions and experiences after their sudden deaths.

Personal life Gloria Reuben was married to TV producer Wayne Isaak from 1999 to 2003, and in 2004, she adopted a son, Zachary.

Reuben lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Activism Reuben is a committed social activist. In large part due to her role as an HIV-positive character in ER, she continues to raise awareness about the HIV/AIDS pandemic, lobbying for increased advocacy and speaking at several major fundraising events. She also takes great interest in global issues, predominantly climate change, nature, and human rights. Gloria Reuben is the president of Waterkeeper Alliance, an organization that strengthens and grows a global network of grassroots leaders protecting everyone’s right to clean water. She is also a special adviser on climate change for The Climate Reality Project, former United States vice president Al Gore's environmental organization. She was formerly on the board for the National Wildlife Federation. Reuben is also on the Leadership Council for the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights.

Filmography +Key Denotes works that have not yet been released

Films YearTitle Role Notes 1992 Wild Orchid II: Two Shades of Blue Celeste 1994 Timecop Sarah Fielding 1995 Nick of Time Krista Brooks 1998 Indiscreet Eve Dodd 1999 Macbeth in Manhattan Claudia/Lady Macbeth 1999 David and Lola Gloria 1999 Deep in My Heart Barbara Ann Williams 2000 Pilgrim Vicky 2000 Shaft Sgt. Council Uncredited 2001 Cecile Ste. Marie 2002 Happy Here and Now Hannah 2003 Salem Witch Trials Tituba Indian 2006 The Sentinel Mrs. Merriweather 2007 Life Support Sandra 2012 Lincoln Elizabeth Keckley Nominated: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion PictureBroadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best CastDetroit Film Critics Society for Best EnsembleWashington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble 2013 Admission Corrinne 2014 Reasonable Doubt Detective Blake Kanon 2015 The Longest Ride Adrienne Francis 2015 Anesthesia Meredith 2016 Jean of the Joneses Janet 2017 Who We Are Now Rebecca 2018 Every Day Is Christmas Lydia 2019 The Jesus Rolls Lady Owner 2022 Firestarter Captain Hollister 2025 My Dead Friend Zoe Kris TBAI Do Again Brenda Petty Filming

Television Year Title Role Notes1985Polka Dot DoorHost 1990–1991 Sabrina 5 episodes 1995 Homicide: Life on the Street Det. Theresa Walker 3 episodes 1995–1999, 2008 ER Jeanie Boulet Series regular; 102 episodesWon: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999)Viewers for Quality Television for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1997, 1998)Nominated: Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (1998)Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1997, 1998)Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2000)NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999) 2001–2002 Lisa Fabrizzi Regular: episodes 1–13, 21–22 2002, 2007–2011 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Violet Tremain (2002) / Christine Danielson (2007–2011) 4 episodes 2002 Little John Natalie Britain TV film; Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Film 2003–2004 1-800-Missing Brooke Haslett Series regular; season 1: 18 episodes 2005 Numb3rs Erica Quimby Episode: "Noisy Edge" 2008–2009 Raising the Bar Rosalind Whitman Series regular; 25 episodes 2010 Drop Dead Diva Professor Kathy Miller Episode: "Freeze the Day" 2011 Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost Thelma GleffeyTV movie 2012 Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt Thelma GleffeyTV movie 2013 Betty & Coretta Myrlie Evers-Williams Television film 2013 Falling Skies Marina Peralta 10 episodes2014Happy Face KillerFBI Agent Melinda GandTV movie2015 The Music in MeGloriaTV movie2015–2017 The BlacklistDr. Selma Orchard2 episodes 2015–2019 Mr. Robot Dr. Krista GordonRecurring role 2015 Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise Thelma GleffeyTV movie2016–2017Saints & SinnersMayor Pamela ClayborneSeries regular2017 The BreaksMattie Taylor4 episodes2017 The LibrariansJade WellsEpisode: "And the Silver Screen"2018BlindspotKira Evans6 episodes2018–2019Cloak & DaggerAdina JohnsonSeries regular2019–2021City on a HillEloise HastingsRecurring role2021Blue BloodsATF Agent Rachel Weber2 episodes 2022 The First Lady Valerie Jarrett 3 episodes 2022–2023 The Equalizer Trish 2 episodes 2023 NCIS: Hawaiʻi Col. Tannon McCarthy Episode: "Cabin Fever" 2024 Elsbeth Claudia Payne Recurring role 2025 The Better Sister Michelle Sanders Recurring role 2025 Boston Blue Mae Silver Series regular

References

External links

BroadwayWorld.com interview with Gloria Reuben, June 15, 2007