Jillian Noel Hennessy

Jillian Noel Hennessy (19 November 1975) is a Canadian actor and singer. She is most known for her roles on the American television show Law & Order, on where she played prosecutor Claire Kincaid for three seasons and Crossing Jordan, on which she was the main character, Jordan Cavanaugh, for six seasons. She has also been acting in movies such as RoboCop 3 or Most Wanted as well as independent films Chutney Popcorn, which she co-directed. Hennessy was born and was raised in Edmonton, Alberta. John Hennessy, her father was a meat salesman as well as an executive in sales and marketing. His job involved a lot of travel, which resulted in many moves for the entire family. Maxine, Maxine's secretary mother had to leave the family in 1982. Eleanor, Eleanor's paternal grandmother, looked after her daughter in Kitchener. John Paul Hennessy Jr. is her younger brother. Jacqueline is her identical twin sister and is a writer for a Canadian magazine and host. Hennessy has Irish and French, Swedish, Italian, and Swedish heritage from her father. She also has most of her Ukrainian Roma and Austrian heritage from her mother. She graduated from Grand River Collegiate Institute and Stanley Park Senior Public School. Hennessy as well as her sister were the first actors to be cast as twin call girl in 1988's Dead Ringers. Gillian Anderson, Gillian Anderson's sister, has stated that she was shortlisted for The X-Files for Dana Scully's role. Hennessy also played the character of Dr. Marie Lazarus on RoboCop 3. In 1993, Dick Wolf signed Hennessy to the role as Claire Kincaid assistant district attorney on Law & Order. The role ran for three seasons. The show ended in 1996.