A bombshell who boasts brains to complement her beauty, this former Miss Illinois did a series of guest spots and TV-movies before becoming a geek goddess as a half-human, half-Cyborg sex symbol on
Star Trek: Voyager in the late '90s. In 2001 the show ended, and Ryan traded her skin-tight costume for more sensible ensembles as a lawyer-turned-teacher on
Boston Public, a role creator David E. Kelley penned specifically for her. After that show's demise, Ryan popped up as a guest on a number of series, notably
The O.C. as a con artist
, but the drama she faced on screen was nothing compared to her tumultuous personal life. When her former husband, Jack Ryan, ran for the Illinois state senate in 2004, details of their 1999 divorce became public, including her allegations that he had tried to pressure her into visiting sex clubs. But the scandal failed to tarnish the actress' reputation, and in 2006 she landed a regular role as a district attorney on
Shark.
Jeri Ryan Fast Facts:
- Won the Miss Illinois pageant in 1989 and was third runner-up in the 1990 Miss America pageant.
- Her Star Trek: Voyager character Seven of Nine required a costume that was so tight she once passed out on set.
- Opened the French restaurant Ortolan in Los Angeles with her then-fiancé, chef Christophe Eme, in 2005.
- During divorce proceedings, she alleged that her ex-husband Jack Ryan had pressured her into visiting sex clubs. This information became public in 2004 when he was campaigning for Illinois State senate and prompted him to withdraw from the race.
- Jeri Ryan Relationships:
- Jack Ryan - Ex-husband
- Jerry Zimmerman - Father
- Mark Zimmerman - Brother
- Sharon Zimmerman - Mother
- Gisele Eme - Daughter
- Alex Ryan - Son
- Brannon Braga - Ex-significant Other
- Christophe Eme - Husband
- College:
- Northwestern University, Evanston, IL (BA in Theater, 1990)
