Jillian Noel Hennessy

Jillian Noel Hennessy (19 November 1975) is a Canadian singer and actor from Canada. She is most known for her role on the American television show Law & Order, on which she played the prosecutor Claire Kincaid for three seasons, and Crossing Jordan, on which she was the main character, Jordan Cavanaugh, for six seasons. She was also in films like RoboCop 3 & Most Wanted as well as independent films Chutney Popcorn & The Acting Class. The latter was also directed and written by her. Hennessy was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta. John Hennessy, John's father, was a meat and marketing sales and marketing executive. The job required significant travel , which meant the family had to move frequently. Maxine, Maxine's mother passed away in the year 1982. She left her daughter in the care of Eleanor, her paternal grandmother. John Paul Hennessy Jr. Her younger brother is Jacqueline Hennessy who is an identical twin, who is a magazine journalist and a TV host in Canada. Hennessy is of Irish, French and Swedish origin, and has Ukrainian Roma and Austrian ancestry. After finishing her studies at Grand River Collegiate Institute (both located in Kitchener), she went to Stanley Park Senior Public School. She also busked in the Toronto subway. Hennessy and her sister were among the first to act as twin call girls in 1988's Dead Ringers. According to Gillian Anderson (the actress who was cast in the role) she was a finalist for Dana Scully's part on The X-Files. In 1993, Hennessy was signed by Dick Wolf as Claire Kincaid, assistant district attorney in the NBC crime drama Law & Order. The role ran for three seasons. The show ended following the year 1996.