Biography
Who is Krysten Ritter?
Early life and background
Krysten Alyce Ritter was born on December 16, 1981, in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. She grew up in the rural area of Shickshinny. Her parents are Garry Ritter and Kathi Taylor. She has a diverse ethnic background, tracing her ancestry to German, Scottish, and English roots.
During her teenage years, she attended a local shopping center event at the Wyoming Valley Mall in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. A modeling agent scouted her there at age 15. This experience launched her toward a career in front of the camera, leading her to travel to New York City and Philadelphia for work while still in high school.
Modeling and acting beginnings
After signing with Elite Model Management and Wilhelmina Models, Krysten Ritter moved to New York City. She built an international portfolio, working on magazine shoots, catalogs, and runways in cities such as Tokyo, Paris, and Milan. Eventually, an audition for a television commercial for Wendy's helped her transition into the acting world.
Her early film roles included a part in the 2003 film Mona Lisa Smile. On television, she secured recurring roles on shows like Veronica Mars, where she played Gia Goodman, and Gilmore Girls, where she appeared as Lucy. She also had a role on the Fox sitcom Til Death before her significant breakthrough.
Rise to fame and major roles
The role of Jane Margolis on the AMC drama series Breaking Bad proved to be her breakthrough performance. She played the character from 2009 to 2010 and later reprised the role in the 2019 film El Camino. Following this success, she headlined the ABC sitcom Don't Trust the B in Apartment 23 as the character Chloe from 2012 to 2013.
In 2015, she was cast as the lead in the Marvel series Jessica Jones. She portrayed the private investigator for three seasons until 2019 and appeared in the crossover miniseries The Defenders. Her work on the show earned praise for the vulnerability and edge she brought to the character. She also directed an episode during the third season of the series.
Other projects and creative work
Beyond acting, she is a writer and musician. She co-wrote and starred in the 2011 film Life Happens. She also released a psychological thriller novel titled Bonfire in 2017 and later co-authored a second book titled Retreat. Also, she sings and plays guitar for the indie rock duo Ex Vivian with William Thomas Burnett.
Her recent screen appearances include the biographical crime drama Love and Death in 2023 and the dark fantasy film Nightbooks in 2021. In 2024, she starred in the science fiction series Orphan Black: Echoes. She also joined the cast of the Dexter sequel series Dexter: Resurrection in 2025 as the character Mia LaPierre.
Birthday and age
Krysten Ritter was born on December 16, 1981, which makes Krysten 44 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Krysten shares the date with 57 other famous people.
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