Jenna Dewan

Jenna Dewan Headshot

Actress • Dancer

Birth Date: December 3, 1980

Age: 42 years old

Birth Place: Hartford, Connecticut

A petite, green-eyed beauty with a girl-next-door charm, Jenna Dewan took center stage as performing arts high school student Nora Clark in the surprise summer dance hit, "Step Up" (2006). A Hollywood newcomer with a background in ballet and hip-hop dance, Dewan got her start as a back-up dancer, appearing in numerous music videos for A-list pop stars such as Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake. A natural performer both on the dance floor and in front of the camera, Dewan's talent and charisma quickly put her on the map as a multi-talented up-and-comer, as she made the transition from dance floor to big screen. Born Dec. 3, 1980 in Hartford, CT to parents Darryll Dewan and Nancy Lee Bursch Smith, Dewan grew up in Dallas, TX after her parents split while she was still a child. Taking up dance at the tender age of six, Dewan found she had a passion for the performing arts and continued to dance throughout her childhood and high school years, studying ballet and other forms of modern dance. After moving to Los Angeles for college, Dewan began the arduous process of auditioning for music videos. Proving that she had a natural talent for her craft, Dewan booked her first video in 2001, landing a back-up dancing gig in the Janet Jackson video "All For You." Performing well in the video, Dewan went on to tour with Jackson for over a year on the "All For You" World Tour. She went on to land gigs in music videos for N'Sync, Justin Timberlake (whom tabloids falsely reported her to be dating), Ricky Martin, Missy Elliott, Toni Braxton, and Mandy Moore, as well as tour as a back-up dancer on Justin Timberlake's "Justified" World Tour and P. Diddy's "We Invented the Remix" Tour in 2003. Eager to make the leap from dance floor to the silver screen, Dewan made her acting debut a 2004 episode of the Fox sitcom, "Quintuplets" (2004-05). More small roles followed for the actress, including parts on the short-lived WB series, "Dark Shadows" (2004); the less-popular "Friends" (NBC, 1994-2004) spin-off, "Joey" (NBC, 2004-06); and the low-budget film "Waterborne" (2005). Landing her first leading role in the 2005 horror flick "Tamara," Dewan portrayed an outcast high school girl who returns from the dead to take revenge on her classmates. Next, Dewan tapped into her dancing background to portray a high school student who learns ballroom dancing from Antonio Banderas in "Take the Lead" (2006). That same year, Dewan's dancing landed her a role that would put her name on the map - portraying a performing arts student in need of a dance partner in the break-out hit, "Step Up" (2006). With this film, Dewan got the recognition she needed. Though the flick was panned by most critics, Dewan and co-star Channing Tatum struck up enough on-screen chemistry to score the number two position during the film's opening weekend. Dewan went on to appear opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar and Amber Tamblyn in the horror sequel, "The Grudge 2" (2006). After starring in indie drama "Falling Awake" (2009) and appearing in comedy "The Six Wives of Henry Lefay" (2009), Dewan starred in teen comedy "American Virgin" (2009). Dewan was a co-star on the period piece drama "The Playboy Club" (NBC 2012), but the series was pulled after only three episodes aired. She had more success with her role in the second season of "American Horror Story" (FX 2011- ) before co-starring on the fantasy series "Witches of East End" (Lifetime 2013-14) opposite Julia Ormond. Following a recurring role on the superhero drama "Supergirl" (CBS/CW 2015- ), Dewan hosted the dance competition series "World of Dance" (NBC 2017- ) and served as co-executive producer (alongside soon-to-be-ex-husband Channing Tatum) of the streaming drama "Step Up: High Water" (YouTube Red 2018- ). Dewan next appeared in a recurring role on hospital drama "The Resident" (Fox 2018- ) and in the romantic drama "Berlin, I Love You" (2019) and romantic comedy "The Wedding Year" (2019).

Credits

Step UpStream

Executive Producer
TV Show
2022

The Jennifer Hudson ShowStream

Guest
TV Show
2022

Come Dance With MeStream

Judge
TV Show
2022

Step Into...The Movies With Derek and Julianne HoughStream

Self
TV Show
2022

Let's Get PhysicalStream

Actor
Sadie
Movie
2022

Let's Get PhysicalStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2022

That's My JamStream

Guest
TV Show
2021

Superman & LoisStream

Guest Star
Lucy
TV Show
2021

Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes -- At Home Holiday Special

Actor
TV Show
2020

Fox's New Year's Eve With Steve Harvey: Live From Times Square

Guest
TV Show
2019

Flirty Dancing

Host
TV Show
2019

Soundtrack

Actor
Joanna Kassem
TV Show
2019

A Little Late With Lilly Singh

Guest
TV Show
2019
82%

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Guest
TV Show
2019

Access Daily

Guest
TV Show
2019

Tamron Hall

Guest
TV Show
2019

GMA3: Strahan, Sara & Keke

Guest
TV Show
2019

Berlin, I Love You

Actor
Mandy
Movie
2019

The Wedding Year

Actor
Jessica
Movie
2019

Busy Tonight

Guest
TV Show
2018

The RookieStream

Guest Star
Bailey Nune
TV Show
2018

People Features

Actor
TV Show
2018

The ResidentStream

Guest Star
Julian Lynn
TV Show
2018

The Resident: Extras

Actor
TV Show
2017

World of Dance

Guest
TV Show
2017

World of Dance

Host
TV Show
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Guest
TV Show
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Host
TV Show
2017

Man With a PlanStream

Guest Star
Jen
TV Show
2016

No TomorrowStream

Guest Star
TV Show
2016
88%

Today's Take

Guest
TV Show
2016

Celebrity PageStream

Guest
TV Show
2016

Hollywood Medium With Tyler HenryStream

Guest Star
TV Show
2016

SupergirlStream

Guest Star
Lucy Lane
TV Show
2015
88%

Lip Sync BattleStream

Contestant
TV Show
2015

The Late Late Show With James CordenStream

Guest
TV Show
2015

Witches of East End: Extras

Actor
TV Show
2014

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Guest
TV Show
2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

Guest
TV Show
2014

Witches of East EndStream

Actor
Freya Beauchamp
TV Show
2013
65%

American Horror Story: Asylum

Guest Star
Teresa Morrison
TV Show
2012

The Mindy ProjectStream

Guest Star
TV Show
2012
86%

Steve Harvey

Guest
TV Show
2012

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Guest
TV Show
2012

She Made Them Do It

Actor
Sarah Pender
Movie
2012

The Playboy Club

Actor
Janie
TV Show
2011
21%

Set Up

Actor
Mia
Movie
2011

Balls to the Wall

Actor
Rachel Matthews
Movie
2011

Ten Year

Actor
Jess
Movie
2011

The Legend of Hell's Gate: An American Conspiracy

Actor
Katherine Prescott
Movie
2011

ConanStream

Guest
TV Show
2010

The Talk

Guest
TV Show
2010

Access Hollywood Live

Guest
TV Show
2010

Melrose Place

Guest Star
TV Show
2009

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

Guest
TV Show
2009

American Virgin

Actor
Priscilla
Movie
2009

Falling Awake

Actor
Alessandra
Movie
2009

The Jerk Theory

Actor
Molly
Movie
2009

Love Lies Bleeding

Actor
Amber
Movie
2008

Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal

Actor
Emma Carr
Movie
2008

The Six Wives of Henry Lefay

Actor
Sarah Jane
Movie
2008

Chelsea Lately

Guest
TV Show
2007

Rachael RayStream

Guest
TV Show
2006

Take the Lead

Actor
Sasha
Movie
2006

The Grudge 2

Actor
Sally
Movie
2006

Step Up

Actor
Nora
Movie
2006

So You Think You Can Dance

Guest
TV Show
2005

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

Guest
TV Show
2005

Tamara

Actor
Tamara Riley
Movie
2005

Waterborne

Actor
Devi
Movie
2005

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Guest
TV Show
2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Guest
TV Show
2003

Access Hollywood

Guest
TV Show
1996

Extra

Guest
TV Show
1994

Entertainment Tonight

Guest
TV Show
1981

Good Morning America

Guest
TV Show
1975

TodayStream

Guest
TV Show
1952

News about
Jenna Dewan