Jolene Purdy

Even as a little girl, Jolene Purdy knew she wanted to be a TV actor. However, the very first role she landed was in Richard Kelly's 2001 sci-fi mystery, "Donnie Darko." Soon after the film was released, quickly becoming one of the first cult classics of the Internet age, Purdy's TV career took off. Over the next decade, she began nabbing one recurring TV role after the next on shows such as "10 Things I Hate About You" (ABC Family, 2009-10) and "Gigantic" (TeenNick, 2010-11), as well the popular Fox musical series, "Glee" (2009-15). In the summer of 2013, Purdy joined the cast of CBS's Stephen King-produced sci-fi series, "Under the Dome" (2013-15), thus further establishing the young actress as one of the most reliable talents working on TV.

Born and raised in the sleepy coastal town of Redondo Beach, CA, Purdy was still a toddler when she told her mother she wanted to be on TV. Her parents subsequently enrolled her in various children's theater programs throughout Southern California, where she learned how to sing and dance, as well as tap dance. By her late teens, however, Purdy made the leap into screen acting, having landed a small part in the 2001 sci-fi drama "Donnie Darko" on her very first audition. The film, however, would be Purdy's last before a long run of TV parts. After a few guest spots on "Boston Public" (Fox, 2000-2004) and "Judging Amy" (CBS, 1999-2005), Purdy took a six-year hiatus from screen acting, before joining the cast of Fox's short-lived 2008 sitcom "Do Not Disturb." Over the next five years, Purdy appeared exclusively on TV, having landed recurring roles on the comedies, "10 Things I Hate About You" and "Glee," among others. In the summer of 2013 she was able to try her hand at dramatic acting, joining the cast of Stephen King's mystery series, "Under the Dome." Purdy played the technologically savvy Dodee Weaver on the show, which was renewed for a second season in July of that year after receiving an overwhelmingly positive reception by both fans and critics.