Andrea Thompson

Rebecca Andrea Thompson (born 1959) is an American actress, best known for her roles on the television series Falcon Crest, Babylon 5, JAG, 24 and NYPD Blue.

Early life

Thompson was born in Ohio in 1959. She and her four siblings were raised in a strict Catholic household. At the age of six she moved to Australia with her family. She graduated from high school at 16, and traveled the world for five years before moving to New York City, where she was discovered by agent Irene Marie. After working as a model, she studied acting at the Strasberg Studio and at the Herbert Berghof Studio under Uta Hagen.^[1]

Career

Acting career

Following her education, Thompson began her career as a voiceover artist, which continues today. Her first significant film role was in the 1987 film Wall Street. In 1989 she was cast on the soap opera Falcon Crest as the scheming Genele Ericson during the show's final season and in 1993 on the science fiction television series Babylon 5 as telepath Talia Winters. Thompson left the series at the end of its second season.

Thompson moved on to join the cast of JAG mid season as Commander Alison Krennick, as the aide to the head of the US Navy's Judge Advocate General's Corps. She was among several actors who left the show when it was canceled by NBC after one season before CBS picked it up. She then went on to play Detective Jill Kirkendall on three seasons of crime drama NYPD Blue, leaving in April 2000 to pursue a career in journalism.^[2]

Journalism career

Thompson began work with CBS affiliate KRQE in Albuquerque, New Mexico as a general assignment correspondent^[3] for $26,000 per year.^[4]

Thompson joined CNN Headline News as an evening anchor in June 2001.^[5] CNN had laid off 400 of 4000 employees in January, and was refocusing on personalities to draw in a younger crowd.^[6] "A lot of people gave her credit for leaving her career to pursue journalism," said one CNN insider.^[7] Her first words on-screen as anchor were "Hi, I'm Andrea Thompson, and unless you've been living in a cave, you probably already know that."^[8] Her hiring generated controversy in journalism circles, mostly because Thompson was a high school drop-out with just one year of journalism experience at that point.^[9] Nude pictures and videoclips of Thompson taken from her 1980s-era movies also began circulating on the Internet, causing some embarrassment for CNN.^[10] Thompson left the network months later, in March 2002. It was speculated at the time that the long days kept her from her 9-year old son.^[11]

After leaving CNN, she went to work for Court TV introducing episodes of NYPD Blue and Forensic Files, as well as narrating the documentary series The System. She also played Nicole Duncan on 24.^[12] She began hosting Psychic Detectives in 2003.^[13]

Return to acting

Thompson had a recurring guest role on the third season of 24, beginning November 2003.^[14]

Personal life

Thompson was married to Davod Guc from 1987 to 1990, and to Babylon 5 costar Jerry Doyle from 1995 to 1997. She has a son named Alec, born in 1992.^[1]

References

External links

• Andrea Thompson at the Internet Movie Database