Born in 1985, actress Jessica Szohr earned her laurels as a frequent presence on U.S. television during the 2000s. A native of Wisconsin, Szohr experienced her first taste of show-business life when discovered by a modeling scout at age 16 and tapped to do print ads for Kohl department store. She then moved to Los Angeles, secured representation as an actress, and began signing for guest spots on various series including Joan of Arcadia and That is So Raven, as well as recurring roles on CSI: Miami, What About Brian, and Gossip Girl. Her role of Vanessa Abrams on the latter series was later expanded to regular status.