Joely Fisher Photo Archive

     

About Joely Fisher

Joely Fisher (born October 29, 1967) is an American actress best known for her work on television, but also on stage and in films.

She was born in Burbank, California, the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actress Connie Stevens. Her younger sister is actress Tricia Leigh Fisher. Her half sister is actress Carrie Fisher and her half-brother is Todd Fisher, whose mother is actress Debbie Reynolds.

Her parents divorced when she was age two and she was raised by her mother. She was unaware that she had any other siblings until sometime after watching Star Wars (1977), when she was told that the actress starring as Princess Leia Organa was her half-sister.

Joely began performing on stage in her mother’s Las Vegas act at age seven. She and Tricia toured the world with Stevens, attending many different schools and having tutors. They then attended Beverly Hills High School. Joely went to the University of Paris for one semester. While on her way there, she stopped off in New York and dropped in unannounced on her father, reestablishing relations with him. She then attended Emerson College, but left before graduating to begin an acting career. Having a weight problem as an adolescent, she played the “fat friend” in summer stock.

As the child of celebrities, she was named Miss Golden Globe at the 1992 Golden Globe Awards.

Her movie debut was in the part as Averil in the comedy Pretty Smart (1986), which starred her sister, Tricia. Joely then played Kris in TV’s Schoolbreak Special drama Dedicated to the One I Love (1991) opposite Danielle Ferland. Next came the feature I’ll Do Anything (1994) starring Nick Nolte, which helped her career as bigger roles followed.

She had a variety of guest roles on shows such as Growing Pains, Blossom, Caroline in the City, The Outer Limits, Grace Under Fire and Coach.

Finally, in 1994, she landed her most prominent role when she was cast as the vain and insensitive Paige Clark on the sitcom Ellen. She played the role until the series ended in 1998 and she earned a Golden Globe Award nomination.

She followed ‘Ellen’ with the role of Dr. Brenda Bradford in the feature movie Inspector Gadget (1999) opposite Matthew Broderick.

Fisher’s Broadway debut was as a replacement in the revival of Grease (1994). She was also a replacement in the revival of Cabaret (1998).

From 2003 until 2005, she starred in the Lifetime network’s drama series Wild Card as insurance investigator Zoe Busiek. After that, she had a recurring role as Lynette’s bitchy boss Nina on Desperate Housewives.

Since 2006, Fisher has starred opposite actor Brad Garrett in the Fox sitcom ‘Til Death.

She is married to cinematographer Christopher Duddy (married December 31, 1996 – present). She and Duddy have two daughters: Skylar Grace Fisher-Duddy (born June 14, 2001) and True Harlow Fisher-Duddy (born February 2, 2006). Fisher practiced natural childbirth and had a home birth with True.