Emily Wickersham
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
Emily Wickersham (born April 26, 1984)[1] is an American actress best known for her role as NCIS Special Agent Eleanor Bishop on NCIS.[2]
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Wickersham has Austrian and Swedish (Värmland) ancestry. She was born in Kansas but grew up in Mamaroneck, New York.[3][4] She attended Muhlenberg College for two years before dropping out.[5]
Career
[edit]In 2013, prior to the departure of actress Cote de Pablo, Wickersham was cast as NSA Analyst Eleanor "Ellie" Bishop in a three-episode arc starting from Season 11 of NCIS, starting November 19, 2013, on CBS. She was subsequently promoted to series regular, and her character officially became an NCIS Special Agent.[6][7] Following the conclusion of the show's 18th season on May 26, 2021, Wickersham confirmed her departure from the show after eight years via Instagram.[8]
Wickersham has also appeared in the feature film Gone and has made a number of guest appearances on television.
Personal life
[edit]She married musician Blake Hanley on November 23, 2010,[9][10][11] on Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys.[12] They divorced in December 2018.[13]
In 2021, she had a son with her boyfriend, James Badge Dale.[14] They married in September 2024.[15][16] In October 2024, they had their second child.[17]
Her great-grandfather was the football player Isadore Anderson.[18]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Gardener of Eden | Kate | |
| 2008 | Definitely, Maybe | 1998 Intern | |
| 2009 | How I Got Lost | Taylor | |
| 2010 | Remember Me | Miami Blonde | |
| 2011 | I Am Number Four | Nicole | |
| 2012 | Gone | Molly Conway | |
| 2015 | Glitch | Vanessa |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Late Show with David Letterman | Jules | Episode dated January 25 |
| Parco P.I. | Grace Carr | "Just Another Pretty Face" | |
| 2006–07 | The Sopranos | Rhiannon Flammer | (1) Season 6 Episode 8: "Johnny Cakes" (2006) (2) Season 6 Episode 11: "Cold Stones" (2006) (3) Season 6 Episode 20: "The Blue Comet" (2007) (4) Season 6 Episode 21: "Made in America" (2007) |
| 2007 | The Bronx Is Burning | Jennifer Steinbrenner | Season 1 Episode 5: "Caught!" |
| The Gamekillers | The Girl | Season 1 Episode 1: "Marcus & Aja" | |
| Mitch Albom's for One More Day | Maria Benetto Lang | TV film | |
| 2009 | Taking Chance | Kelley Phelps | TV film |
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Ceci Madison | Season 8 Episode 14: "Major Case" | |
| Bored to Death | Emily | Season 1 Episode 4: "The Case of the Stolen Skateboard" | |
| Trauma | Jessica | Season 1 Episode 4: "Stuck" | |
| 2011 | Gossip Girl | Leading Lady | Season 5 Episode 1: "Yes, Then Zero" |
| 2013 | The Bridge | Kate Millwright | (1) Season 1 Episode 3: "Rio" (2) Season 1 Episode 4: "Maria of the Desert" (3) Season 1 Episode 10: "Old Friends" |
| 2013–2021, 2025 | NCIS | Eleanor "Ellie" Bishop | Recurring role Season 11, 23 (4 episodes) Main role: Season 11–18 (169 episodes) |
| 2016 | NCIS: New Orleans | Season 2 Episode 12: "Sister City: Part 2" |
References
[edit]- ^ "Today in History: April 26, Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster". The Associated Press. April 15, 2024. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
Actor Emily Wickersham is 40
- ^ "NCIS Exclusive: Sopranos Alum Eyed as Ziva's Successor, Debut Set For November". TV Line. September 17, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
- ^ Emily Wickersham (December 19, 2013). "Interview with Emily Wickersham". The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Episode 1, 846. CBS.
I'm Austrian and Swedish, born in Kansas.
- ^ "Emily Kaiser Wickersham and Blake Anderson Hanley". Celebrity Ping. August 19, 2018.
- ^ "NCIS' Emily Wickersham: Ingénew – CBS.com". CBS. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
- ^ "Emily Wickersham joins 'NCIS' as series regular". Reality TV World. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
- ^ Goldberg, Lesley (November 4, 2013). "'NCIS' Promotes Emily Wickersham to Series Regular". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ Henderson, Cydney (May 26, 2021). "'What a great ride': Emily Wickersham confirms exit from 'NCIS' following season finale". USA Today. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
- ^ "Exclusive Premiere: The Celebratory Glow of Ghost Lion's "Shot the Sun Down"". atwoodmagazine. November 10, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
- ^ Vickery, Colin (November 4, 2014). "Why star Mark Harmon chose Emily Wickersham to replace Cote de Pablo on NCIS". perthnow.com.au. PerthNow. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
- ^ Bardin, Brantley (May 17, 2016). "My Fair Emily". CBS. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
- ^ "Emily Kaiser Wickersham and Blake Anderson Hanley". Palm Beach Daily News. July 2, 2011. Archived from the original on January 10, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
- ^ Lincoln, Matthew (May 6, 2019). "After Hollywood heartbreak, Hanley lives dream at SunFest". cbs12.com. West Palm Beach, Florida: WPEC. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
- ^ Wickersham, Emily. "Welcome to the world Cassius Wickersham Dale born 12/30/21 just in time to join the party to ring in the New Year. You are more than @jamesbadgedale and I could ever have imagined ❤️ We are so in love with you". Instagram. Emily Wickersham on Instagram. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
- ^ "Surprise! NCIS Alum Gets Married to 1923 Star — and They're Pregnant!". October 4, 2024.
- ^ Wickersham, Emily. "Emily Wickersham on Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
- ^ "Instagram".
- ^ "ALICE WICKERSHAM Obituary (2011) - Shawnee, KS - Kansas City Star". Legacy.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Emily Wickersham.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
Emily Wickersham
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early life and education
Family background
Emily Wickersham was born Emily Kaiser Wickersham on April 26, 1984, in Kansas, to parents John Atwood Wickersham and Amy Kaiser Wickersham.[11][12] Her father has English, Swedish, and German ancestry, while her mother is of Russian Jewish and Austrian Jewish descent.[13] The family relocated from Kansas to Chicago shortly after her birth, and later to Mamaroneck, New York, where she spent much of her early years in a middle-class environment that encouraged creative pursuits.[5][14] She has one older brother.[12]Upbringing and early interests
Emily Wickersham was born on April 26, 1984, in Kansas, but her family relocated to Mamaroneck, New York, when she was six years old, just as she began first grade.[15] The family settled in this affluent Westchester County suburb, known for its high median household income and proximity to New York City, where Wickersham spent the remainder of her childhood.[16] Growing up in Mamaroneck, Wickersham embraced an active, outdoor lifestyle, describing herself as a "total tomboy" who immersed herself in various sports. Her childhood was filled with tennis, which she played extensively, along with soccer, volleyball, and track, reflecting a strong athletic foundation that shaped her early years.[17][15] These pursuits highlighted her energetic personality and provided a balance to her developing artistic inclinations. In addition to athletics, Wickersham showed an early passion for creative expression through painting, which she later identified as her first true interest before exploring other paths. This blend of physical activity and artistic endeavors in the supportive suburban environment of Mamaroneck laid the groundwork for her multifaceted personal development during her formative years.[17]Formal education
Wickersham attended Mamaroneck High School in Mamaroneck, New York, graduating in 2002.[14] Following high school, she enrolled at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where she majored in painting for two years, influenced by her family's artistic background—her mother is a painter, her father an artist, and her brother a photographer.[18] She ultimately dropped out after her sophomore year, feeling that the path "didn't feel quite right," and decided to pursue acting instead.[18] After leaving college, Wickersham relocated to New York City and began formal training by enrolling in acting and public speaking classes at The New School, which she undertook to confront her shyness and build confidence.[19] These classes marked her initial structured preparation for a professional acting career, leading to early opportunities in the industry.[19]Acting career
Early roles and breakthrough
Wickersham began her professional career as a model in New York at the age of 19, after being discovered by an agent while dining out, which led to early opportunities in the entertainment industry.[12] Transitioning to acting, she made her television debut in 2006 with a recurring guest role as Rhiannon Flammer, the girlfriend of A.J. Soprano, appearing in four episodes of HBO's The Sopranos during its final season.[20] Her entry into film came with small parts in independent projects like Gardener of Eden (2007) and How I Got Lost (2009), but her breakthrough arrived in 2010 with a supporting role as a Miami blonde in the romantic drama Remember Me, starring opposite Robert Pattinson as Tyler Hawkins.[1] Building on this exposure, Wickersham took on the role of Nicole, a high school student, in the 2011 sci-fi action film I Am Number Four, directed by D.J. Caruso, which helped establish her in lead supporting positions within mainstream Hollywood productions.[21]NCIS role
Emily Wickersham was cast in 2013 as Eleanor "Ellie" Bishop, an NSA analyst specializing in threat assessment, debuting in the season 11 episode "Gut Check," where her character assists the NCIS team after predicting a security breach involving the Secretary of the Navy.[22] Bishop's introduction highlighted her quirky personality and exceptional skills in pattern recognition and data analysis, such as using facial recognition software to identify suspects.[23] Over the course of the series, Bishop evolved from an external NSA liaison to a probationary NCIS agent and eventually a full field agent, integrating into the Major Case Response Team with her analytical prowess driving key investigations. Notable episodes include "Gut Check" (season 11, 2013), marking her entry and initial team dynamics, and "House Rules" (season 12, 2014), where she collaborates on a cyber-terrorism case involving hackers, demonstrating her growing field capabilities alongside teammates like Timothy McGee.[24] Her expertise in connecting disparate data points often provided breakthroughs, evolving her role from behind-the-scenes analyst to frontline operative by season 12.[25] Wickersham portrayed Bishop across seasons 11 through 18 (2013–2021), appearing in 172 episodes and becoming a core member of the ensemble.[26] In May 2021, following the season 18 finale "Rule 91," Wickersham announced her departure, with Bishop's storyline concluding as she confesses to a past NSA leak and leaves for a secretive undercover assignment, emphasizing themes of personal growth and closure.[27] The actress later explained her exit stemmed from feeling ready to move on after eight years in the role, noting she discovered her pregnancy a month afterward.[28] Critics and viewers praised Wickersham's performance for infusing Bishop with intellectual depth and relatability, contrasting the team's more action-oriented members and enhancing the show's procedural elements with her problem-solving approach.[29] Her addition was credited with refreshing the series dynamic, though some early feedback noted the character's "perfect" demeanor as overly idealized compared to predecessors like Ziva David.[30]Post-NCIS work
Following her departure from NCIS in 2021, Wickersham scaled back her acting commitments to focus on family priorities, including raising her young son. This shift marked a deliberate move away from the demanding schedule of network television, allowing her greater flexibility in her personal life. As of November 2025, she had not pursued any major acting roles. In October 2025, she attended a Netflix screening of The Diplomat in New York.[31] Later that month, she had a reunion with former NCIS producer David J. North, observing the editing of NCIS: Origins.[3] Rumors of an unconfirmed film project for late 2025 circulated online but were widely dismissed as unsubstantiated speculation by entertainment outlets.[3] Wickersham has been involved in mental health advocacy, particularly promoting resources for anxiety and depression among youth through partnerships with organizations like Active Minds, beginning during her NCIS tenure in 2019.[32]Personal life
Marriages and relationships
Emily Wickersham married musician Blake Anderson Hanley on November 23, 2010, in an intimate ceremony on Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys.[33] The couple's marriage lasted eight years, ending in an amicable divorce finalized in December 2018, with details kept private.[34] Following her divorce, Wickersham began a relationship with actor James Badge Dale, known for his roles in the Yellowstone spin-off series 1923 and other projects, in 2021.[35] The pair, who had been partners for several years, wed on September 27, 2024, in a small, intimate ceremony.[35]Family and children
Emily Wickersham and her husband, actor James Badge Dale, welcomed their first child, son Cassius Wickersham Dale, on December 30, 2021. The couple announced the birth via Instagram, sharing photos of the newborn and expressing joy at his arrival just in time for the new year. Wickersham has since reflected on how becoming a mother shifted her priorities, noting in a 2024 podcast interview that she discovered her pregnancy shortly after departing from NCIS in 2021, allowing her to focus more on family life thereafter.[36] The couple expanded their family with the birth of their second son, Zephyr Badgett Dale, on October 2, 2024, mere days after their marriage on September 27. Wickersham shared the news on Instagram, captioning a post with the child's name and emphasizing the happiness of the moment while maintaining privacy around further details. This arrival came amid Wickersham's ongoing emphasis on balancing her career with parenthood, as discussed in her 2024 appearance on the Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch podcast, where she highlighted the challenges and rewards of raising young children in the entertainment industry.[37][38][39] Wickersham relocated to Los Angeles after dropping out of college in the mid-2000s to pursue acting and has resided there since, where she purchased a Spanish-style home in the Los Feliz neighborhood in 2020. In recent reflections, including a January 2025 Instagram post lamenting events in the city, she described Los Angeles as her home for over a decade, a place where she built lasting friendships and now raises her children. Wickersham has advocated for work-life balance in interviews, stressing the importance of prioritizing family amid the demands of acting, as evidenced by her decision to step back from high-profile roles post-NCIS to be present for her growing family.[40][41]Filmography
Film credits
Wickersham made her feature film debut in the 2007 independent drama Gardener of Eden, directed by Kevin Connolly, where she portrayed the character Kate in a supporting role that highlighted her early transition from modeling to on-screen acting.[42] Her subsequent appearances built on this foundation, featuring a mix of romantic comedies, thrillers, and science fiction.| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Gardener of Eden | Kate[43] |
| 2008 | Definitely, Maybe | 1998 Intern[44] |
| 2009 | How I Got Lost | Taylor |
| 2010 | Remember Me | Miami Blonde[45] |
| 2011 | I Am Number Four | Nicole |
| 2012 | Gone | Molly Conway[46] |
| 2015 | Glitch | Vanessa |
Television credits
Wickersham began her television career with guest appearances on notable series, establishing her presence in dramatic roles before her breakthrough on NCIS. Her early television film roles included Maria Benetto Lang in the 2007 TV movie Mitch Albom's For One More Day and Kelley Phelps in the 2009 TV movie Taking Chance. Her debut TV series role was as Rhiannon Flammer, a recurring character and love interest for A.J. Soprano, appearing in four episodes of the HBO series The Sopranos during its sixth and final season (2006–2007).[47][48][49] In 2009, she guest-starred as Ceci Madison, a young woman involved in a criminal investigation, in the episode "Major Case" of Law & Order: Criminal Intent.[50] That same year, Wickersham appeared as Jessica, a paramedic's colleague, in an episode of the NBC medical drama Trauma. She followed with a guest role as Emily, a client in a missing skateboard case, in the season 1 episode "The Case of the Stolen Skateboard" of HBO's Bored to Death.[51] Wickersham continued with supporting parts in 2011, portraying the "Leading Lady" in a theater production in the Gossip Girl episode "The Treasure of Serena Madre." In 2013, she had a recurring role as Kate Millwright, the stepdaughter of a wealthy rancher entangled in a cross-border conspiracy, across three episodes of FX's The Bridge. Following her tenure as NSA analyst Ellie Bishop on NCIS, which served as the peak of her television career spanning 2013 to 2021, Wickersham reprised the character in a guest appearance on the spin-off NCIS: New Orleans in 2017.| Year | Title | Role | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–2007 | The Sopranos | Rhiannon Flammer | 4 |
| 2007 | The Bronx Is Burning | Suzy Steinbrenner | 1 |
| 2007 | The Gamekillers | The Girl | 1 |
| 2009 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Ceci Madison | 1 |
| 2009 | Trauma | Jessica | 1 |
| 2009 | Bored to Death | Emily | 1 |
| 2011 | Gossip Girl | Leading Lady | 1 |
| 2013 | The Bridge | Kate Millwright | 3 |
| 2017 | NCIS: New Orleans | Ellie Bishop | 1 |