Jessica Capshaw

Capshaw was born in Columbia, Missouri.^[3] She is the stepdaughter of director Steven Spielberg, whom her mother, Kate Capshaw, married when Jessica was 15.^[4]

Capshaw graduated from Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles in 1994, then attended Brown University,^[5] where she was in productions of Arcadia and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.^[3] She graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature.^[3] During summers, she attended classes at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London,^[6] where she appeared as Puck in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.^[3]

Capshaw had a minor role as Jeremy Davies' potential love interest in The Locusts (1997), which starred her mother, then appeared in Adam Rifkin's independent film Denial (1998).^[3] She played Dorothy Wheeler in the slasher film Valentine (2001), had a minor role in Minority Report (2002), then a lead role in Edward Burns's The Groomsmen (2006).^[3]

In 2009, Capshaw became a regular on the medical drama Grey's Anatomy. It was announced in December 2008 that she would join the cast as pediatric surgeon Arizona Robbins for a multi-episode arc.^[7] Initially scheduled to appear in only three episodes of the show's fifth season, series creator Shonda Rhimes extended her contract to appear in all of the season's remaining episodes,^[8] and she became a series regular in the sixth season.^[9]

Capshaw was established as a love interest for orthopedic surgery resident Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez). Rhimes was pleased with the chemistry between them, saying that the addition of Capshaw to the cast was an element of the season of which she was most proud: "I love Jessica Capshaw, and when I say love I mean love. She couldn't be a more wonderful person, and I feel like the chemistry Arizona and Callie have feels like the Meredith and Derek chemistry to me. I find them delightful to watch."^[10] Initial media reaction was positive. Matt Mitovich of TV Guide called Capshaw a "fan favorite", and Chris Monfette of IGN praised the addition of "fresh, new characters" such as Robbins over the course of the season.^[11][12][13]

In March 2018, Capshaw left Grey’s Anatomy, with the producers citing creative reasons.^[14] She posted a statement on Twitter highlighting her character's significance: "She was one of the first members of the LGBTQ community to be represented in a series regular role on network television. Her impact on the world is permanent and forever."^[15]

In April 2025, Capshaw was announced to be joining the main cast of the 9-1-1 offshoot 9-1-1 Nashville. The series will premiere during the 2025 fall season.^[16]

Capshaw married Christopher Gavigan in 2004.^[17] The couple have four children.^[18][19]