Bio
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A native of Seattle, Washington, Bissett began her career in front of the camera at the age of 12 as a model in print advertisements and television commercials. At age 16, she left home and moved to Japan to further her career. At age 17, she headed to Hollywood, California.
Career Edit
In early 1990, Bissett played a recurring role on the sitcom The Hogan Family for two seasons. In 1992, she was cast as fashion designer Jane Andrews-Mancini on the prime time soap opera Melrose Place. Bissett remained with the series for five and a half seasons until halfway through the 1996-97 season when she suffered a real-life miscarriage. She then took some time off from the series, but returned to the show in 1998 for its final season. She has made appearances in such projects as the telefilms The Fire Above and Dare to Love on ABC, Deadly Vows on FOX, Baby Monitor: Sound of Fear on USA, and I Do, They Don't on ABC Family. She has also made numerous guest-starring appearances, such as a 2003 appearance on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
In 2008, she began a recurring role on the ABC Family TV series The Secret Life of the American Teenager. She starred in the Lifetime Television original film The Other Woman, based on the novel by Joy Fielding and directed by Jason Priestley. It debuted on June 28, 2008. In 2009-10, Bissett made guest appearances in two episodes of The CW's updated version of Melrose Place, reprising her role as Jane Andrews-Mancini.
Bissett's feature film debut was in 1991, in Oliver Stone's The Doors, as the girlfriend of Doors' guitarist Robby Krieger. Her subsequent films include the coming-of-age comedy Book of Love and the psychological thrillerMikey.
Bissett has hosted television series on the topic of parenting, including Parenting & Beyond, which offered parents creative solutions to everyday problems. She also hosted the PBS educational special Teach More, Love More which follows four families, each with a child in a stage of early childhood development. She has appeared on several magazine covers, including TV Guide, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Shape's Fit Pregnancy and New Woman. Bissett has been the face of several national commercial campaigns, including Neutrogena's skin care line, Dr. Scholl's Pedicure Essentials, and Murad Skin Care. She has also been the spokesperson of the 1997 Lee National Denim Day with the Lee Company, a VF Company, A leader in quality apparel. This was to help raise money for the fight against breast cancer and for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
She has co-edited two books, Little Bits Of Wisdom and Making Memories, which compile parenting stories and advice from parents around the world. She also authored a children's book, Tickle Monster, released in April 2008.
Private lifeEdit
Bissett and actor Rob Estes (who also starred on Melrose Place) were married in 1992, and divorced in 2006. Bissett suffered a miscarriage in 1996, but the couple later had two children together — Mason Tru (born 21 July 1999) and Maya Rose (born 14 April 2002). Bissett resides in Seattle with her mother Linda.
FilmographyEdit
FilmEdit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Fear In The Dark | Daniela Foster | |
| Hitcher In The Dark | Tiffany | Supporting role | |
| 1990 | Book of Love | Sophie Armstrong | Main role |
| No Going Back | Steph | Supporting role | |
| 1991 | The Doors | Casey Scott | Main role |
| I Posed for Playboy | Claire | Main role | |
| 1992 | Halfway House | Debbera "Debbie" Sutherland | Main role |
| Lies, Or Things That Arnt True | Cindy Kunningham | Supporting role | |
| Secrets | Gabby Smith | Supporting role | |
| Mikey | Jesse Owens | Main role | |
| 1993 | All American Murder | Tally Fuller | Main role |
| 1994 | Deadly Vows | Bobby Gilbert Weston | Main role |
| 1995 | Hot and Steamy | Leanne | Supporting role |
| 1996 | Dare To Love | Jessica Wells | Main role |
| 1998 | Baby Monitor: Sound of Fear | Ann Lenz | Main role |
| 2000 | Man-Child | Donna Goodwhin | |
| 2005 | I Do, They Don't | Carrie Lewalyon | Main role |
| The Other Woman | Haylie | Supporting role | |
| Hollywood | Herself | Cameo | |
| Call off The Doggs | Tammy Crustrissna | Supporting role | |
| Gimmie The Truth | Holly | Main role | |
| The Facts | Lynnette America | Main role | |
| 2006 | Obituary | Denise Wilcox | Main role |
| 2008 | Joy Fielding's The Other Woman | Jill Plumley | Main role |
TelevisionEdit
| Year | Title | Role | No. Episodes | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989–1990 | Doogie Howser | Crista Benson | 10 episodes | 1 |
| 1990 | Quantum Leap | Becky | 1 episode | 3 |
| 1990–1991 | The Hogan Family | Cara | 11 episodes | 5–6 |
| 1991 | Parker Lewis Can't Lose | Sarah | 1 episode | 1 |
| 1992 | P.S. I Luv U | Dianne Peters | 4 episodes | 2 |
| 1992 | Burke's Law | Connie O'Neal | 1 episode | 7 |
| 1992–1997, 1998–1999 | Melrose Place | Jane Andrews-Mancini | 172 episodes | 1–5, 7 |
| 2003 | Law and Order: SVU | Jennifer Fulton | 1 episode | 5 |
| 2008—2013 | The Secret Life of the American Teenager | Kathleen Bowman | 90 episodes | 1—5 |
| 2009–10 | Melrose Place | Jane Andrews | 2 episodes | 1 |
