Abigail Spencer

Abigail Leigh Spencer (born August 4, 1981 ) is an American actress, producer and writer. She began her career playing Rebecca Tyree on the ABC daytime television soap opera All My Children (1999–2001) before going on to star in the Lifetime crime drama series, Angela's Eyes. From 2013 to 2016, Spencer starred as Amantha Holden in the SundanceTV drama series Rectify, for which she received a nomination for a Critics' Choice Television Award; she then starred as history professor Lucy Preston in the NBC science-fiction series Timeless. As of 2026, she is in a lead role on the FOX series Best Medicine.

Spencer has appeared in many films, including In My Sleep (2010), Cowboys & Aliens (2011), This Means War (2012), Chasing Mavericks (2012), The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia (2013), Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), and This Is Where I Leave You (2014). She also had recurring roles on the series Mad Men (2009), Hawthorne (2009–2011), Suits (2011–2019), and Grey's Anatomy (2017–2022).

Early life Spencer was born and raised in Gulf Breeze, Florida, She has two brothers. Spencer has said that she is part Cherokee.

Career Spencer's first major acting role was playing Rebecca "Becca" Tyree on ABC soap opera All My Children from June 3, 1999, to April 10, 2001. She later starred in Lifetime Television original series Angela's Eyes, which was cancelled on December 1, 2006. In the following years, she began playing guest roles on several television series, including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, How I Met Your Mother, Private Practice and Castle.

Spencer played the role of a blogging enthusiast in Twix advertisements, and portrayed Miss Farrell, a love interest of Don Draper, on AMC's Mad Men in 2009. In early 2011, she landed the lead role on ABC drama pilot Grace by Krista Vernoff. Spencer had previously played the title character in another Krista Vernoff drama pilot, Introducing Lennie Rose, in 2005. Spencer appeared in a recurring role as Dr. Erin Jameson on the TNT series Hawthorne in 2010, and from 2011 to 2019 had a recurring role as Dana "Scottie" Scott, Gabriel Macht's character's old rival, on the USA Network legal drama Suits.

Spencer has appeared in several films, including In My Sleep (2010), Cowboys & Aliens (2011), This Means War (2012), and Chasing Mavericks (2012), and she played the lead role in The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia (2013). She appeared in fantasy adventure film Oz the Great and Powerful, directed by Sam Raimi, in 2013.

Spencer received critical acclaim for starring as Amantha Holden in the Sundance Channel original drama series Rectify (2013–2017). She was nominated for Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for her performance in the series.

Spencer played the lead role in the indie drama A Beautiful Now, written by Daniela Amavia, about a passionate dancer who finds herself considering an extreme act when she reaches a crossroads in her life. She was nominated for a Madrid International Film Festival Award for Best Actress for her performance in film. In 2014, Spencer appeared opposite Jason Bateman in the comedy-drama film This Is Where I Leave You, an ensemble comedy directed by Shawn Levy, and starred with John Travolta and Christopher Plummer in the crime thriller film The Forger.

In October 2014, Spencer joined the cast of the second season of HBO crime drama series, True Detective.

In 2016, Spencer was cast as lead character Lucy Preston in the NBC series Timeless, where she plays a history professor sent on time travel missions to different eras in an effort to prevent others from disrupting the U.S.-related timestream. A review by Deadline Hollywood said that the show was a waste of Spencer's talents. The New York Times wrote that "Abigail Spencer is good as Lucy, the spunky historian who is the show's central character." Timeless was renewed by NBC on May 12, 2017. The network had canceled the series days earlier, but reversed the decision. The series ended after two seasons.

Spencer and Duke Johnson's production company, Innerlight Films, has produced award-winning short films such as Here and Now, and the 2015 Oscar short-listed Winter Light. The company has also produced the film The Actor, based on Donald E. Westlake's novel Memory, starring André Holland and Gemma Chan.

Personal life Spencer married Andrew Pruett in 2004 and gave birth to their son in 2008. They filed for divorce in February 2012, divorcing in 2013. In 2018, Spencer was a guest at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle.

Spencer was a subject of leaked videos in a 2014 celebrity nude photo leak.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2001 Campfire Stories Melissa 2003 Graduation Night Skye 2005 A Coat of Snow Sandy 2006 Hooked Wendy Short film 2007 Passing the Time Jessica Short film Jekyll Talia Carew 2010 In My Sleep Gwen 2011 Cowboys & Aliens Alice 2012 This Means War Katie Chasing Mavericks Brenda Hesson 2013 The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia Lisa Wyrick Oz the Great and Powerful May Kilimanjaro Yvonne Here and Now Woman Short film; also writer and executive producer 2014 The Pieces Vanessa Short film This Is Where I Leave You Quinn Altman The Forger Agent Paisley 2015 The Heyday of the Insensitive Bastards Abigail A Walk in Winter Abigail Short film A Beautiful Now Romy H8RZ Laura Sedgewick Stars Heather Short film 2016 The Sweet Life Lolita Nowicki 2017 Three Women Madeline Short film 2018 Buttons: A Christmas Tale Annabelle Hill 2021 The Black Hole Feather (voice) Short film 2025 The Actor Producer 2026 Clean Hands Dana

Television Year Title Role Notes 1999–2001 All My Children Rebecca "Becca" Tyree 21 episodes 2005 Fathers and Sons Clarissa Television film CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Becky Lester Episode: "Bite Me" 2006 Killer Instinct Violet Summers Episode "Love Hurts" Gilmore Girls Megan Episode: "Bridesmaids Revisited" Angela's Eyes Angela Henson 13 episodes, lead role Introducing Lennie Rose Lennie Rose Television pilot 2007 Ghost Whisperer Cindy Brown Episode: "Speed Demon" My Boys Lyssa Episode: "Douchebag in the City" 2007, 2014 How I Met Your Mother Blah blah (Carol) 2 episodes 2008 Welcome to the Captain Claire Tanner Episode: "The Letter" Bones Philipa Fitz Episode: "The Man in the Mud" Moonlight Simone Walker Episode: "Sonata" 2009 Private Practice Rachel Episode: "Ex-Life" Mad Men Suzanne Farrell 6 episodes Castle Sarah Reed Episode: "One Man's Treasure" 2010 Hawthorne Dr. Erin Jameson 8 episodes The Glades Ashley Carter Episode: "The Girlfriend Experience" 2010–2012 Childrens Hospital Young Chief / Chief in Her 20s / Maxine Spratt 3 episodes 2010 Rex Is Not Your Lawyer Lindsey Steers Television pilot 2011 Grace Sarah Grace Television pilot 2011–2019 Suits Dana "Scottie" Scott 12 episodes 2011 How to be a Gentleman Lydia Episode: "Pilot" 2012–2013 Burning Love Annie 25 episodes 2013–2016 Rectify Amantha Holden 30 episodes, main cast 2013 NTSF:SD:SUV Caroline Episode: "Comic Con-Air" 2015 True Detective Gena Brune 6 episodes 2016 Comedy Bang! Bang! Vanna Episode: "Zach Galifianakis Wears Rolled Khakis and Shoes with Brown Laces" 2016–2018 Timeless Lucy Preston 27 episodes, main cast 2017–2022 Grey's Anatomy Dr. Megan Hunt 15 episodes 2019 Wayne Donna Luccetti Episode: "Chapter Five: Del" Reprisal Doris Quinn / Katherine Harlow 10 episodes 2021 Rebel Dr. Misha Nelson 9 episodes 2023–2024 Extended Family Julia Mariano 13 episodes 2024 Shatter Belt Executive producer, 2 episodes 2025 Law & Order Michelle Burns Episode: "Duty to Protect" 2025 9-1-1 Amber Braeburn 2 episodes 2026 Best Medicine Louisa Gavin Main cast

Accolades Year Association Category Work Result 2000 Soap Opera Digest Awards Outstanding Female Newcomer All My Children 2013 Critics' Choice Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Rectify 2014 Satellite Awards Best Actress in a Series, Drama 2017 Teen Choice Awards Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actress Timeless