Alexandra Breckenridge

Alexandra Breckenridge (born May 15, 1982) is an American actress. She began her career with supporting roles in the teen comedy films Big Fat Liar and She's the Man (2006). She later played reporter Willa McPherson in the FX series Dirt and had a supporting role in the short-lived series The Ex List. She starred as a young Moira O'Hara in the first season of FX's American Horror Story, and played Kaylee in the third season. She played Jessie Anderson in the AMC series The Walking Dead and Sophie in the NBC series This Is Us. She is also the voice of various characters in the animated comedy series Family Guy. Since 2019, she has starred as Melinda "Mel" Monroe in the Netflix series Virgin River.

Early life Breckenridge was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and lived in Darien, Connecticut, until the age of 10, when she and her mother moved to California, where they moved around for a year before settling in Mill Valley. She did community productions and took acting classes.

Her mother, who was 19 when Alexandra was born, went to college and was a house cleaner for a living. Her father worked at Foxwoods Casino as a director of operations for the engineering department. She also guest-starred in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Dawson's Creek, JAG, Medium, Psych, and Undeclared. Breckenridge also guest-starred as Francise in three episodes of Opposite Sex. In 2002, she appeared in the film Big Fat Liar, starring Frankie Muniz, as Jason Shepherd's older sister Janie.

Breckenridge has had numerous voice roles in the animated television series Family Guy. During an interview with FHM, she stated: "When I first went for Family Guy, I auditioned for a guest voice. I don't know why, but [creator] Seth MacFarlane really likes the sound of my voice. I'll never understand that. He just liked me and they call me back all the time to do different things." in which she played Willa McPherson, a young upstart writer. In 2009, Breckenridge co-starred in the independent film The Bridge to Nowhere, directed by Blair Underwood. In 2012, she had a role in the film Ticket Out.

In 2011, Breckenridge had a recurring role in season four of HBO's True Blood as Katerina Pelham and also in season one of FX's American Horror Story as young Moira O'Hara, the ghost of a maid trapped in the house in which she was employed. In addition, she returned for two episodes in season three of the series, Coven, as Kaylee, a young witch who excels in pyrokinesis.

From 2015 to 2016, Breckenridge portrayed Jessie Anderson, a character from the comic book series of the same name, in seasons five and six of the AMC postapocalyptic horror series The Walking Dead. In 2015, she co-starred in the psychological thriller Dark from executive producer Joe Dante and director Nick Basile. In 2017, Breckenridge appeared in the recurring role of Sophie, Kate's childhood friend and Kevin's ex-wife, in the first season of the NBC drama series This Is Us. She was promoted to a series regular for the second season, and appeared in one episode in the third season two episodes in the fourth season, one episode in the fifth season, and the final sixth season.

Since 2019, Breckenridge has played lead character Melinda "Mel" Monroe, a nurse-midwife who moves to a small northern California town following a personal tragedy, in the Netflix series Virgin River. The series was renewed for fourth and fifth seasons by Netflix in September 2021.

Personal life Breckenridge married guitarist Casey Hooper in September 2015. They had their first child, a son, in September 2016. Their second child, a daughter, was born in December 2017. They reside in Georgia.

Breckenridge is the niece of actor Michael Weatherly.

She has several tattoos that are covered by make-up for her on-screen projects, but not during photo shoots.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2002 Orange County Anna Uncredited role Big Fat Liar Janie Shepherd Wishcraft Kristie Vampire Clan Charity Lynn Keesee 2003 D.E.B.S. Amy Short film 2005 Rings Vanessa 2006 She's the Man Monique Valentine Jack Rabbit Harley Short film 2008 The Art of Travel Kate 2009 The Bridge to Nowhere Sienna 2012 Ticket Out Jocelyn 2014 Other People's Children Ariel 2015 Always Watching: A Marble Hornets Story Sara Dark Leah Zipper Christy 2016 Broken Vows Debra 2017 Grown Ups Carly Short film 2025 Cast Away Sorta Herself My Secret SantaTaylor Jacobson

Television Year Title Role Notes 1998 Even the Losers Unknown Television filmGhosts of Fear StreetKit Murphy 1999 Locust Valley Arden 2000 Dawson's Creek Kate Douglas Episode: "Valentine's Day Massacre" Freaks and Geeks Shelly Weaver Episode: "Looks and Books" Opposite Sex Francise Recurring role; 3 episodes 2001–2002 Undeclared Prim and Proper Girl / Celeste Episodes: "Prototype" & "Eric's POV" 2002 Charmed Michelle Miglis Episode: "A Paige from the Past" Buffy the Vampire Slayer Kit Holburn Episode: "Lessons" 2004 Mystery Girl Katie Hill Television short CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Lisa "Cleopatra" Hunt Episode: "Turn of the Screws" JAG Pia Bonfilio Episode: "There Goes the Neighborhood" 2005 Murder Book Sarah Television film Romy and Michele: In the Beginning Michele Weinberger Medium Isabel Galvan Episode: "Jump Start" Sex, Love & Secrets Maddie Lyall Episode: "Protection" 2005–2018 Family Guy Various voices Voice role; 65 episodes 2006 American Dad! Girl Voice role; Episode: "With Friends Like Steve's" 2007 Psych Betty Episode: "Scary Sherry: Bianca's Toast" 2007–2008 Dirt Willa McPherson Main role; 20 episodes 2008–2009 Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy Princess Peach / Woman Voice role; 4 episodes The Ex List Vivian Main role; 13 episodes 2010 Sons of Tucson Gina Episodes: "Gina" & "Ron Quits" Life Unexpected Abby Cassidy Recurring role; 5 episodes True Love Erin Unsold television pilot 2011 Cooper and Stone Jenna Cooper Television film Franklin & Bash Emily Claire Episode: "Bachelor Party" True Blood Katerina Pelham Recurring role; 4 episodes (season 4) American Horror Story: Murder House Young Moira O'Hara Recurring role; 6 episodes 2012 Men at Work Katelyn Episode: "Wake and Bake" 2013 Save Me Carly Brugano Main role; 7 episodes American Horror Story: Coven Kaylee Rowe Episodes: "Fearful Pranks Ensue" & "The Axeman Cometh" 2014 Rake Brooke Alexander Episode: "A Close Shave" 2015–2016 The Walking Dead Jessie Anderson Recurring role (season 5), also starring (season 6); 11 episodes 2015 Extant Zoe Grant Episode: "Morphoses" 2016 Pure Genius Margot Byer Episode: "Pilot" 2017–2018, 2020–2022 This Is Us Sophie Recurring role (season 1), Main role (season 2), Special guest star (seasons 3–6); 23 episodes 2018 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Sarah Kent Episode: "Mea Culpa" Christmas Around the Corner Claire Television film 2019–present Virgin River Melinda "Mel" Monroe Sheridan Main role; 74 episodes (also producer) 2020 Love in Store Terrie Carpenter Television film

Awards and nominations Year Association Category Nominated work Result 2017 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series This Is Us 2018