Jessica Karen Szohr is an American actress. She started her screen career appearing on television shows such as My Wife and Kids, Joan of Arcadia, What About Brian and CSI: Miami. She gained recognition in 2007 with her breakthrough role as Vanessa Abrams on The CW’s teen drama series Gossip Girl. Take a look below for 29 more fun and fascinating facts about Jessica Szohr.

1. Szohr was born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, a place she described as a “family-oriented small town.”

2. She is of Hungarian and African-American ancestry.

3. The oldest of five children (Megan, Danielle, Nick and Sadie), Szohr played soccer, served on the student council, and was part of the cheerleading squad while in school.

4. She started a cleaning company with a friend, cleaning their teachers’ houses.

5. Szohr started modeling at age six.

6. Her first national campaign was for Quaker Oats at age ten, and she also appeared in print ads for Kohl’s department store.

7. Subsequent modeling gigs followed, including prints for Crate & Barrel, Mountain Dew, Sears, Jockey and JanSport.

8. Szohr graduated from Menomonee Falls High School a semester early and moved to Los Angeles with her mother at the age of 17 to pursue an acting career.

9. She told Seventeen magazine that she “almost moved home like five times.”

10. She initially aspired to become an interior designer and had enrolled in Columbia College Chicago, but her agent ultimately convinced her to try pilot season auditions.

11. Szohr made her debut as an actress in 2003 in an episode of the third season of My Wife and Kids, titled “Not So Hostile Takeover”.

12. Her first film was Uncle Nino (2003), playing a minor role as The MC.

13. She appeared in numerous guest teen television series such as That’s So Raven, Drake & Josh, What I Like About You, and Joan of Arcadia.

14. She also appeared in three episodes of CSI: Miami as Samantha Barrish.

15. In 2007, she appeared in a major recurring role as Laura for six episodes in the ABC dramedy series What About Brian.

16. She also appeared in the music videos for “Best Days” by Matt White and “Over You” by Daughtry, in which she played Sarah.

17. In the same year, Szohr earned her breakthrough role on the hit CW teen drama series Gossip Girl. She plays Vanessa Abrams.

18. Szohr was awarded the Breakthrough Actress in Film award at the 2010 Breakthrough of the Year awards for her work in Piranha 3D.

19. In April 2010, Szohr joined the cast of the romantic comedy Love, Wedding, Marriage, along with Mandy Moore and Kellan Lutz. The film began principal photography in April 2010 and was filmed in New Orleans.

20. That same year, Szohr was included on People magazine’s “100 Most Beautiful People in the World” list.

21. Szohr has a role in the 2012 independent post-apocalyptic sci-fi film Hirokin. Her role as Orange has been described as a “cunning temptress”.

22. In 2012, Szohr helped Hayden Panettiere punk Glee actress Dianna Agron.

23. On February 12, 2018, Szohr was cast as a regular for the second season of the science fiction comedy-drama series The Orville.

24. Szohr enjoys snowboarding, hiking, yoga, church, and football. She describes her hobbies as a result of her being “from Wisconsin”.

25. She also is a Green Bay Packers fan.

26. Szohr describes her real-life fashion as “simple and casual”. Speaking to Vogue, she said, “I wouldn’t say I’m trendy or follow any particular trends.”

27. She has twenty-two tattoos, including her grandparents’ anniversary on her left arm and a putto on her foot.

28. She told Parade magazine that, in order to avoid real-life gossip, she does not read blogs.

29. Szohr is a friend of singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, Jessica Stam, Nina Dobrev, and Dianna Agron.