Alison Bartlett

Known for ActingBorn 1971-07-14 (age 54)New York City, New York, USA

Alison Bartlett O'Reilly (born July 14, 1971) is a New York-based actress who has portrayed Gina Jefferson on Sesame Street since 1987, and has reprised the role in various related specials, direct-to-video productions, and The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland. Bartlett began her career as a child actress, appearing at the age of 12 as Joanne in the 1984 stage production of Landscape of The Body, co-starring Dann Florek and directed by Gary Sinise. Other stage credits include the role of Donna in the Broadway show Hurly Burly from 1985, and Off Broadway in Jersey City (1990). In September 1985, her agent presented her with a "day player role" of Gina, one of Gordon's science students. Despite "warm feelings towards the show", she passed on the part, having been convinced she'd permanently maintain her tough girl typecasting; a rejection from Sesame Street would "sting too much", and destroy its place in her mind. Her agent urged her into an audition, and she credits show director Jon Stone for seeing past her self-depreciation. In 1991, she starred in the ABC After-School Special It's Only Rock and Roll, where she met her husband to be, writer/director Harry O'Reilly; at this point, she began receiving credit on Sesame Street under her married name, Alison Bartlett O'Reilly. She also guest starred on NYPD Blue in 1995. Taking time off to have three children, O'Reilly's work was primarily limited to Sesame Street. However, in 2002, she began actively seeking other roles. In addition to appearing in the 2003 independent film Crooked Lines (directed by her husband), the actress began appearing in a variety of roles in different TV crime dramas, including the short-lived FOX series The Jury, various episodes of the Law & Order franchise, and a two episode stint on HBO's The Sopranos as Gwen McIntyre, a maternal woman who has fallen in love with an ex-con (Steve Buscemi's Tony Blundatto). In 2006, she appeared in several episodes of the FX show Rescue Me as Deb Stackhouse, the wife of a firefighter injured in a fire.Read more

Movies & web series

Sesame Street: Elmo Visits the Doctor

Sesame Street: Big Bird Sings!

Sesame Street 'A Is for Asthma'

Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration

The Jury

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland: Sing and Play

The Sopranos

Karaoke!

FBI

Jim Henson Idea Man

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Marty Supreme

Sesame Street: Elmo's World: The Street We Live On!

Rescue Me

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

Kidnapped

Law & Order

Sesame Street: Elmo's Potty Time

The History of Sound

Right to Kill?

Sesame Street Stays Up Late!

Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration

Sesame Street: Rock & Roll!

Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie

A Sesame Street Christmas Carol

Materialists

Sesame Street: Elmopalooza!

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland

Canterbury's Law

Golden Boy

Sick Girl

Submission

Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas

Mercy

The Innkeepers

Corn

Crooked Lines

Sesame Street: Sesame Sings Karaoke

STREET SMART: Lessons from a TV Icon

Sesame Street: Play All Day with Elmo!

Sesame Street: Elmo's Magic Numbers

Sesame Street: Wild Words and Outdoor Adventures

Sesame Street: Friends to the Rescue

Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days

Sesame Street: Elmo and Friends: The Letter Quest and Other Magical Tales

Sesame Street: Ready for School!

Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song?

Sesame Street: Three Bears and a New Baby