American actress Constance Zimmer was born on October 11, 1970 in Seattle, Washington. After a childhood stint as a gymnast, she started acting, initially participating in several productions in high school. Upon graduation, she entered the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, California, and appeared in local theater productions. She eventually earned a Drama-Logue Award for one of her first performances, in the play Catholic School Girls.
Zimmer then started appearing in several national television ads, including those for Duracell and Rite-Aid. She also began booking guest roles on television programs—Babylon 5, Diagnosis Murder, Beverly Hills 90210, The King of Queens, Chicago Hope, Providence, Gideon’s Crossing and Philly, among others—aside from bit roles in films. She took her first regular television role in 2002, when she joined the cast of the sitcom Good Morning, Miami. Her role as Penelope Barnes Barrington, the wise-cracking assistant to television producer Jake Silver (Mark Feuerstein), only lasted for two years.
In 2004, Zimmer had a recurring role in the drama series Joan of Arcadia, playing former nun Lilly Watters. She then became a regular in the short-lived police procedural series In Justice. She then joined the cast of the acclaimed comedy series Entourage, playing high ranking studio executive Dana Gordon, a recurring role. In 2006, she took another regular role, in the legal drama Boston Legal; she plays enigmatic lawyer Claire Simms. She only appeared in the program’s third season, as producers decided not to renew her contract, and her character disappeared without explanation.
Zimmer has also starred in several movies. After her debut as a bit player in the romantic comedy Senseless, she has appeared in Spin Cycle, Home Room, Farewell, My Love, Just Pray, Damaged Goods, Chaos Theory, The Hammer and AmericanEast. She is also a known AIDS advocate, having appeared in several fundraisers with her colleagues from Good Morning, Miami.