Born in Los Angeles, California on October 3, 1983, Tessa Lynn Thompson is a young American actress who started out participating in many theater productions in her alma mater, Santa Monica High School. As a young girl, Thompson was exposed to acting and stage performance and is a descendant of a family of performers. Her father is a singer and songwriter and her grandfather was an actor and musician. Her professional career in acting started when she was cast as Jackie Cook on the show Veronica Mars, and later on guest starred on the TV show Cold Case. She also appeared in Grey’s Anatomy, Everyday People and He Got Game for film. Other appearances include The Initiation of Sarah where she played Esme and When a Stranger Calls where she played Scarlet. Thompson’s latest appearance is in Hidden Palms where she plays Nikki Barnes. Her interests are dancing, cheerleading and choreography, and sports like tennis, swimming, volleyball and surfing.

Nikki Barnes, played by Tessa Thompson in Hidden Palms, is a rehab patient whose family had turned their back on her. She meets Johnny Miller in rehab and gets help from his friend, Jesse Jo, who is a drag queen ready to take her into his wing for further care and rehabilitation.

(Photo Copyright © 2007 The CW / Frank Ockenfels)