Emilie de Ravin was born on December 27, 1981 in Mount Eliza, Victoria, Australia. By age 15, she got accepted into the elite and exclusive Australian Ballet School in Melbourne. She dropped out after only a year, in order to pursue acting courses. In 1999, she landed the role of Curupira on the television production of BeastMaster. Her agent tipped her on casting calls for a new series in the U.S. so she flew out to audition. She subsequently won the part of Tess Harding on Roswell, and had to be written out of BeastMaster.
Tess Harding, played by Emilie de Ravin on Roswell, is the fourth and most recent member of the alien group led by Max Evans. In their former original existence as aliens, she and Max were husband and wife. Now on a different planet, she tirelessly and tediously tries to make him fall in love with her, but she only meets up with rejection as Max is completely devoted to Liz.
(Photo courtesy of Rob D'Amico)