American actress Jeanne Tripplehorn was born on June 10, 1963 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She got her interest in performing after her father, Tom Tripplehorn, who was a guitarist for Gary Lewis and the Playboys at one point. After graduating from high school, she got her start as a radio DJ, using the handle “Jeanie Summers,” and later moved on to hosting local television shows. She eventually studied at the University of Tulsa, before deciding to pursue an acting career; she then trained at the Juilliard School of Drama in New York City.
Tripplehorn made her acting debut in 1991, when she played one of the leads in the television movie The Perfect Tribute. The following year, she starred in the controversial crime thriller Basic Instinct, playing police psychiatrist Beth Garner, who was in a turbulent relationship with detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas). A bigger break for her, however, was another thriller film, The Firm. She played the role of Abigail McDeere, the wife of protagonist Mitch (Tom Cruise); she took over the role from Robin Wright Penn, who was pregnant at the time. The film established her as a bankable actress, and earned her roles in other major films such as Waterworld, Mickey Blue Eyes and Steal This Movie.
Tripplehorn occasionally appeared on television, making appearances on The Ben Stiller Show—Ben Stiller was her boyfriend then—and Mr. Show with Bob and David. Her first major television role was in the acclaimed drama Big Love, which revolves around a polygamous husband (Bill Paxton) and his three wives. She played the first wife, Barbara Henrickson, who followed her husband into polygamy. She is also acclaimed for her performances on stage, having appeared in the off-Broadway production of The Big Funk, and the Broadway production of The Three Sisters. She was also part of The Guys, a play which paid tribute to New York’s firefighters working during the 9/11 attacks.