A native of Wilmington, North Carolina, Trieste Kelly Dunn studied theater at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She initially appeared in theater roles, starring in productions of Twelfth Night, The Living and The Italian American Reconciliation. She made her film debut in 2003, appearing in a short film Birth of a Rebellion. She has since starred in other films, including The Tragedy of Glady, Champagne Society, Little Chicago and, most notably, United 93.
Dunn has also appeared on television, making her debut as a guest in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2006. In 2008, she joined the cast of the legal drama Canterbury’s Law. The midseason replacement starred Julianna Marguiles as a lawyer who deals with her work and the disappearance of her son. Dunn played one of her co-workers, the headstrong Molly McConnell. The series was affected by the writers’ strike the year before, and as a result, only six episodes were produced; the series was cancelled after its run.