Jeri Lynn Ryan, an American actress, was born on February 22, 1968, in Munich, West Germany, to Gerhard Florian "Jerry" Zimmermann and an unknown mother. She has an older brother, Mark, and is often referred to as a "military brat" due to her family's constant relocation throughout her childhood.
Ryan's father, a career Army officer, stationed the family in various locations across the United States, including Kansas, Maryland, Hawaii, Georgia, and Texas. When she was eleven years old, her father retired from the Army, and the family settled in Paducah, Kentucky.
Ryan's early life was marked by a strong academic background, earning her a National Merit Scholar award during her senior year at Lone Oak High School in 1986. She then attended Northwestern University, where she became a member of the Alpha Phi sorority and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre in 1990.
In addition to her academic achievements, Ryan also pursued a career in beauty pageants. In 1989, she was crowned Miss Illinois, and in 1990, she competed in the Miss America Pageant, where she was the third runner-up and won the preliminary swimsuit competition.
Ryan's acting career began in the late 1990s, with roles in the science fiction series Dark Skies and the legal drama series Shark. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Seven of Nine on the television series Star Trek: Voyager, a role she played from 1997 to 2001.
In the early 2000s, Ryan appeared in the television series Boston Public, followed by a stint on the drama series Body of Proof from 2011 to 2013. She has also made guest appearances on various other television shows, including Leverage and Shark.
Throughout her career, Ryan has demonstrated her versatility as an actress, taking on a wide range of roles in various genres and formats. Despite her success, she remains humble and dedicated to her craft, continuing to captivate audiences with her performances.
