Penny Johnson Jerald Information

Actor
California

Biography:
Penny Johnson Jerald was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She trained at the Juilliard School, where her classmates in 1982 included fellow actors Megan Gallagher, Jack Kenny, Jack Stehlin, and Lorraine Toussaint. She currently portrays Dr. Claire Finn in the FOX show "The Orville", with the character also hailing from Penny's hometown of Baltimore, MD. Dr. Finn leads the ship's staff of medical officers and has established herself as a source of strength for the rest of the senior staff. Her presence both on the Orville's bridge and in sick bay places her in the unique position to help the bridge officers and to communicate the needs of the rest of the ship. Penny is also known for her roles in The Larry Sanders Show, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, 24, and Castle among many others. Jerald also teaches acting workshops and produces and directs for Outreach Christian Theater Company, which she and her musician husband Gralin Jerald founded in 1994. You can follow Penny's social media handle @PennyJJerald on Twitter.