Bio
Melissa Sagemiller is an American actress best known for her television roles as Gayle Bishop on Sleeper Cell (2005-2006) and as Michelle Ernhardt on Raising the Bar, from 2008-2009.
She currently stars as A.D.A. Gillian Hardwicke on the police procedural television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, since 2010.
Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Sagemiller developed a passion for the arts early. At the age of three, she began to study dance: tap, ballet, jazz and modern.
She made her stage debut at age nine as Dill in To Kill a Mockingbird. Sagemiller soon became a regular on stages in Washington.
After graduating from the University of Virginia she studied at The Stella Adler Conservatory, New York University’s Stonestreet Studios and the Michael Howard Studio.
Most recently, Sagemiller was seen in the feature film Mr. Woodcock with Billy Bob Thornton, Susan Sarandon and Sean William Scott. Her other film credits include The Guardian, Standing Still, The Clearing, Soul Survivors, Get Over It, Life on a Ledge, Sorority Boys and Love Object.
On television, Sagemiller starred in the Golden Globe-nominated series Sleeper Cell. She has also appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Without a Trace.