Sasha Alexander

Sasha Alexander, born Suzana Drobnjakovic on May 17, 1973, in Los Angeles, California, is an American actress and television director of Serbian descent. From an early age she performed in school plays, and after a promising stint as an ice‑skater that ended with a knee injury, she turned fully to acting throughout high school and college. She earned a degree from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinema‑Television, where she joined the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, and later moved to New York City to hone her craft in summer stock and Shakespeare festivals. Her early professional work included guest spots on short‑lived series such as Presidio Med and Wasteland, followed by a breakout role as Gretchen Witter in the fourth season of Dawson’s Creek, where she played the sister of Pacey Witter and briefly dated the title character.

After establishing herself on television, Alexander transitioned to film with supporting parts in Lucky 13, All Over the Guy, He’s Just Not That Into You (as Catherine) and the Jim Carrey vehicle Yes Man (as Lucy). She achieved widespread recognition when she was cast as Secret Service/NCIS Special Agent Caitlin "Kate" Todd in the hit series NCIS (2003‑2005), a role she left to pursue less physically demanding work. From 2010 to 2016 she embodied the brilliant medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles on TNT’s Rizzoli & Isles, earning praise for her nuanced performance. Recent credits include a recurring part on Shameless, a guest‑star turn on Law & Order: SVU, and voice work in the animated series Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons. In addition to acting, Alexander directed the ninth episode of season three of Netflix’s You in 2021, expanding her behind‑the‑camera experience.