American actress Krysten Ritter has starred in several notable TV shows over the years. The Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania-born actress leads the cast of the AMC Canadian science fiction thriller series Orphan Black: Echoes. Although it isn’t her first lead role on television, it’s proof of the actress’ rising profile in the industry.
Raised on a rural farm in Shickshinny, Pennsylvania, Krysten Ritter got her first big break at age 15 when she was scouted by a modeling agent. Since she had always fancied an acting career, she transitioned from modeling as soon as opportunities presented themselves. Here’s a look at Krysten Ritter’s career timeline on television.
2004: Made Her Television Debut
Krysten Ritter made her screen debut in film three years earlier, in 2001. Her journey on the small screen began with a guest appearance on an episode (“The Squatters”) of the NBC sitcom Whoopi. She played a granddaughter, Brynn, who was called upon by Mavis Rae (Whoopi Goldberg) to sign documents to have her grandmother removed from Rae’s hotel.
While it was only a short screen time, it was an excellent place to start. In the same 2004, she also guest-starred as Kay on ABC’s soap opera One Life to Live. Ritter also appeared on Law & Order as Tracy Warren and as a saleswoman in Tanner on Tanner.
2005: Landed Her First Major Role on Television
Interestingly, Krysten Ritter’s television career kicked off quicker than most actors. Ritter landed her first major role the following year as Gia Goodman on the teen noir mystery-drama series Veronica Mars. Her character is introduced in the series as a Neptune High student who transferred from a private boarding school. She was also the daughter of influential professional baseball team owner Woody Goodman (Steve Guttenberg). Krysten Ritter appeared on 8 episodes of the show from 2005 to 2006. However, she reprised the role in the 2014 movie of the same name.
2006: Joined Gilmore Girls
With the success of The WB/The CW’s Gilmore Girls, joining the series was another win for Krysten Ritter’s career. Ritter joined in season 3 as Lucy, one of Rory Gilmore’s (Alexis Bledel) Yale friends. Ritter’s character was introduced in season 7, episode 4 (“S Wonderful, ‘S Marvelous”). Her last appearance was in the penultimate episode of the season (“Unto the Breach”), where she graduated and moved with Olivia (Olivia Marquont), renting an apartment in Manhattan. Krysten Ritter appeared in 8 episodes of Gilmore Girls from 2006 to 2007. At the same time, she played Allison Stark on the Fox sitcom ‘Til Death from 2006 to 2007.
2009: Krysten Ritter Landed Her Breakthrough Role With Breaking Bad
Krysten Ritter only appeared in a few episodes (9 episodes) of the award-winning AMC crime-drama series Breaking Bad. Despite this, her presence plays a significant role as the character was largely responsible for Jesse Pinkman’s (Aaron Paul) first downward spiral. Ritter played Jane Margolis, a character introduced as Jesse’s attractive landlady, neighbor, and later lover.
She introduces Jesse to heroin, which affects Jesse’s composure in a major methamphetamine deal with Gus Fring. Afraid she was a bad influence in Jesse’s life, Walter White (Bryan Cranston) lets her choke and then asphyxiate to death after he accidentally turns her on her back. Walter has returned to Jesse’s apartment to meet both of them, unconscious in bed, drugged out from heroin.
2010s: Krysten Ritter’s Television Career Expansion
Breaking Bad helped usher her career into the 2010s, appearing in 9 episodes of the show from 2009 to 2010. Krysten Ritter played one of the series’ leads, the 27-year-old Lily Champagne, in the short-lived Starz comedy-drama series Gravity. In 2012, Ritter played an irresponsible party girl, Chloe, in ABC’s sitcom Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23. Chloe pretends to find roommates for her apartment but forces them to make upfront payments. She then finds outrageous ways to get them to leave. Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 aired for 2 seasons.
Krysten Ritter landed her biggest role on television, playing the title character in the Marvel Comics-based Netflix series Jessica Jones. Ritter portrayed the ex-superhero with superhuman flight and strength, who now runs the detective agency Alias Investigations. The show aired for 3 seasons from 2015 to 2019 before its cancelation. Ritter reprised the role in the Netflix miniseries The Defenders, which aired in 2017.
2020s: She Has Become An Established Television Actress
Krysten Ritter’s successes from the last decade helped cement her television career. Her first project in the 2020s was voicing a guest character, Sheila Redfield, in a 2022 episode (“Meat Is Murder”) of The Simpsons. In 2023, she joined the Elizabeth Olsen-led cast of HBO Max’s biological crime drama miniseries Love & Death. In the 7-episode miniseries, Ritter played Candy Montgomery’s (Elizabeth Olsen) friend, Sherry Cleckler. In 2024, Krysten Ritter plays an amnesiac woman, Lucy, and the young Dr. Eleanor Miller in Orphan Black: Echoes. If you enjoyed reading about Krysten Ritter’s television career timeline, read about Young Sheldon actor, Lance Barber’s career timeline.
Follow Us
