For years, police procedurals have been a major attraction on American television, thus leading to a proliferation of shows in that genre. Out of this pool, a few shows have gone on to become iconic and classic due to their longevity on air. One of the most popular ones among them is NCIS and it has been on air since 2003, with a revolving door that has seen several actors come and go.
Among this plethora of actors is Emily Wickersham, who has been on the show since 2013, playing the role of Special Agent Ellie Bishop. Wickersham has been in the industry long before she began appearing on NCIS, however, it is her work on the long-running series that has made her a household name. It has also opened up a whole world of other opportunities for her and since then, she has gone on to star in some projects on the big screen.
Emily Wickersham Dropped Out of College To Pursue A Career in Entertainment
When John Atwood and Amy Wickersham welcomed their daughter on the 26th of April, 1984, they would have, like every parent, wished for her to grow up to become a successful person. That is a wish that has since come true for the proud parents but before she became a star, Emily Wickersham was just a child who was born in Kansas but relocated to New York at an early age.
Growing up alongside an elder brother, Emily was a regular tomboy who played a lot of sports. She paid particular attention to tennis and aspired to make a career out of it. The young girl however realized early on that she lacked the skills to make it as a pro and as such, she decided to take the more practical step of obtaining a college degree.
Emily, therefore, proceeded to Muhlenberg College in New York to study for an arts degree. She spent about two years at the college and then dropped out before moving to Manhattan in search of opportunities. In Manhattan, Emily easily landed work as a waiter in a restaurant, and while doing this, she was scouted for a modeling career opportunity. Whilst modeling, Emily used her salaries to finance speaking courses as well as an acting class and it wasn’t long before she started auditioning for roles.
She Rose To Fame Through Bit Roles and Minor Parts
While most actors and actresses get their start through a short film or a TV show or a small part in a major picture, Emily got her start on a late-night variety show, appearing in an episode of Late Show with David Letterman. The unusual start quickly developed into appearances in more traditional roles in TV Dramas like Parco P.I., where she played the character of Grace Carr, and The Sopranos, where she played a recurring role as Rhiannon Flammer, the girlfriend of a mobster.
Emily’s first movie appearance came in 2008 when she was cast as an unnamed character in the romantic-drama, Definitely, Maybe. In the following year, she got her chance to star as a named character in the TV movie, Taking Chance, playing the character, Kelley Phelps. The New Yorker further starred in a few other films and TV shows, like I Am Number Four, Gone, The Bridge, and Gossip Girl, before getting her breakthrough on NCIS.
Her Star Turn as Special Agent Ellie Bishop on NCIS
Emily Wickersham joined the cast of NCIS in 2013 as a replacement for the actress, Cote de Pablo, who left the show. The New Yorker was originally projected to appear on the show for just three episodes but her character was so well-received by fans that she was made a regular cast on the show.
Emily has been on NCIS since 2013 to date and portrays the NSA analyst, Ellie Bishop. Bishop is described as super smart, with a photographic memory, and is a country girl at heart. She specializes in international threat assessment and global preparation and is a dizzying mixture of analytic brilliance, fierce determination, and idealism.
She has appeared in about 133 episodes of NCIS and has made Ellie into one of the most beloved characters on the show. Wickersham has therefore been tapped to appear on other projects like Glitch and NCIS: New Orleans. Even though Emily has not become a big movie star, she feels incredibly lucky as she never thought she would make it this far. The actress is, therefore, concentrating on enjoying herself and looks forward to what the future will bring.
Splurging on a New Home With Her Earnings
Emily Wickersham may not be a big movie star but there is no doubt that she is doing well for herself. The New Yorker reportedly earns about $100,000 per episode of NCIS and has gone on to build up a net worth of $2 million. She uses the same to take care of herself and her family and in March 2020, she purchased a Spanish-style cottage worth $2.6 million in Los Feliz, L.A.
The 3341-square foot home boasts of four bedrooms and four baths. Other exquisite features include a hand-carved front door, stylish arched ceiling, brick fireplace, mosaic tiled kitchen, lush backyards, and a private guest apartment complete with its own kitchenette and bathroom. An additional icing on the cake is that the house was formerly inhabited by celebrities such as Shana Feste (movie director) and Alexandra Edenborough (Gary Oldman’s fourth wife).
These two incredible humans, make my going to work a beautiful ride.. love you both. Peeps follow these two powerful and brilliant women.. #NCIS #PeanutbutterSandwich pic.twitter.com/XWwNZ00ELn
— Wilmer Valderrama (@WValderrama) April 19, 2018
Quitting Her Decade-Long Marriage
One of the downsides to being successful in Hollywood is that the industry often wreaks havoc on personal relationships especially those of a romantic nature. As such, several of its stars, be it, models, actors, reality TV stars or musicians, have experienced a divorce. Sadly, the gorgeous Emily Wickersham has found herself in these statistics as she is divorced from her husband, musician-cum-lawyer, Blake Henley.
Henley is a rock star who plays with the band, Ghost Lion. He has also qualified as a lawyer and specializes in domestic violence, assisting the less-privileged through the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County. Emily and Henley started dating in the late 2000s and later said “I Do” on the 23rd of November, 2010. Their wedding ceremony was held at Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys and featured several family and friends.
Following the nuptials, the couple resumed family life and remained together for nearly a decade during which they assisted each other in their various endeavors. Henley supported Emily as she trudged from one audition to the next while she also stood by him as he dealt with the grueling reality of law school. They later achieved their various dreams but it was, unfortunately, this time that they now split, specifically in December 2018. No reason was given for the divorce, except the cliché irreconcilable differences, and the erstwhile couple has now moved on with their separate lives.
See Also: Learn Richard Karn’s Secret To Remaining Relevant As an Actor and All About His Family
How Does She Maintain Her Great Shape?
If there is another thing that Emily Wickersham has going for her, asides her acting talents, it is her hot and sexy figure. The NCIS star boasts of an insane body and she is well aware of this. She, therefore, fills her Instagram timeline with alluring snaps which are guaranteed to make people quite envious and swoony. So, what makes up this figure?
Well, the actress has a height of 5 feet 7 inches with a fitting bodyweight of 52kg. Other defining measurements are 34, 24, and 34 inches for her bust size, waist size, and hip size respectively. Her hair color is light brown while her eye is hazel-colored. Emily maintains her physique through an active lifestyle filled with Pilates and long hikes. She also pursues a healthy diet; avoiding snacks and drinking lots of water.
