Middletown NJ native Jennifer Cortese emerges on both the big and small screens this month with a guest appearance on the new FOX freshman drama, "The Mob Doctor," on October 8, 2012; and then in the Ayn Rand adaptation sequel, "Atlas Shrugged II," releasing in theaters nationwide on October 12, 2012.
Jennifer was born in Northern California, but moved with her family to Middletown, New Jersey when she was young. She spent most of her life in New Jersey and considers herself a real ‘Jersey girl’. She grew up singing and performing, knowing since she was 3 years old that she wanted to pursue dreams in Los Angeles. But, before heading out west, Jennifer attended and graduated from Georgetown University.
"The Mob Doctor" follows a young thoracic surgeon (Jordana Spiro) who becomes indebted to the South Chicago mafia and is forced to moonlight as a mob doctor, while also working full time at Chicago's most prominent hospital. In the episode “Change of Heart” airing on October 8th, Jennifer portrays Elaine McDonnel, a tough as nails beauty from ‘the neighborhood’ who isn’t afraid to go head-to-head with Grace (Spiro) when her husband has some medical issues.
Jennifer was thrilled at the opportunity to work on the show, explaining “Michael Dinner is an amazing Director with a great eye for what he wants and the ability to communicate it well. And, I had a blast with the entire cast and crew and there were absolutely no egos!”
On October 12th, sci-fi sequel "Atlas Shrugged II" heads to theaters, picking up right where the first one left off. With the global economy on the brink of collapse, Dagny Taggart (Samantha Mathis) teams up with industrialist Henry Rearden (Jason Beghe) to discover what might be the answer to a mounting energy crisis and prevent the motor of the World from being stopped for good. Jennifer steps into the action as Rearden’s efficient, professional and dedicated secretary Gwen Ives, in this race against the clock.
Jennifer has been building a solid resume since arriving in Hollywood. She’s had numerous network television appearances, including “Desperate Housewives,” “Castle,” “Cougar Town,” and “Criminal Minds,” to name a few; and she’s appeared in the films “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” and ” Friends & Lovers: The Ski Trip 2.”
To keep up with actress Jennifer Cortes visit: www.JenniferCortese.com
