Gloria Reuben
Gloria Reuben, who plays the character of Jeanie Boulet on 'ER,' was born in Toronto, and was raised there and in nearby London, Ontario, as the second youngest of six children. She credits the early influence of her mother, an accomplished singer, and her older brother, a Broadway actor, as inspiration in developing her performing talents. She began playing piano as a child and studied ballet, jazz, and music technique and theory at the prestigious Canadian Royal Conservatory.
In 1988, she relocated to Los Angeles and raised her television profile as a recurring regular on 'The Round Table' and with guest-starring roles on 'China Beach' (produced by 'ER' executive producer John Wells), 'The Young Riders' and other series.
Reuben appeared as a homicide detective in three episodes of 'Homicide: Life on the Street.' She then joined 'ER' in a recurring role as Jeanie Boulet, a married physical therapist who provided home care for Dr. Benton�s (Eriq La Salle) ailing mother and found herself falling in love with him. When she joined 'ER' as a series regular in the second season, her character was promoted to a physician�s assistant and her rocky romance with Benton soon ended. Reuben has earned two Emmy Award nominations for her portrayal of Jeanie�s courageous battle to live with dignity as a woman who is HIV-positive.
Reuben co-starred as Jean-Claude Van Damme�s partner in the feature film 'Timecop' and starred with Johnny Depp in 'Nick of Time.' During her recent hiatus, she completed production on the independent film 'Pilgram' opposite Ray Liota and will next be seen in the independent film 'Macbeth in Manhattan.' She also starred in the HBO movie 'Indiscreet,' opposite Luke Perry.
Reuben finds a particular kind of synchronicity with Jeanie: 'She�s strong-willed, sharp and intelligent, but has a dry sense of humor. She knows exactly what she�s doing professionally, but has a nurturing side too.'
Reuben relaxes by playing classical piano, swimming, reading and running along the beach: 'It keeps me balanced,' she says. She lives in Los Angeles. Her birthday is June 9.