API
Born | Jenna Lee Dewan (1980-12-03) December 3, 1980 (age 33) Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupation | Actress, model, dancer
Years active | 2002?present
Height | 5'3" (1.60 m)
Spouse(s) | Channing Tatum (2009?present)
Website
www.jennadewanunwrapped.com

Jenna Dewan-Tatum (born December 3, 1980), better known by her birth name Jenna Lee Dewan, is an American actress and dancer who is best known for her roles in Step Up and The Playboy Club and has been a background dancer for several artists such as Missy Elliott, Janet Jackson and Christina Aguilera. Dewan is also the co-founder of 33andOut Productions and Iron Horse Entertainment.

## Early life[edit]

Dewan was born in Hartford, Connecticut, the daughter of Nancy Lee (n?e Bursch) and Darryll Dewan, who was a running back on the 1972 Notre Dame Football team.[1] Her father is of Lebanese and Polish descent and her mother is of German and English ancestry.[2][3][4] Her parents divorced when Dewan was young and her mother remarried to Claude Brooks Smith. During high school at Grapevine High School in Grapevine, Texas, Jenna was a varsity cheerleader and won many dance competition awards. She graduated in 1999 and was voted prom queen her senior year. She went to USC and was a member of the California Gamma Chapter of Pi Beta Phi (???).

## Career[edit]

### Dancing[edit]

Prior to starring in film, she was a background dancer for various singers such as Clinton Troupe, 'N Sync, Sean Combs, Toni Braxton, Celine Dion, Pink, Missy Elliott, Ricky Martin and Billy Crawford. In 2001 she appeared in Janet Jackson's music video All for You and toured with Jackson on her All for You Tour. Dewan appeared in a bit role as a backup dancer in the film The Hot Chick. Dewan was also featured in Christina Aguilera's music video for the single Not Myself Tonight in 2010.

### Acting[edit]

In 2004 Dewan made her Acting debut on the Fox Sitcom television series Quintuplets. Dewan has since guest appeared on shows such as The Young and the Restless, Joey and Melrose Place.

In 2005 Dewan portrayed the role of the protagonist in the independent low-budget Supernatural Horror film Tamara. The film centers on an outcast student who dies in a prank gone wrong and returns from the dead to get her revenge. The film was an initial financial and critical failure. In 2006 Dewan made notable appearances in films The Grudge 2 and Take the Lead. That same year Dewan starred as the female lead in the Dance Drama film Step Up as Nora Clark a dance student who is partnered with a troubled Tyler Gage who is sent to spend his community service as a janitor at the school. The film opened to widespread success and went on to make $119 million worldwide. The role is widely considered Dewan's breakout role.

Dewan with husband Channing Tatum in February 2010

In August 2008 Dewan starred in the Lifetime Made-for-Television film Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal which follows five teenagers notorious for breaking the rules. Dewan portrayed the role of Coach Emma Carr who looks to discipline these five young girls. In November 2009 Dewan appeared in the Straight-to-DVD Comedy film American Virgin alongside Rob Schneider.

In August 2010 it was announced Dewan was cast in the ensemble Crime Heist film Setup. Dewan was to star alongside 50 Cent, Bruce Willis and Ryan Phillippe. Production began in November 2010 in Grand Rapids, Michigan and follows a group of friends who are involved in a potentially deadly diamond heist. The film was to be released theatrically in July 2011 but the film was pushed back. The film eventually was released Straight-to-DVD on the 20 of September 2011 to mixed reviews.[5]

Along with friends Reid Carolin, Adam Martingano, Brett Rodriguez[6] and husband Channing Tatum, Dewan started a production company called 33andOut Productions.[7] Their first production is a documentary called Earth Made of Glass that follows the Rwandan President Paul Kagame and genocide survivor Jean-Pierre Sagahutu. The film was selected to premiere at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival.[8]

In March 2011 Dewan was announced to have been cast in the NBC pilot The Playboy Club. In May 2011 NBC picked up the series for a full season order. Dewan portrayed the role of Bunny Janie a very provocative playboy bunny who works at a Playboy Club in Chicago during 1961 and was confirmed to be a series regular on the series. The series premiered on September 19 2011 to a 5.2 million viewers and mixed reviews from critics. Due to low ratings NBC cancelled the series after just three episodes in October 2011.[9]

In September 2010 Dewan was announced to appear in the romantic-comedy film 10 Years. The film is produced by husband Channing Tatum and was released on September 14, 2012.

## Personal life[edit]

In 2006, Dewan met Channing Tatum on the set of Step Up. They began dating shortly after filming had finished.[10] The couple got engaged in early September 2008 in Maui, Hawaii.[11] On July 11, 2009, they were married on the grounds of Church Estates Vineyards in Malibu, California.[12]

## Filmography[edit]

### Film[edit]

Year | Film | Role | Notes
--- | --- | --- | ---
2004 | Dark Shadows | Sophia | TV movie
2005 | Waterborne | Devi |
Tamara | Tamara Riley |
2006 | Take the Lead | Sasha |
Step Up | Nora Clark | Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie: Dance (shared with Channing Tatum)
The Grudge 2 | Sally |
2008 | Love Lies Bleeding | Amber |
Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal | Emma Carr | TV movie
2009 | Falling Awake | Alessandra |
American Virgin | Priscilla |
The Six Wives of Henry Lefay | Sarah Jane |
The Jerk Theory | Molly |
2011 | Setup | Mia |
2012 | The Legend of Hell's Gate: An American conspiracy | Katherine Prescott |
Balls to the Wall | Rachel Matthews |
Ten Years | Jess |
Slightly Single in L.A. | Hallie |

### Television[edit]

Year | Title | Role | Notes
--- | --- | --- | ---
2004 | Quintuplets | Haley | 1 episode
2004 | The Young and the Restless | Donna | 2 episodes
2005 | Joey | Tanya | 1 episode
2009 | Melrose Place | Kendra Wilson | 1 episode
2011 | The Playboy Club | Bunny Janie | 3 episodes (4 unaired)
2012 | American Horror Story: Asylum | Teresa | 4 episodes

## References[edit]

1. ^ "University of Notre Dame Official Athletic Site?? Football". Und.Com. Retrieved 2011-09-28.
2. ^ http://channingtatumunwrapped.com/2009/08/jenna-dewans-new-photos-at-nylon-magazines-tv-issue-launch-party-fan-qa-on-twitter/
3. ^ http://articles.courant.com/2006-04-07/features/0604070188_1_jenna-dewan-dance-floor-dance-jobs
4. ^ "Interview Tamara: The Beautiful Leading Lady Jenna Dewan". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2011-09-28.
5. ^ http://channingtatumunwrapped.com/2010/12/casting-news-jenna-dewan-tatum-joins-bruce-willis-ryan-phillippe-50-cent-in-the-set-up/
6. ^ Brett Rodriguez?? IMDb
7. ^ 33andout.com
8. ^ "ChanningTatumUnwrapped.com". Earth Made of Glass. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
9. ^ http://www.tvfanatic.com/2011/09/the-playboy-club-exclusive-jenna-dewan-previews-series-responds/
10. ^ Baclayon, Jovie (2008-09-07). "Channing Tatum Engaged!". E! Online. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
11. ^ "Channing Tatum Is Engaged". People. Time. 2008-09-07. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
12. ^ ".". Channing Tatum Unwrapped. 2009-07-11. Retrieved 2011-09-28. Text " Channing Tatum Unwrapped " ignored (help); Text " Official Website " ignored (help)

## External links[edit]

| Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jenna Dewan.

- Official website
- Jenna Dewan at the Internet Movie Database

Authority control | VIAF: 52007087

Persondata
Name | Dewan, Jenna
Alternative names |
Short description |
Date of birth | December 3, 1980
Place of birth | Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Date of death |
Place of death |