A native of Crossville, TN, Julie Ann Emery broke into theater at the age of 16 and formally studied the dramatic arts at Webster Conservatory in St. Louis, MO. Over the years, she maintained her strongest and most frequent presence on the stage, in multiple cities, including Manhattan and Chicago. The innumerable New York-based productions in which Emery appeared included Caesar and Cleopatra, Hot'l Baltimore, and Twelfth Night, while in the Windy City she did critically acclaimed work as Gypsy Rose Lee in a revival of the Jule Styne/Stephen Sondheim #92;musical Gypsy; she also toured in productions of Annie and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Emery transitioned to film work in the early 2000s, initially on television series including ER (a recurring role, as Niki) and Dexter, though in time she turned up in features as well, such as the Will Smith #92;romantic comedy Hitch, the occult #92;thriller House (2007), and the Rod Lurie-helmed #92;political drama Nothing But the Truth (2008). ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide