# Annie Parisse
**Annie Parisse** is the stage name of Anne Marie Cancelmi (born 1975), an American actress known for playing assistant District Attorney Alexandra Borgia on *Law & Order*, FBI agent Debra Parker on *The Following*, and Julia Snyder on the soap opera *As the World Turns*, alongside work in film and on Broadway.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0661755/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975, Anchorage, Alaska; birth name Anne Marie Cancelmi[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/) |
| Other notable TV | Debra Parker in *The Following* (Fox, 2013–15); Kara Stanton in *Person of Interest*; Sam Delmonico in *Friends From College* (Netflix)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/) • [3](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-86650/filmografia/) • [4](https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/friends-from-college-im-sorry-and-when-write-what-you-know-becomes-more-of-an-affliction-than-a-selling-point/2017/07/11/dae04f72-65b6-11e7-9928-22d00a47778f_story.html) |
| Broadway | Rita in the 2007 revival of *Prelude to a Kiss*; Betsy/Lindsey in *Clybourne Park* (2012)[5](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/annie-parisse-455729) |
| Awards | Daytime Emmy nominee (2001, Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series); Drama Desk Award nominee (2007, Outstanding Actress in a Play, for *The Internationalist*)[5](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/annie-parisse-455729) |
| Recent work | Ariana in season 2 of *Daredevil: Born Again* (2026)[6](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-86650/filmographie/) |
## Early life and training
Parisse was born in [Anchorage, Alaska](https://www.edgepedia.org/anchorage-alaska), and raised in the Seattle area; a French-language biography places her childhood on [Mercer Island, Washington](https://www.edgepedia.org/mercer-island-washington), where she attended Mercer Island High School before moving to New York at eighteen to study theater at [Fordham University](https://www.edgepedia.org/fordham-university).[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/) • [7](https://n2w.me/personnalites/annie-parisse) Her father, Louie G. Cancelmi, was an airline executive and her mother, Annette, a first grade teacher.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/)
She took her professional surname from her maternal grandmother's maiden name.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/) At Fordham she performed lead roles in productions of *Medea* and *Antigone*, and she later taught a class called Acting for the Camera in the university's theater program.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/) • [8](https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/cast/6778066/annie-parisse/) Her brother Louis Cancelmi is also an actor.[7](https://n2w.me/personnalites/annie-parisse)
## Television career
**Soap opera start.** Her first film appearance was a small role in *On the Q.T.* (1999).[9](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/annie-parisse-44181.php)
She also played Sarah in a 2002 episode of *Friends*, a woman who dates Joey ([Matt LeBlanc](https://www.edgepedia.org/matt-leblanc)) and is rejected after taking food from his plate.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/)
**Law & Order.** In 2005 Parisse joined *Law & Order* in the middle of season 15 as assistant District Attorney Alexandra Borgia, replacing Serena Southerlyn ([Elisabeth Röhm](https://www.edgepedia.org/elisabeth-rohm)).[10](https://lawandorder.fandom.com/wiki/Annie_Parisse)
**Later series work.** After *Law & Order*, Parisse appeared in *Fringe*, the miniseries *[The Pacific](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-pacific-miniseries)* (2010), *Rubicon* (AMC, 2010), and *Person of Interest* (CBS, 2011–16), where she played the recurring role of Kara Stanton.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/) • [3](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-86650/filmografia/) In Kevin Williamson's thriller *The Following* (Fox, 2013–15) she played FBI agent Debra Parker opposite [Kevin Bacon](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-bacon); as on *Law & Order* and *Person of Interest*, her character was killed off.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/)
She then played Samantha "Sam" Delmonico in the Netflix comedy *Friends From College* (2017–2019), a member of a group of Harvard graduates reuniting in New York; the *Washington Post* described her character as a friend from college who runs a successful interior design business and is involved in an affair with Ethan ([Keegan-Michael Key](https://www.edgepedia.org/keegan-michael-key)).[4](https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/friends-from-college-im-sorry-and-when-write-what-you-know-becomes-more-of-an-affliction-than-a-selling-point/2017/07/11/dae04f72-65b6-11e7-9928-22d00a47778f_story.html) Other television credits include *The Looming Tower*, *The First*, *House of Cards*, *Unforgettable*, *The Big C*, and *Mrs. America* (2020), in which she played Midge Costanza.[3](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-86650/filmografia/) • [11](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/15475/annie-parisse) In 2026 she appeared as Ariana in six episodes of the second season of *Daredevil: Born Again*.[6](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-86650/filmographie/)
## Film career
Parisse's film work has been mostly in supporting parts. Her credits include the romantic comedy *How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days* (2003) as Jeannie, the action thriller *National Treasure* (2004) as Agent Dawes, *Monster-in-Law* (2005) as Morgan, the drama *Prime* (2005) as [Katherine](https://www.edgepedia.org/katherine), and *Definitely, Maybe* (2008) as Anne.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0661755/) Later films include *Price Check* (2012), which premiered at the [Sundance Film Festival](https://www.edgepedia.org/sundance-film-festival), *One for the Money* (2012), *And So It Goes* (2014), in which Time's reviewer called her "excellent in a brief scene" as Sara's drug-addled mother, *Wild Canaries* (2014), *Paterno* (2018) as Mary Kay Paterno, *Eric LaRue* (2023), and *Three Birthdays* (2023).[8](https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/cast/6778066/annie-parisse/) • [12](https://time.com/3033716/and-so-it-goes-movie-review/) • [13](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/annie-parisse)
## Theater career
Parisse has maintained a parallel stage career. On Broadway she starred as Rita in the Roundabout's 2007 revival of Craig Lucas's *Prelude to a Kiss* and played Betsy/Lindsey in the original Broadway production of Bruce Norris's *Clybourne Park* in 2012, after appearing in its 2010 off-Broadway production at Playwrights Horizons.[5](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/annie-parisse-455729) • [14](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Annie-Parisse/) Her off-Broadway work includes the title role in *Becky Shaw*, the New York premiere of *Long Lost* at Manhattan Theatre Club in 2019, and *Nassim* in 2018.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/) • [14](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Annie-Parisse/) She also appeared in the Public Theater's 2011 Shakespeare in the Park productions of *Measure for Measure* and *All's Well That Ends Well*.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/)
In 2007 she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play for *The Internationalist*.[5](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/annie-parisse-455729)
## Personal life
Parisse married actor [Paul Sparks](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-sparks), known for playing Mickey Doyle on *Boardwalk Empire*, in October 2000; IMDb records the marriage as ending in divorce on December 20, 2018, with two children.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0661755/) The couple's first child was born in 2009.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/)
## References
1. [Annie Parisse – Actress, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/annie-parisse/)
2. [Annie Parisse – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0661755/)
3. [Annie Parisse : Filmografía – SensaCine](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-86650/filmografia/)
4. ['Friends From College,' 'I'm Sorry' and when 'write what you know' becomes more of an affliction – The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/friends-from-college-im-sorry-and-when-write-what-you-know-becomes-more-of-an-affliction-than-a-selling-point/2017/07/11/dae04f72-65b6-11e7-9928-22d00a47778f_story.html)
5. [Annie Parisse – Broadway Cast & Staff, IBDB](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/annie-parisse-455729)
6. [Annie Parisse : Filmographie – AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-86650/filmographie/)
7. [Annie Parisse (51 ans) – Biographie et carrière, n2w](https://n2w.me/personnalites/annie-parisse)
8. [Annie Parisse TV Schedule, Movies & Shows – On TV Tonight](https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/cast/6778066/annie-parisse/)
9. [Annie Parisse Biography – The Famous People](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/annie-parisse-44181.php)
10. [Annie Parisse – Law and Order Fandom](https://lawandorder.fandom.com/wiki/Annie_Parisse)
11. [Annie Parisse – TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/15475/annie-parisse)
12. [Review: And So It Goes – Time](https://time.com/3033716/and-so-it-goes-movie-review/)
13. [Annie Parisse Movie & TV Credits – Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/annie-parisse)
14. [Annie Parisse – Broadway & Theatre Credits, BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Annie-Parisse/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames P to Ph*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license