# Marisa Ryan
**Marisa Ryan** (also credited as Marisa J. Ryan) is an American actress best known for playing Elizabeth Cooper-MacGillis on the CBS sitcom *Major Dad* (1989–1993) and Abby Bernstein in the 2001 comedy film *Wet Hot American Summer* and its Netflix prequel and sequel series.[1](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/marisa-ryan) Born in 1974 in New York City, she has worked in television and film since childhood, with a screen debut in the 1983 film *Without a Trace*.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752698/) • [3](https://televisionstats.com/a/marisa-ryan)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1974, New York City, New York, USA[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752698/) |
| Breakout role | Elizabeth Cooper-MacGillis on *Major Dad* (CBS), 1989–1993, 96 episodes[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/19918/marisa-ryan) |
| Signature film role | Abby Bernstein in *Wet Hot American Summer* (2001); reprised in *First Day of Camp* (2015, 3 episodes) and *Ten Years Later* (2017, 7 episodes)[1](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/marisa-ryan) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/19918/marisa-ryan) |
| Other series role | Detective Nell Delaney on *New York Undercover*, 13 episodes (1994–1999)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/19918/marisa-ryan) |
| Screen debut | *Without a Trace* (1983), as Justine Norris[3](https://televisionstats.com/a/marisa-ryan) |
| Career volume | About 52 acting credits on IMDb, including 1 directing credit and 1 writing credit[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752698/) |
| Marriages | Married Nathan Graf since June 19, 2008; previously married to Jeremy Sisto[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752698/) |
## Television career
Ryan's first substantial television role came as a child, when she joined *Major Dad*, a CBS sitcom starring [Gerald McRaney](https://www.edgepedia.org/gerald-mcraney), as Elizabeth Cooper-MacGillis. She appeared in 96 episodes across the show's run from 1989 to 1993.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/19918/marisa-ryan) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752698/) In the mid-1990s she was a series regular on the Fox police drama *New York Undercover*, playing Detective Nell Delaney in 13 episodes between 1994 and 1999.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/19918/marisa-ryan)
Through the rest of the 1990s and the 2000s she built a record of guest appearances on network dramas, often playing one-episode characters: Cynthia Simonson on *The Practice* (1999), Nina G. on *Sex and the City* (1999), Helen Diggs on *The Pretender* (1997), Laura Bergeron on *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (2003), and roles on *Law & Order*, *Boy Meets World*, *Hack*, *The Black Donnellys*, and *The Mysteries of Laura*.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/19918/marisa-ryan) • [5](https://www.metacritic.com/person/marisa-ryan/) Later guest spots included the Imposter in an episode of *The Leftovers* (2014), Krista on *Odd Mom Out* (2015), and Ursula on *Divorce* (2019).[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/19918/marisa-ryan)
## Wet Hot American Summer
Ryan played Abby Bernstein in *Wet Hot American Summer* (2001), the camp comedy directed by [David Wain](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-wain) that became the basis for two Netflix series. She returned as Abby in the prequel *[Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp](https://www.edgepedia.org/wet-hot-american-summer-first-day-of-camp)* (2015, 3 episodes) and the sequel *[Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later](https://www.edgepedia.org/wet-hot-american-summer-ten-years-later)* (2017, 7 episodes), making the character one of the few carried across all three productions.[1](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/marisa-ryan) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/19918/marisa-ryan) She also took part in the 2020 *Wet Hot American Summer: Original Cast Live Read*.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752698/)
## Film work
Ryan's film career has leaned toward independent productions. After her debut in *Without a Trace* (1983), her credits include *Love Always* (1997), *Slaves to the Underground* (1997), *With or Without You* (1998), *Cold Hearts* (1999), in which she played the vampire Viktoria, *Man of the Century* (1999), *Mary and Rhoda* (2000), *[Riding in Cars with Boys](https://www.edgepedia.org/riding-in-cars-with-boys)* (2001), as Janet Donofrio at age 19, *The Pennsylvania Miners' Story* (2002), *Brooklyn Lobster* (2005), *The Extra Man* (2010), *Human Capital* (2019), and *Love... Reconsidered* (2024).[1](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/marisa-ryan) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752698/)
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, her highest-rated film is *Man of the Century* at 67 percent and her lowest is *Slaves to the Underground* at 33 percent.[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/marisa_ryan) Metacritic's career overview for her television work lists 15 shows and 10 movies with an average career score of 62, ranging from 76 for *The Leftovers* to 37 for *The Mysteries of Laura*.[5](https://www.metacritic.com/person/marisa-ryan/)
## Personal life
Ryan has been married to Nathan Graf since June 19, 2008. She was previously married to actor [Jeremy Sisto](https://www.edgepedia.org/jeremy-sisto), whom she eloped with in Las Vegas when she was 18 years old.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752698/) Her mother is Robyne Ryan, and her nickname is Mercer.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752698/)
## References
1. [Marisa Ryan Movies and TV Shows, Plex](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/marisa-ryan)
2. [Marisa Ryan, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0752698/)
3. [Marisa Ryan Popularity Ranking, Movies and TV Shows, TelevisionStats](https://televisionstats.com/a/marisa-ryan)
4. [Marisa Ryan, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/19918/marisa-ryan)
5. [Marisa Ryan, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/marisa-ryan/)
6. [Marisa Ryan Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/marisa_ryan)
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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: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Ro to Sa*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 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