Melinda McGraw

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Melinda Leigh McGraw (born October 25, 1968 in Nicosia) is an American actress. Although she has starred in movies such as Albino Alligator (Kevin Spacey's 1996 directorial debut), Wrongfully Accused (1998) and Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), she is better known for her television performances.

Melinda, the youngest of three daughters, grew up in Cambridge and Dover in the Boston area. Her father served as a diplomat for the Agency of International Development before becoming an executive with a major hotel in Boston. She attended the Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge and got her start in acting with the Boston Children's Theater. After attending Bennington College, Melinda was accepted to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London (one of only seven women admitted in her year). Theatrical performances in the West End and elsewhere in Britain followed, among them Don Carlos, The Foreigner and Twelfth Night. She returned to America in 1990.

Her first major on-screen role was as Detective Cydavia "Cyd" Madison on The Commish (1992-1994). While on the set, she met actor Nicholas Lea and the pair dated for a few years. McGraw later earned recognition for her role as Melissa Scully, Dana Scully's ill-fated sister, in four episodes of The X-Files ("One Breath", "The Blessing Way", "Paper Clip" and "Christmas Carol"). Coincidentally, Alex Krycek - the recurring antagonist responsible for Melissa's death - was played by Nicholas Lea.

McGraw has also starred in The Pursuit of Happiness (1995), Soul Man (1997-1998), Living in Captivity (1998), Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central) (2002) and Center of the Universe (2004). Her notable guest appearances include Quantum Leap, Seinfeld, Cybill, The Larry Sanders Show, Mad About You, The District, The Practice and Inconceivable. She also featured in four episodes of Desperate Housewives as Annabel Foster, and was cast in Neighbors, an ABC pilot for 2005-06 that was not picked up. In 2006 McGraw played Jane Braun, campaign advisor to Presidential candidate Arnold Vinick, in three episodes of The West Wing, and appeared in one episode of Bones.