Background:
    
Model turned actress Joelle Carter became part of two failed series, “Wonderland” (ABC/The 101 Network, 2000) and “Inconceivable” (NBC, 2005), before eventually gaining her first success with the FX drama series “Justified” (2010-?), where she portrays the emotional femme fatale Ava Crowder.  She has guest starred in a number of television shows, including “Grey's Anatomy,” “CSI: Miami,” “Monk,” “Cold Case” and “Third Watch.” Carter also has acted in many films, such as “Swimming” (2000), “High Fidelity” (2000),  “American Pie 2” (2001), “When Will I Be Loved” (2004),  “Cold Storage” (2009) and  “To Be Friends” (2010). She is set to star in the forthcoming films “Los Angeles” (2012) and “It's Not You, It's Me” (2013).


Army Brat

Childhood and Family:

Born Joelle Marie Carter on October 10, 1972, Joelle Carter moved frequently throughout her childhood because of her father (Jimmy Carter) being in the US Army. Her family settled in Georgia when she was in high school. An excellent athlete at school, Joelle received a full scholarship for cross-country and swimming to Augusta State University in Augusta, Georgia. She began modeling while in college and decided to move to New York City after her sophomore year to work more professionally. She would soon add acting to her endeavors.

Joelle is married. She and her husband now live in New York. In 2011, the couple adopted a baby girl named Lune Rose.


High Fidelity

Career:

After dropping out of college, Joelle Carter worked with Elite and Wilhelmina Models in New York City. Her first acting job came in 1996 with a guest spot in the hit NBC legal drama series “Law & Order.” She went on to break into the big screen with a bit part in the film adaptation of Nicholas  Evans' novel, “The Horse Whisperer” (1998), which was directed by and starred Robert Redford. Later that same year, the novice got her first co-starring role, as Amy, in the Lane Jagger short “Just One Time,”  which won the aGLIFF Award for Best Boy's Short at the Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival. She continued to reprise her role in the feature length version, which premiered at the  Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, 1999. 1999 also saw her have a supporting role in the Eric Weber comedy “Suits,” starring Robert Klein, Tony Hendra and Larry Pine.

Entering the new millennium, Carter co-starred with Lauren Ambrose in the coming of age indie drama “Swimming” (2000), appeared with Natasha Henstridge, Michael Vartan and Michael Rispoli in Steven Feder's comedy/romance, “It Had to be You” (2000) and portrayed Brenda in the Laura Kirk comedy vehicle “Famous” (2000). She also offered a short but poignant turn as Penny Hardwick, a past girlfriend of Rob Gordon (played by John Cusack), in Stephen Frears' adaptation of the 1995 British novel by Nick Hornby, “High Fidelity” (2000). The film earned mostly positive reviews from critics and grossed $47.1 million worldwide against a budget of $30 million.

Also in 2000, Carter made her debut as a series regular on the Peter Berg controversial drama  “Wonderland,” which ran on ABC/The 101 Network from March 30, 2000 until April 26, 2000. There she played psychiatric intern Heather Miles. Still on the small screen, she was cast as President's daughter in the ABC thriller movie “Quarantine” (2000), opposite Harry Hamlin, and co-starred with Dana Delany and Billy Burke in the television movie adaptation of Linda Fairstein's novel, “Final Jeopardy” (2001).  

Carter had a small role as Natalie in the sequel “American Pie 2” (2001) and appeared as Kate in “The Perfect You” (aka. “Crazy Little Thing”, 2002), a romance/comedy film directed and written by Matthew Miller and starring Chris Eigeman and Jenny McCarthy. In 2002, she began a three episode role as Tori in the NBC series “Third Watch” and also made a guest appearance in an episode of “The Job” as Sharon. After a supporting part in Evan Oppenheimer's comedy/drama film, “Justice” (2003), opposite Erik Palladino, Michael Jai White and Daphne Rubin-Vega, Carter appeared in “When Will I Be Loved” (2004), a drama film written and directed by James Toback and starring Neve Campbell, co-starred as Lauren in the made for television film “Tempting Adam” (2004) and guest starred in “The Jury” (2004). In 2005, Carter returned to series television as a regular on the NBC medical drama “Inconceivable,” where she portrayed a calculating nurse at a fertility clinic in named Patrice Locicero. Premiered on September 23, 2005, the show, however, was canceled after only two episodes, leaving 10 episodes unaired.

2006 found Carter playing the leading role of Stacey in Michael Knowles' “Room 314,” which was screened at various film festivals, and making guest appearances in the television shows “Justice” (as Amber Wilson) and “CSI: Miami” (as Abby Biggs). The same year, she also served as a co-producer on the documentary film “Altered by Elvis.” Carter next could be seen appearing as guest star in television shows like “Cold Case” (2007, as Kylie Cramer '89), “Monk” (2009, as Barbara O'Keefe), “Three Rivers” (2009, as Barbara Harris) as well as working in short films such as “Jumping In” (2008), “A Girl and a Gun” (2008) and “Eyes to See” (2010). Additionally, she appeared in the indie films “Remarkable Power” (2008, directed and co-written by Brandon Beckner), “Cold Storage” (2009, with Nick Searcy, Matt Keeslar) and “To Be Friends” (2010, opposite Todd Stashwick).

Carter's big break on television eventually arrived when she was cast as the regular role of Ava Crowder on the FX drama/crime series “Justified,” which debuted on March 16, 2010. Co-stars in the show include Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy, Jacob Pitts, Erica Tazel, Natalie Zea and Walton Goggins.

In 2011, Carter appeared in episodes of “Body of Proof” (as Andrea Davidson), “Prime Suspect” (as Louise Giordano) and “Grey's Anatomy” (as Mary).

Carter will play Jamie in the comedy/drama film “Los Angeles” (2012), opposite Kelly Blatz and Mark Boone Junior, and Carrie in “It's Not You, It's Me” (2013), opposite Ross McCall.      


Awards:

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