Biography
Born in an A&W restaurant, Jessi grew up in Vancouver, B.C. and honed her comedic skills as the only girl in an all-male comedy troupe alongside Seth Rogen. She went on to study theatre in London, England and graduated at the top of her class from the prestigious University of Toronto Drama Program. Soon after, she was discovered in a nationwide search to become the new face of MTV in Canada and host of The Hills After Show. Jessi quickly became a fan favorite, and The Hills After Show became an international smash hit, syndicated in 10 countries, generating record breaking ratings in the US and Canada, and securing her two Gemini Awards.
With the success of "The Hills After Show", Jessi went on to host, produce, and write her own spin-off prime time pop culture series "The After Show" on MTV where she provided her hilarious commentary and refreshing perspective on the day's entertainment news and became affectionately known as "The Chelsea Handler of Canada". Jessi's daring and irreverent interviews with the likes of Tom Cruise, the cast of Twilight, Chris Brown, Channing Tatum, Rihanna, Bill Gates, and her "date" with Bradley Cooper became online sensations garnering millions of views worldwide and solidifying her spot as "The second most followed Canadian on the Internet" [Toronto Life], next only to Justin Bieber.
Some of Jessi's additional television credits include starring in satirical series Jessi Cruickshank's Real Hollywood Survival Guide, being a celebrity guest on E!'s "The Soup," contributing for E! News, co-hosting the MTV Move Awards Pre-Show, judging Canada's Next Top Model and making regular appearances on Entertainment Tonight, NBC News and Fashion Television. In 2010 Jessi was hand picked from journalists across the country to cover the Olympic Games as the co-host of "Olympic Morning" on Canada's national network, CTV. Recently, she made her acting debut in the comedy series Kennedy's Court and the feature film Degrassi Takes Manhattan.
Jessi's ability to connect to her audience has also allowed her to tackle global issues in a relatable way. As the ambassador for charity organization Free the Children, Jessi traveled to India for the critically acclaimed documentary MTV Presents: Jessi in India where she encountered child labor, hunger, and poverty first hand. She followed it up with MTV Presents: Jessi in Kenya, documenting her experiences living in a mud hut for 10 days with a traditional Massai family. Jessi's social activism has made her a renowned keynote speaker, appearing at national conferences alongside The Dalai Lama, Jane Goodall, and Al Gore.
In addition to her work in television, film, and her passion for philanthropy, Jessi is also known for her unique sense of style., Named TV Guide's Best Dressed Host she has appeared in top fashion publications such as Elle, Flare, Fashion and Verve Girl magazines. She also recently launched her own clothing line for Me to We style, which sold out within days. Her second collection is in the works.
Jessi currently resides in Los Angeles, where in addition to her US television projects, she is a comedy writer for Hello Giggles!, the L.A host of E! Canada, and correspondent on Canada's #1 entertainment show "Etalk."
