While working at the Powerhouse Theater in Santa Monica, Jessica produced two monthly events, Spark: An Evening of Storytelling and Solo Series.
Her first guest-starring role was on a comedy show Home Improvement, in 1992.
In 1991, Jessica starred in a mini-series A Woman Named Jackie.
In 1989, she landed her first movie role in a comedy Who Shot Patakango?
In 1992, Jessica moved to Los Angeles after landing her first role in Mr. Right.
She appeared in HBO Workspace and Powerhouse Theatre.
She starred in the one-act comedy Couples Counseling Killed Kate.
After her character died on One Life to Live in 1992, she guest starred three times on the show as her character's ghost; in 1993, 1999 and 2004.
She is a member of the Plymouth Theatre Company.
In 1992, Jessica was nominated for a Daytime Emmy in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in a soap opera One Life to Live. This was Jessica's second nomination, first one being the Soap Opera Digest Award.
In 1990, Jessica was nominated for a Soap Opera Digest award in the category of Outstanding Female Newcomer: Daytime for her performance in a soap opera One Life to Live.
In 2004, Jessica starred in a TV commerical for Subway sandwiches.
In 2001, Jessica starred in a TV commercial for TJ Maxx.
In 1998, Jessica starred in a TV commercial for Advil.
In October 1991, Jessica starred in a series of three-part plays titled Welcome to My Life in New York.
She is engaged to Robbie Koseff, a businessman.
She gave birth to her daughter, Samara Barnes Hallam Koseff, on March 24, 2003.
Her nickname is Tuck.
Jessica (About practical jokes on the set of Judging Amy): Oh, Tyne Daly is as bad as I am. Well, not with farts. I will say she has a little more dignity than that. But she starts singing these rather lewd lyrics. Everyone joins in. In fact, directors have been warned about scenes around the dinner table because those scenes can take six, seven hours to shoot, and if you're going to put us at a table that long, it can get a little out of control. I've been pulled aside a couple of times, but all in fun. And in the end it comes across as us all having a good time and liking each other and being connected as family.
Jessica: On the Judging Amy set, if there's a bizarre interruption, they blame it on me right away. Which nine times out of 10 is true. It's not too bad. I mean, they're not huge things; it's not like I'm destroying sets. I'm just having a little fun. It's a good thing I don't work all the time.