Joelle Carter

Joelle Marie Carter is an American actress and model. She is best known for her portrayal of Ava Crowder in the FX television series Justified and Laura Nagel in the NBC series Chicago Justice, which is part of the One Chicago universe.

Carter was born in Thomasville, Georgia, on October 10, 1972. Because her father, Jimmy, served in the U.S. Army, her family relocated frequently across the United States during her youth. She attended high school in Albany, Georgia, and later enrolled at Augusta State University after earning a full athletic scholarship for cross-country and swimming. To pursue her interest in performing, she trained in acting at the William Esper Studio.

At the age of 19, Carter moved to New York to begin a career as a model. Her entry into modeling occurred after her mother and a photographer submitted photos of her to various modeling agencies, which received positive responses. Her modeling work eventually sparked an interest in acting, leading her to move to Los Angeles, California.

Over the course of her acting career, Carter has appeared in numerous television shows and feature films. Her early film credits include roles in High Fidelity, American Pie 2, Inconceivable, and Cold Storage. In 2014, she appeared in the horror-thriller film Jessabelle, directed by Kevin Greutert.

From 2010 to 2015, Carter starred as Ava Crowder in the FX series Justified. Her performance in the series earned her widespread notice, including a nomination for a Critics' Choice Television Award for best supporting actress in 2015.

In her personal life, Carter was in a long-term relationship with filmmaker Andy Bates. The pair established a film production company called Blarma in 2006 and married in 2009. They adopted a newborn daughter in 2010 before separating in 2016. Carter continues to live and work in Los Angeles, California.