Jenna Dewan's Real Name: Jenna Lee Dewan

Quick answer: Jenna Dewan's full name is Jenna Lee Dewan. She was born on December 3, 1980, in Hartford, Connecticut, and grew up in Dallas, Texas. A dancer before she was an actress, she starred as Nora Clark in Step Up (2006), where she met Channing Tatum. While married to him she was known as Jenna Dewan Tatum. She now plays Bailey Nune on ABC's The Rookie (Library of Congress; TV Insider).

Real name and early life

The Library of Congress name authority files her as "Dewan, Jenna, 1980-." Its citation reads: "Jenna Dewan; Jenna Lee Dewan; b. Dec. 3, 1980 in Hartford, Conn.; former model, dancer, actress." TV Insider gives the same birth date and city. It names her parents as Darryll Dewan and Nancy Lee Bursch Smith and says she grew up in Dallas after they split when she was a child. Her middle name, Lee, matches her mother's middle name.

TV Insider says Dewan trained in ballet and hip-hop dance. She started as a backup dancer in music videos for pop stars including Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake.

Career highlights

Dewan's breakout came as Nora Clark, a performing arts student, in Step Up (2006), which TV Insider calls a surprise summer dance hit. AP reports that she and co-star Channing Tatum met on the film and married in July 2009. TV Insider's credits list later film roles in 10 Years (2011), Set Up (2011), and the TV movie She Made Them Do It (2012), as well as the series The Playboy Club (2011) and Witches of East End. AP notes she appeared in several other dance films after Step Up.

She moved into hosting with NBC's World of Dance (2017) and guest co-hosted Live with Kelly and Ryan. She also competed on Lip Sync Battle (2015) and judged Come Dance with Me (2022). On scripted TV she plays Bailey Nune on The Rookie, and AP describes her as a series regular. Recent TV films include Let's Get Physical (2022) and Devil on My Doorstep (2023).

Dewan and Tatum announced their separation in April 2018. AP reports that a judge declared them divorced in November 2019, but a dispute over finances and custody of their daughter, Everly, continued until a 2024 settlement. Dewan has two children with actor Steve Kazee.

Name notes for searchers

Jenna is her first name, Lee her middle name, and Dewan her father's surname. During her marriage she used "Jenna Dewan Tatum." An AP photo caption from 2016 uses that form. She has since returned to Jenna Dewan.