Chyler Leigh

Biography

Chyler Leigh West, known professionally as Chyler Leigh, is an American actress, singer and model. She is best known for her portrayal of Janey Briggs in the comedy film Not Another Teen Movie (2001), Dr. Alexandra “Lexie” Grey in the ABC medical drama series Grey’s Anatomy (2007–2012), and Alexandra “Alex” Danvers in the CBS/CW superhero series Supergirl (2015–present), subsequently appearing in the other series that make up the Arrowverse.

Leigh started acting at an early age and debuted in the film world at age 15 in 1997’s Kickboxing Academy. She started hosting in local TV shows and modeling; in 2001, Leigh nabbed the lead role in the box-office success Not Another Teen Movie as Janey Briggs. She also appeared in Marilyn Manson’s music video “Tainted Love”, a song which appeared in the film. She was ranked #65 on the Maxim Hot 100 Women of 2002. In 2002, Leigh was cast in two short-lived TV series: Girls Club, in which she played lawyer Sarah Mickle, and That ’80s Show, in which she played punk rocker June Tuesday. She then became a series regular on the ABC legal drama The Practice, but was let go at the end of the season due to budget cuts. Following that, she joined the cast of Reunion in September, 2005.

On July 20, 2002, Leigh married fellow actor Nathan West in Alaska. The couple worked together in 2000 on the television series 7th Heaven, playing Mary Camden’s (Jessica Biel) troubled friends Frankie and Johnnie. Leigh and West have three children – a son and two daughters: Noah Wilde (born December 2003), Taelyn Leigh (born September 2006),[20] and Anniston Kae (born May 7, 2009).

In ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, Leigh first appeared as a woman in Joe’s bar who was noticed by Derek Shepherd while in the third-season finale, it was revealed that she was Lexie Grey.[9] She was made an official series regular for season four, and remained so until the eighth-season finale.[10]

Leigh also makes music with her husband Nathan West (East of Eli), under the name “WestLeigh”. They have performed covers and originals songs. In 2015, for their thirteenth anniversary they wrote “Love Lit The Sky”. On Saint Valentine’s Day 2017 they released a single “Nowhere” and then she take part in tours.

In October, 2015, she began starring, in a lead role, in the CBS/CW show Supergirl as Alex Danvers, who is the sister of Supergirl.

In May 2020, she came out on her website, Create Change, and discussed her hesitation to label her sexuality. She said her Supergirl character’s coming out storyline was a “variation of her own.”