Mercedes Mason

Former model Mercedes Mason's exotic presence was put to frequent use as a variety of alluring or imposing characters, primarily in television series like "Chuck" (NBC, 2007-2012) and "NCIS: Los Angeles" (CBS, 2009- ). Born March 3, 1982 in Linköping, Sweden, Mason moved to the United States at the age of 12 and was raised in and around Chicago, Illinois. A year later, she was discovered by the Ford Modeling Agency, and pursued an international career in modeling throughout her teenaged years. Mason made her first foray into acting while in college with an uncredited turn in the hit comedy "The Break-Up" (2006). From there, she worked in largely decorative roles in features and on television series like "Entourage" (HBO, 2004-2011) and "NCIS" (CBS, 2003- ) before gaining her first breakout role as the lead in the direct-to-video horror film "Quarantine 2: Terminal" (2011). That same year, she earned critical praise for her turn as a Middle Eastern woman struggling with doubt on the night before her wedding in the independent drama "Three Veils" (2011), and then segued to playing a tough member of an all-female spy squad on two episodes of "Chuck." The high profile exposure afforded by the turn on "Chuck" and other series minted Mason as a contender for leading lady status on various series, but her efforts in this regard - the "Bones" (Fox, 2005-2015) spin-off "The Finder" (Fox, 2012) and the supernatural series "666 Park Avenue" (ABC, 2012-2013) both proved short-lived. Mason soon returned to recurring roles on series like "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "Californication" (Showtime, 2007-2014).