Marina Squerciati is an American actress best known for playing Kim Burgess on NBC’s long-running police drama Chicago P.D.. Since the series premiered in 2014, Squerciati has developed Burgess from a supporting patrol officer into one of the show’s most recognizable and emotionally complex characters.

Her career, however, began long before Chicago P.D.. Squerciati built a foundation in theater, including an acclaimed performance as Judy Holliday in Just in Time: The Judy Holliday Story. She later appeared in television series such as Gossip Girl, The Americans, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Good Wife, as well as films including It’s Complicated, Frances Ha and Marshall.

Away from acting, Squerciati has attracted public interest because of her marriage to attorney Eli Kay-Oliphant, her two children and the complicated family history that became the subject of a high-profile legal dispute. She has generally kept her private life away from the spotlight, despite spending more than a decade as a regular television presence.

Who Is Marina Squerciati?

Marina Squerciati is an American actress whose career spans theater, film and television. She is most widely recognized for her portrayal of Officer and later Detective Kim Burgess on Chicago P.D., part of producer Dick Wolf’s interconnected One Chicago television universe.

The character first appeared through Chicago Fire before becoming one of the principal characters on Chicago P.D., which premiered on January 8, 2014. Squerciati has remained closely associated with the role ever since.

Her success on Chicago P.D. has made her a familiar face to millions of television viewers, but her background is rooted in theater. Before becoming a television regular, she developed her acting skills on stage and received critical recognition for portraying comedian and actress Judy Holliday.

Squerciati is also notable for having played Kim Burgess across several productions in the One Chicago universe, including Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Chicago Med and Chicago Justice.

Marina Squerciati Age

Marina Teresa Squerciati was born on April 30, 1984, in New York City, New York. She is 42 years old in 2026. Multiple entertainment databases, including Rotten Tomatoes and Us Weekly, list April 30, 1984, as her birth date.

There has been some inconsistency online regarding her birth year. Some older databases have listed 1981, while other sources have reported 1984. More recent entertainment profiles and biographical databases consistently identify April 30, 1984 as her birth date.

Squerciati was raised in New York City and developed an interest in performance from an early age. Her early exposure to dance and theater helped establish the foundation for the career she would eventually build. She appeared as a young dancer in the 1993 film version of The Nutcracker, an early screen credit that came years before her better-known television work.

Marina Squerciati Family and Parents

Squerciati’s mother was Marie Squerciati, an academic and writer. Marina has described her upbringing in New York and has Italian heritage on her mother’s side.

Her family history has received considerable public attention because of a legal dispute involving the late financier John R. Jakobson. Court documents filed in 2019 included allegations concerning Squerciati’s parentage and her relationship with Jakobson. The documents also included claims regarding financial support he allegedly provided during her childhood and education.

Because the matter involved sensitive family and legal issues, it is important to distinguish allegations contained in court documents from independently established facts. The dispute became part of the public record, but Squerciati has generally avoided making her family history the central focus of her public career.

Her family background has nevertheless been an important part of the biographical interest surrounding her.

Marina Squerciati Education

Squerciati attended the Dalton School in New York before enrolling at Northwestern University in Illinois. She graduated from Northwestern University in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in theater.

Her education was heavily oriented toward performance. She also trained in dance at the School of American Ballet, giving her a combination of theater and movement training that helped prepare her for stage work.

Rather than immediately becoming a television celebrity after college, Squerciati spent years building her credentials in theater. That experience became an important part of her development as an actress.

Marina Squerciati Early Acting Career

Squerciati’s acting career began on stage before she became a familiar television face. After her early appearance in The Nutcracker, she continued developing professionally before eventually returning to screen acting. Her stage work included productions such as Beauty of the Father and Manipulation. She later gained particularly strong attention for her performance as Judy Holliday in Just in Time: The Judy Holliday Story.

That performance was an important turning point because it demonstrated her ability to carry a demanding character-driven production. Squerciati’s theatrical background also helped distinguish her from actors who entered the entertainment industry primarily through television.

Marina Squerciati Theater Career

Theater remains an important part of Squerciati’s professional story. Her portrayal of Judy Holliday in Just in Time: The Judy Holliday Story received significant recognition. She won the Agnes Moorehead Award for her performance, an accomplishment that helped establish her reputation as a serious stage actress.

The production also traveled to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival before reaching Broadway. Squerciati subsequently made her Broadway debut in an adaptation of Ernst Lubitsch’s To Be or Not to Be.

Her theater background is important when considering her later success on Chicago P.D.. While television brought her international recognition, she entered television with years of experience performing live and working with complex characters.

Marina Squerciati Movies and Television Shows

Squerciati began building her film and television résumé in the 2000s. Her feature-film debut came in 2009, when she played Melanie in It’s Complicated, starring Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin. She subsequently appeared in films including:

• Alter Egos (2012)
• Frances Ha (2012)
• Sparks (2013)
• Marshall (2017)

On television, her early credits included Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The Good Wife, Damages, Blue Bloods and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. These guest appearances allowed her to work across several different television genres before she secured her most important role.

Marina Squerciati and Gossip Girl

One of Squerciati’s most recognizable pre-Chicago P.D. television roles came on Gossip Girl. She played Alessandra Steele in an eight-episode arc during the show’s fifth season in 2011–2012. The role introduced her to a younger and broader television audience and helped establish her as a recognizable supporting actress.

Her performance on Gossip Girl came shortly before her career-changing casting in the Chicago franchise.

Marina Squerciati on Chicago P.D.

In August 2013, NBC announced that Squerciati had been cast as Officer Kim Burgess in Chicago P.D., a spin-off of Chicago Fire. The series premiered in January 2014. Burgess was introduced as a patrol officer working for the Chicago Police Department. Over the years, the character’s responsibilities and personal life developed significantly.

Squerciati’s long-running performance has allowed her to portray Burgess through numerous professional and personal changes. The character has experienced difficult assignments, dangerous situations, relationships, motherhood and career advancement. Those storylines have given Squerciati opportunities to play Burgess as both a police officer and a woman dealing with ordinary human pressures.

Marina Squerciati as Kim Burgess

Kim Burgess has become the role most closely associated with Squerciati. One of the reasons the character has remained popular is that Burgess is not portrayed simply as a stereotypical television police officer. The character has a personal life, emotional vulnerabilities and relationships that exist alongside her work.

Burgess’s relationship with Adam Ruzek, played by Patrick John Flueger, has become one of the show’s major long-running storylines. Their complicated relationship has involved separation, reconciliation, parenthood and professional challenges. Squerciati has also appeared as Burgess in other One Chicago programs, including Chicago Fire, Chicago Med and Chicago Justice.

Her ability to maintain continuity across multiple interconnected shows has been one of the defining features of her television career.

Marina Squerciati Husband

Marina Squerciati is married to Eli Kay-Oliphant, an attorney. The couple reportedly met while attending Northwestern University and married in 2016. Kay-Oliphant is a lawyer who has worked in complex litigation and has been associated with major law firms before becoming a partner at a Chicago law firm.

Unlike many celebrity couples, Squerciati and Kay-Oliphant have generally kept their marriage away from extensive media coverage. Their relationship occasionally receives attention because of Squerciati’s celebrity status, but Kay-Oliphant maintains a professional identity of his own in the legal field.

Marina Squerciati Children

Marina Squerciati and Eli Kay-Oliphant have two children. Their first child, a daughter, was born in May 2017. Squerciati announced the birth publicly at the time. The couple welcomed their second child in 2024.

Squerciati revealed the news publicly at the end of December 2024 after keeping the pregnancy largely private. She explained that the pregnancy was the reason she was absent from the first two episodes of Chicago P.D.‘s 12th season. She has largely protected her children’s privacy, choosing to share limited family moments rather than making them part of her public career.

Marina Squerciati Height

Marina Squerciati stands at approximately 5 feet 6 inches (167–168 cm) tall. Her physical appearance has occasionally been discussed in entertainment media, but her professional career has primarily been defined by her acting ability rather than her appearance.

Marina Squerciati Net Worth

Marina Squerciati has an estimated net worth of $3 million. Her lengthy career on Chicago P.D., film and television appearances, theater work and other professional activities suggest that she has accumulated substantial earnings over more than a decade as a regular network television actress.

Marina Squerciati Salary

Squerciati’s estimated annual salary is between $ 100,000 and $200,000. However, her exact salary for Chicago P.D. has not been publicly confirmed. Network television salaries vary according to factors such as contract negotiations, episode commitments, seniority and a show’s commercial success.

Because Squerciati has been a regular cast member of Chicago P.D. since its beginning, her compensation is likely considerably higher than what she earned during her early guest appearances.

Marina Squerciati Current Career

Marina Squerciati remains best known for her continuing work as Kim Burgess on Chicago P.D.. The series remains one of NBC’s major scripted dramas, and Squerciati has continued to be closely associated with the show. Us Weekly’s current profile continues to identify her primarily with Chicago P.D. and notes the show’s ongoing seasons.

Her career has now extended well beyond two decades, beginning with early theater and screen work and developing into a long-running network television career. Her ability to remain with the same major television franchise for more than a decade is particularly significant in an industry where television casts frequently change.

At the same time, Squerciati has entered a different stage of her personal life following the birth of her second child in 2024. She continues to balance motherhood with acting while maintaining a relatively private family life.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Marina Squerciati?

Marina Squerciati was born on April 30, 1984, making her 42 years old in 2026.

What is Marina Squerciati best known for?

She is best known for playing Kim Burgess on NBC’s Chicago P.D.. She has portrayed the character since the show’s 2014 premiere.

Who is Marina Squerciati’s husband?

Her husband is Eli Kay-Oliphant, a Chicago-based attorney. The couple married in 2016.

Does Marina Squerciati have children?

Yes. Marina Squerciati and Eli Kay-Oliphant have two children. Their first child was born in 2017, and their second child was born in 2024.

How tall is Marina Squerciati?

She is generally reported to be approximately 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm) tall.

What is Marina Squerciati’s net worth?

Her exact wealth is private. A reasonable 2026 estimate is approximately $3 million, although published estimates vary considerably.

Where did Marina Squerciati go to college?

She attended Northwestern University, graduating in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in theater.

What movies has Marina Squerciati been in?

Her film credits include It’s Complicated, Alter Egos, Frances Ha, Sparks and Marshall.

Was Marina Squerciati on Gossip Girl?

Yes. She played Alessandra Steele in an eight-episode arc during the fifth season of Gossip Girl.

Did Marina Squerciati leave Chicago P.D.?

There is no indication that she permanently left the series. She has remained associated with Chicago P.D., although she was temporarily absent from the beginning of Season 12 because she had given birth to her second child in 2024.