Jessica is the daughter of actress Kate Capshaw and salesman Bob Capshaw. She is also the step-daughter of Steven Speilberg. She was born in Columbia, Missouri where both parents were students at the University of Missouri. The family moved to New York when to pursue Kate's modeling career. Her parents divorced when she was 3 and Jessica got drawn along in her mother's new world. Kate married Spielberg when Jessica was 15. Among her three parents, she is one of 9 biological and adopted siblings. Jessica graduated from Brown University in 1998 with an English degree.She then attended acting classes at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. From there she got her first acting role on TV's "Odd Man Out".