Beth Riesgraf is an American actress, television director and photographer, best known for playing Parker, the quirky master thief on the crime series Leverage. If you searched for her name, you probably want a clear picture of who she is, what she has done, and what she is working on now. This guide covers her early life, her career from small TV parts to leading roles, her move into directing, and a few facts that get mixed up a lot online. Everything below comes from checked sources, and where a detail is unclear, I say so instead of guessing.
Beth Riesgraf Quick Facts
The table below gives the basics in one place. Ages and figures are calculated or reported as of October 2026.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Beth Jean Riesgraf (a few sites write “Bethany”) |
| Date of birth | August 24, 1978 |
| Age | 48 |
| Birthplace | Belle Plaine, Minnesota, USA |
| High school | Cimarron-Memorial High School, Las Vegas (class of 1996) |
| Profession | Actress, TV director, photographer |
| Best known for | Parker in Leverage and Leverage: Redemption |
| Years active | 2001 to present |
| Children | One son, Pilot |
| Net worth | Estimates vary widely and are unconfirmed |
Beth Riesgraf Early Life and Education
Riesgraf was born in Belle Plaine, a small town in Minnesota, and several profiles describe her as the youngest of six sisters. Her parents are listed as Janet and Elroy Riesgraf on IMDb. One older fan profile says the family moved to Las Vegas when she was about 13, but I could not confirm that in a stronger source, so treat it as reported rather than proven. What is well documented is that she graduated from Cimarron-Memorial High School in Las Vegas in 1996, and the Las Vegas Review-Journal has written about her as a local graduate.
Many websites add school details, such as being student body president or prom queen. These claims trace back to IMDb-style trivia that was never properly sourced, so they are best read as popular stories, not facts. In an interview with uInterview, she shared a childhood memory of nervously singing in a small, shaky voice while walking down an aisle with a basket, which she links to how her interest in performing began. Her official bio also says she grew up drawn to photography as well as acting, which matches the creative path she later took.
Beth Riesgraf Career: From Small Roles to a Breakthrough
Her screen career began in 2001 with a one-episode part as a waitress on Spin City and a main role as Loretta in the fourth season of MTV’s Undressed. She then picked up film credits such as Scorcher in 2002 and I Love Your Work in 2003, along with a guest spot on How I Met Your Mother in 2005. She also played Natalie Duckworth on My Name Is Earl in 2005 and 2007, appearing alongside Jason Lee, who was her fiancé at the time. In 2007 she had a small part as a shopper in Alvin and the Chipmunks and a guest role on Without a Trace.
These early jobs were mostly short appearances, but they gave her steady experience before her big chance. In 2008 she also played the bride in the music video for the Death Cab for Cutie song “Cath…”. That same year she was cast in the part that would define her career.
Parker and the Leverage Years
From 2008 to 2012, Riesgraf played Parker, the team’s thief and safe-cracker, on TNT’s Leverage. She appeared in all 77 episodes across five seasons, working alongside Timothy Hutton, Gina Bellman, Christian Kane and Aldis Hodge. Parker was written as a fearless risk-taker who loves the thrill of a heist but struggles with ordinary social situations, and Riesgraf gave her a childlike, offbeat charm that fans still talk about. The show found a bigger audience in international syndication and later on streaming, which helped keep the character alive long after the finale.
Her work earned three Saturn Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress on Television, in 2011, 2012 and 2013. She did not win any of them, but the nominations show how strongly the role was noticed by genre critics. For many viewers, this is the main answer to the question of who Beth Riesgraf is.
What She Did After Leverage
After the show ended, Riesgraf kept working steadily in television and film. She played Dr. Maeve Donovan, the secretive girlfriend of Dr. Spencer Reid, in six episodes of Criminal Minds between 2012 and 2020, and she guest-starred in The Mentalist and The Librarians. In 2015 she led the USA Network medical drama Complications, which ran for one season, and she starred in the thriller Intruders as a woman with severe agoraphobia. Later credits include the comedy I Hate Kids in 2019, a role as Billy’s mom in two episodes of Stranger Things in 2019, and a guest part on Legends of Tomorrow in 2020.
In September 2019 she was cast as Major Sonia Holloway in the army drama 68 Whiskey, produced by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. Her stage debut came the same year in the play The Engagement Party at the Hartford Stage in Connecticut, according to her official bio. Together these roles show a performer who moved between comedy, drama and genre work instead of settling into one lane.
Leverage: Redemption and Her Move Into Directing
In 2021 Riesgraf returned as Parker in Leverage: Redemption, a revival that first streamed on IMDb TV, later known as Amazon Freevee. The first eight episodes arrived on July 9, 2021, the second season began in November 2022, and the third season premiered in April 2025. The revival also gave her a chance to direct. She told TechRadar she had already directed two short films and had shadowed other filmmakers, so she jumped at the offer to take charge of an episode.
Wikipedia lists five episodes she directed across the revival, including “The Bucket Job” and “The Great Train Job.” Reports from 2025 say the series ended after three seasons, and the showrunner had no firm plans for a fourth. In my search for 2026 news, I did not find a credible, confirmed announcement of a new project, so I am not adding a “latest news” section that would only be guesswork.
Behind the Camera: Photography, Short Films and Awards
Riesgraf describes herself as an award-winning director, photographer and actor on her official YouTube channel, and her bio says she began as a fine art photographer. Her short films include A Standard Story (2011), Mail Companion (2020) and It Is What It Is (2023), and Wikipedia notes that the 2023 film won several Independent Shorts Awards. Her official bio also mentions that one of her 2011 shorts won Best of Show at the Best Shorts Competition, though the copy I saw was cut off, so I would not link it to a title with certainty.
On the acting side, besides her Saturn nominations for Leverage, she received a 2022 Saturn Award nomination for Best Actress in a Streaming Television Series for Leverage: Redemption. I found no major awards wins for her acting, and I think it is fairer to say that than to inflate her record.
Beth Riesgraf Personal Life
Riesgraf was in a relationship with actor Jason Lee from about 2001 to 2007, and they were engaged. They have a son, Pilot Inspektor Riesgraf-Lee, who was born in 2003. Her official bio says she lives in Los Angeles with her son. Beyond that, she keeps her private life quiet, and I found no reliable report of a marriage, so I have not included any.
Beth Riesgraf Net Worth
Net worth figures for her differ a lot, from about $1 million to about $4 million depending on the site, and none of them come with a clear method or proof. Because of this, any number should be treated as a rough estimate as of 2026, not a confirmed fact. An actor’s income can change from year to year, and most of these sites simply copy one another.
Common Mistakes About Beth Riesgraf You Will See Online
While reading the top search results, I found many pages that contradict each other. Some give the wrong birthplace, such as New Mexico or Kentucky, when more reliable sources say Belle Plaine, Minnesota. Others claim she is married to Jason Lee or to another actor, or that she has no children, none of which matches the better-sourced profiles. A few auto-generated celebrity news pages also list dramatic claims about rumored roles or marriages with no named source, and I found no credible reporting behind any of them.
A simple rule helps here. Trust her official bio, major trade and entertainment outlets, and well-referenced pages first, and be careful with pages that give very exact personal details without saying where they came from.
How This Was Researched
I started by reading the top-ranking biography pages for her name, then checked them against Wikipedia, IMDb, her official bio sheet, and interviews with TechRadar, Flaunt and uInterview. I also read entertainment coverage of Leverage: Redemption, including TVLine and TV Insider reporting. Several popular pages disagreed on basic facts, so I kept only details that matched across more than one reliable source and marked the rest as unconfirmed. The gap I tried to fill is a clear career timeline, her directing and short film work, and a plain list of the wrong claims that spread online.
Accuracy Note
This biography is based on publicly available information, including interviews and verified news coverage. If you spot anything outdated or incorrect, please let us know so we can update it.
Written and researched by Usama Khan, contributor at lopin magazine.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beth Riesgraf
How old is Beth Riesgraf?
Beth Riesgraf was born on August 24, 1978, which makes her 48 years old as of October 2026.
Where was Beth Riesgraf born?
She was born in Belle Plaine, Minnesota, and later graduated from Cimarron-Memorial High School in Las Vegas in 1996.
What is Beth Riesgraf best known for?
She is best known for playing Parker, the thief, in Leverage (2008 to 2012) and in the revival Leverage: Redemption (2021 to 2025).
Is Beth Riesgraf married, and does she have children?
I found no reliable report that she is married. She has one son, Pilot, born in 2003, from her past relationship with actor Jason Lee.
Did Beth Riesgraf direct episodes of Leverage: Redemption?
Yes. Wikipedia lists five episodes she directed, including “The Bucket Job” and “The Great Train Job.” She also directed short films before the revival.
Is Leverage: Redemption still running?
No. Reports say it ended after three seasons, with the third season premiering in April 2025.
Has Beth Riesgraf won any awards?
She earned Saturn Award nominations in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2022, and her 2023 short film It Is What It Is won several Independent Shorts Awards. I found no major acting award wins.
What is Beth Riesgraf’s net worth?
There is no confirmed figure. Websites give estimates from about $1 million to $4 million as of 2026, so treat any number as a rough guess.
Usama Khan is the founder and editor-in-chief of Lopin Magazine, where he oversees the site’s biography and news coverage with a focus on accuracy and well-researched storytelling.
