Gloria Reuben
A Canadian-American actress who brought quiet strength to an HIV-positive role on ER, later channeling that grace into music and activism.
Born 1964 (age 62)·Canadian-American actress, singer, and producer·Birthday: June 9·Baby Boomers
Biography
Gloria Reuben's career is a study in depth and versatility. She first captured wide attention as physician's assistant Jeanie Boulet on 'ER', a groundbreaking character living with HIV. Reuben played her with a resilient dignity that earned two Emmy nominations and resonated deeply with audiences. This was no one-note performance; it announced an actor capable of profound emotional presence. She has since moved seamlessly between film, television, and stage, portraying historical figures like Mary Todd Lincoln's confidante Elizabeth Keckley in 'Lincoln' and political operative Susie Tompkins in 'The Comey Rule'. Parallel to her acting, Reuben has nurtured a lifelong passion for music, releasing jazz and soul albums and performing as a backup singer for Tina Turner. Her path reflects an artist committed to substance over flash, in both her chosen roles and her creative pursuits.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Gloria was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Gloria Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Gloria's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her role as Jeanie Boulet on 'ER'.
- Portrayed Elizabeth Keckley, Mary Todd Lincoln's dressmaker and confidante, in Steven Spielberg's film 'Lincoln'.
- Released several albums as a jazz and soul singer, including 'Just for You' and 'For All We Know'.
- Served as the president of the Washington, D.C.-based public charity, the Keith Haring Foundation.
Did You Know?
She was a backup singer for Tina Turner on her 'Twenty Four Seven Millennium Tour' in 2000.
She is an avid environmental activist and served on the board of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
She played the recurring role of a Secret Service agent on the television series 'The Agency'.
She is a trained dancer and studied at the National Ballet School of Canada.
“I learned to find the light in the story, even when it's about the dark.”
