Debra Messing
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Debra Lynn Messing (born August 15, 1968) is an American actress. After graduating from
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
's
Tisch School of the Arts The New York University Tisch School of the Arts (commonly referred to as Tisch) is the performing, cinematic and media arts school of New York University. Founded on August 17, 1965, Tisch is a training ground for artists, scholars of the a ...
, Messing received short-lived roles on television series such as ''
Ned and Stacey ''Ned & Stacey'' (or ''Ned and Stacey'') is an American sitcom created by Michael J. Weithorn, and starring Thomas Haden Church and Debra Messing as the titular couple. The series lasted two seasons, airing on Fox from September 11, 1995, to Jan ...
'' on
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
(1995–1997) and ''
Prey Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill ...
'' on
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
(1998). She achieved her breakthrough role as
Grace Adler Grace Elizabeth Adler (formerly Adler-Markus) is a fictional character and one of the two titular protagonists in the American sitcom ''Will & Grace'', portrayed by Debra Messing. A Jewish interior designer living in New York City, she lives wit ...
, an interior designer, on the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
sitcom ''
Will & Grace ''Will & Grace'' is an American television sitcom created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan. Set in New York City, the show focuses on the friendship between best friends Will Truman ( Eric McCormack), a gay lawyer, and Grace Adler ( Debra Messi ...
'' (1998–2006, 2017–2020), for which she received seven Golden Globe Award nominations and five Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, winning once, in 2003. From 2007 to 2008, Messing starred as Molly Kagan, the ex-wife of a Hollywood film mogul, on the television miniseries '' The Starter Wife'', for which she received two Golden Globe nominations, a Primetime Emmy Award nomination, and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. Thereafter, she appeared as Broadway playwright Julia Houston on the NBC musical drama '' Smash'' (2012–2013) and as homicide detective Laura Diamond on the NBC police-procedural comedy ''
The Mysteries of Laura ''The Mysteries of Laura'' is an American police procedural comedy-drama television series that premiered on September 17, 2014 on NBC. It was developed by Jeff Rake, who also serves as an executive producer. The series, which stars Debra Messing ...
'' (2014–2016). From 2017 to 2020, Messing reprised her role as Grace Adler on NBC's three season revival of ''Will & Grace'', garnering a ninth Golden Globe nomination for her performance. Messing's film work includes '' A Walk in the Clouds'' (1995), ''
Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...
'' (1999), '' The Mothman Prophecies'' (2002), ''
Hollywood Ending ''Hollywood Ending'' is a 2002 American comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen, who also plays the principal character. It tells the story of a once-famous film director who suffers hysterical blindness due to the intense pressure of dir ...
'' (2002), '' Along Came Polly'' (2004), ''
The Wedding Date ''The Wedding Date'' is a 2005 American romantic comedy film directed by Clare Kilner and starring Debra Messing, Dermot Mulroney, and Amy Adams. Based on the 2002 novel ''Asking for Trouble'' by Elizabeth Young, the film is about a single wo ...
'' (2005), '' Lucky You'' (2007), '' The Women'' (2008), ''
Nothing Like the Holidays ''Nothing Like the Holidays'' is a 2008 film about a Puerto Rican family living in the area of Humboldt Park, Chicago facing what may be their last Christmas together. It was directed by Alfredo De Villa, written by Rick Najera, Ted Perkins, and ...
'' (2008), ''
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'' (2018), and '' 13'' (2022). She has also lent her voice to animated films such as ''
Garfield ''Garfield'' is an American comic strip created by Jim Davis. Originally published locally as ''Jon'' in 1976, then in nationwide syndication from 1978 as ''Garfield'', it chronicles the life of the title character Garfield the cat, his hum ...
'' (2004) and '' Open Season'' (2006).


Early life

Messing was born in
Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, New York,Stated in interview on ''
Inside the Actors Studio ''Inside the Actors Studio'' is an American talk show that airs on Ovation. The series premiered in 1994 on Bravo where it aired for 22 seasons and was hosted by James Lipton from its premiere until 2018. It is taped at the Michael Schimmel C ...
''
the daughter of Sandra (née Simons), who worked as a professional singer, banker, and
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and
real estate agent A real estate agent or real estate broker is a person who represents sellers or buyers of real estate or real property. While a broker may work independently, an agent usually works under a licensed broker to represent clients. Brokers and age ...
, and Brian Messing, a sales executive for a costume jewelry packaging manufacturer. Messing is Jewish and had a Bat Mitzvah ceremony; her Jewish ancestors emigrated from Poland and Russia. When Messing was three, she moved with her parents and her older brother, Brett, to East Greenwich, Rhode Island. During her high school years, she acted and sang in a number of high school productions at
East Greenwich High School East Greenwich High School is a public secondary school located in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, U.S. The school serves students in grades 9–12 in the East Greenwich Public Schools system. EGHS is the highest-performing public high school in ...
, including the starring roles in the musicals ''
Annie Annie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Annie (given name), a given name and a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Annie (actress) (born 1975), Indian actress * Annie (singer) (born 1977), Norwegian singer The ...
'' and '' Grease''. She took lessons in dance, singing, and acting. In 1986, she was
Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but it ...
's Junior Miss and competed in Mobile, Alabama, in the
America's Junior Miss Distinguished Young Women, formerly known as America's Junior Miss, is a national non-profit organization that provides scholarship opportunities to high school senior girls. Depending on the schedule of the various state and local programs, you ...
scholarship program. While Messing's parents encouraged her dream of becoming an actress, they also urged her to complete a
liberal arts Liberal arts education (from Latin "free" and "art or principled practice") is the traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term '' art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically th ...
education before deciding on acting as a career. Following their advice, she attended
Brandeis University , mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = NECHE , president = Ronald D. Liebowitz , ...
, where, at her parents' request, three-quarters of her courses were not theater-related. During her junior year, she studied theater at the prestigious British European Studies Group of London (BESGL) program, an experience that solidified her desire to act. In 1990, after graduating '' summa cum laude'' from Brandeis with a
Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...
in Theater Arts, Messing gained admission to the elite Grad Acting Program at
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
's
Tisch School of the Arts The New York University Tisch School of the Arts (commonly referred to as Tisch) is the performing, cinematic and media arts school of New York University. Founded on August 17, 1965, Tisch is a training ground for artists, scholars of the a ...
, which accepts 16 new students annually. She earned a Master of Fine Arts after three years.


Career

In 1993, Messing won acclaim for her performance as Harper in the pre-
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
workshop production of
Tony Kushner Anthony Robert Kushner (born July 16, 1956) is an American author, playwright, and screenwriter. Lauded for his work on stage he's most known for his seminal work ''Angels in America'' which earned a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award. At the turn ...
's play '' Angels in America: Perestroika''. Subsequently, she appeared in several episodes of the television series '' NYPD Blue'' during 1994 and 1995. In 1995, Messing made her film debut in
Alfonso Arau Alfonso Arau Incháustegui (born 11 January 1932) is a Mexican filmmaker, actor, and singer. He worked as an actor and director in both Mexican and Hollywood productions for over 40 years, before his international breakthrough with the 1992 fil ...
's '' A Walk in the Clouds'' playing the unfaithful wife of main character Paul Sutton ( Keanu Reeves). This exposure led
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
to make her the co-star of the television sitcom ''
Ned & Stacey ''Ned & Stacey'' (or ''Ned and Stacey'') is an American sitcom created by Michael J. Weithorn, and starring Thomas Haden Church and Debra Messing as the titular couple. The series lasted two seasons, airing on Fox from September 11, 1995, to Jan ...
''. The series lasted for two seasons, from 1995 to 1997. Messing appeared as Jerry Seinfeld's romantic interest in two episodes of the series '' Seinfeld'': " The Wait Out" in 1996 and "
The Yada Yada "The Yada Yada" is the 153rd episode of the American NBC sitcom ''Seinfeld''. The 19th episode of the eighth season, it aired on April 24, 1997. Peter Mehlman and Jill Franklyn were nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Ser ...
" in 1997. Messing turned down a starring role in another television sitcom to appear in
Donald Margulies Donald Margulies (born September 2, 1954) is an American playwright and academic. In 2000, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play ''Dinner with Friends''. Background and education Margulies attended John Dewey High School in Broo ...
's two-character play ''Collected Stories'', which opened at the off-Broadway
Manhattan Theatre Club Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has g ...
. She also co-starred in the
Tom Arnold Tom Arnold may refer to: * Tom Arnold (actor) (born 1959), American actor * Tom Arnold (economist) (born 1948), Irish CEO of Concern Worldwide * Tom Arnold (footballer) (1878–?), English footballer * Tom Arnold (literary scholar) (1823–1900), ...
vehicle ''
McHale's Navy ''McHale's Navy'' is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from October 11, 1962, to April 12, 1966, on the ABC television network. The series was filmed in black and white and originate ...
'' in 1997. In 1998, Messing played a lead role as the bioanthropologist Sloan Parker on
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
's dramatic science-fiction television series ''
Prey Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill ...
''. During this time, her agent approached her with the pilot script for the television show ''
Will & Grace ''Will & Grace'' is an American television sitcom created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan. Set in New York City, the show focuses on the friendship between best friends Will Truman ( Eric McCormack), a gay lawyer, and Grace Adler ( Debra Messi ...
''. Messing was inclined to take some time off, but the script intrigued her, and she auditioned for the role of
Grace Adler Grace Elizabeth Adler (formerly Adler-Markus) is a fictional character and one of the two titular protagonists in the American sitcom ''Will & Grace'', portrayed by Debra Messing. A Jewish interior designer living in New York City, she lives wit ...
, beating
Nicollette Sheridan Nicollette Sheridan (born 21 November 1963) is an English-born American actress. She began her career as a fashion model before landing a role in the short-lived ABC primetime soap opera '' Paper Dolls'' in 1984, as well as starring in the rom ...
, who later guest-starred on the show as Grace's romantic rival. ''Will & Grace'' became a ratings success, and Messing received critical acclaim for her performance. In 2002, she was named one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" by ''
People A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...
''. ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...
'' picked her as its "Best Dressed Woman" in 2003. And Messing's trademark curls on ''Will & Grace'' won her five Crown Awards from voters at the celebrity hair site Super-Hair.Net between 2000 and 2008. Director
Woody Allen Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...
cast Messing in a supporting role in his film ''
Hollywood Ending ''Hollywood Ending'' is a 2002 American comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen, who also plays the principal character. It tells the story of a once-famous film director who suffers hysterical blindness due to the intense pressure of dir ...
'' (2002). Her film roles since include
Richard Gere Richard Tiffany Gere ( ; born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. He began in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in '' Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977) and a starring role in ''Days of Heaven'' (1978). He came to prominence with ...
's ill-fated wife in the supernatural thriller '' The Mothman Prophecies'' (2002) and a supporting role as an unfaithful bride in '' Along Came Polly'' (2004). ''
The Wedding Date ''The Wedding Date'' is a 2005 American romantic comedy film directed by Clare Kilner and starring Debra Messing, Dermot Mulroney, and Amy Adams. Based on the 2002 novel ''Asking for Trouble'' by Elizabeth Young, the film is about a single wo ...
'' (2005) was Messing's first leading role in a high-profile film. It received mixed reviews but performed fairly well at the box office. Messing was featured as a judge on the season finale of the second season of
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's reality show ''
Project Runway ''Project Runway'' is an American reality television series that premiered on Bravo on December 1, 2004. The series focuses on fashion design. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are restricted by time, mater ...
''. Also in 2005, along with Megan Mullally, she was awarded the Women in Film Lucy Award in recognition of her excellence and innovation in her creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television. She also starred in the television miniseries '' The Starter Wife'' (2007), which was nominated for ten Emmy Awards, including one for Messing for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie. In 2008, Messing reprised her role as Molly Kagan in the television series '' The Starter Wife'', consisting of 10 episodes. In early 2010, Messing starred in the ABC comedy pilot ''Wright vs. Wrong'' for the 2010–2011 primetime season, but ABC did not pick-up the pilot. In July 2011, Messing was ranked no. 22 on the
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special, ''Funniest Women on TV''. In February 2011, producers announced that Messing would star in a new NBC musical pilot called '' Smash'' for the 2011–2012 primetime season. In May 2011, it was reported that
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
picked up the show as a series for the 2011–2012 season. The show premiered on February 6, 2012. The show was later renewed for a second season after which it was cancelled. Messing appeared with Green Day singer
Billie Joe Armstrong Billie Joe Armstrong (born February 17, 1972) is an American musician who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Green Day, which he co-founded with Mike Dirnt in 1987. He is also a guitarist and vocalist for ...
and Leighton Meester in
Frank Whaley Frank Joseph Whaley (born July 20, 1963) is an American actor, film director, screenwriter, and comedian. His roles include Brett in ''Pulp Fiction'', Robby Krieger in ''The Doors'', young Archie "Moonlight" Graham in ''Field of Dreams'', and Guy ...
's drama film '' Like Sunday, Like Rain'' in 2014. For her performance, Messing won the 2014 Best Actress Award at The Williamsburg Independent Film Festival. She made her
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
debut in
John Patrick Shanley John Patrick Shanley (born October 13, 1950) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and director. He won the 1988 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the film ''Moonstruck''. His play, '' Doubt: A Parable'', won the 2005 Pulitzer P ...
's play ''
Outside Mullingar ''Outside Mullingar'' is a play by John Patrick Shanley, which ran on Broadway in 2014. Production ''Outside Mullingar'' premiered on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in a Manhattan Theatre Club production on January 3, 2014 (previews) ...
'' alongside
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
winner Brían F. O'Byrne, which began previews at the
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, formerly the Biltmore Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 261 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1925, it was designed by Herbert J. Krapp in the neo-Renai ...
on January 3, 2014. ''Outside Mullingar'' was nominated for Best Play for the 2014 (68th Annual) Tony Awards. Messing starred in ''
The Mysteries of Laura ''The Mysteries of Laura'' is an American police procedural comedy-drama television series that premiered on September 17, 2014 on NBC. It was developed by Jeff Rake, who also serves as an executive producer. The series, which stars Debra Messing ...
'', a police procedural television show that premiered in September 2014. The series lasted for two seasons and ended in 2016. Messing portrayed Marjorie Houseman in the television remake of the film ''
Dirty Dancing ''Dirty Dancing'' is a 1987 American romantic drama dance film written by Eleanor Bergstein, produced by Linda Gottlieb, and directed by Emile Ardolino. Starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, it tells the story of Frances "Baby" Houseman ...
'' (1987). It aired on ABC in May 2017. She starred again as Grace Adler in the revival of ''Will & Grace'' on NBC. The revival aired for three seasons, from September 2017 to April 2020.


Personal life

Messing met Daniel Zelman, an actor and screenwriter, on their first day as graduate students at
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
in 1990. They were married on September 3, 2000, and lived in
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
. On April 7, 2004, Messing gave birth to their son, Roman. In December 2011, she and her husband separated after 11 years of marriage. Messing filed for divorce on June 5, 2012, and the divorce became official on March 1, 2016. Messing dated her ''Smash'' co-star
Will Chase Frank William Chase (born September 12, 1970) is a Tony Award-nominated American actor, director, and singer, best known for his work on Broadway and for his role as country superstar Luke Wheeler on ABC's '' Nashville''. Early life and educat ...
from the end of 2011 to October 2014. In 2012, she posed nude for the May issue of ''Allure'' magazine. Politically, Messing supports the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...
.


Filmography


Film


Television


Awards and nominations

Messing's most honored role is as
Grace Adler Grace Elizabeth Adler (formerly Adler-Markus) is a fictional character and one of the two titular protagonists in the American sitcom ''Will & Grace'', portrayed by Debra Messing. A Jewish interior designer living in New York City, she lives wit ...
on ''
Will & Grace ''Will & Grace'' is an American television sitcom created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan. Set in New York City, the show focuses on the friendship between best friends Will Truman ( Eric McCormack), a gay lawyer, and Grace Adler ( Debra Messi ...
'', which earned her seven Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Lead Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical; five Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, one of which she won in 2003; and seven Screen Actors Guild Award nominations: two for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series and five for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series – winning one in 2001.


Honors

* 2005: Nominated for Favorite Funny Female Star by the
People's Choice Awards The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls until ...
. * 2005: Honored with the Lucy Award, by the
Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardle ...
– to recognize women and men and their creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television. * 2017: Honored with the Excellence in Media Award by the GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) – to individuals in the media and entertainment industries who through their work have increased the visibility and understanding of the
LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term ...
(lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community. * 2017, October 6: Inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame and received a star for her contribution to Television – located at 6201 Hollywood Blvd.


Accolades


References


External links

*
Debra Messing
Video produced by '' Makers: Women Who Make America'' * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Messing, Debra 1968 births Living people Actresses from Rhode Island American film actresses American people of Polish-Jewish descent American people of Russian-Jewish descent American stage actresses American television actresses American voice actresses Brandeis University alumni Jewish American actresses New York (state) Democrats Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award winners People from East Greenwich, Rhode Island Tisch School of the Arts alumni 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses