Vanessa Britting is an American actress and writer known for appearances in television series including Without a Trace, The Young and the Restless, Numb3rs and Desperate Housewives. She is also widely recognized as the wife of actor David Krumholtz, but her own career includes screen acting, writing, producing and Off-Broadway theater work.
Born Vanessa Almeda Goonan in New Jersey, Britting studied theater before building a résumé across television, independent film and stage productions. She later co-wrote the short film Big Breaks, appeared alongside Krumholtz professionally, and continued performing while raising their two children.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Professional name | Vanessa Britting |
| Birth name | Vanessa Almeda Goonan |
| Date of birth | August 30, 1980 |
| Age | 46 years old |
| Birthplace | Rockaway, New Jersey, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Actress and writer |
| Education | Montclair State University |
| Degree | B.A. in Theatre Studies |
| Spouse | David Krumholtz |
| Marriage date | May 22, 2010 |
| Children | Two |
| Known for | Without a Trace, The Young and the Restless, Numb3rs, Desperate Housewives, Big Breaks |
Who Is Vanessa Britting?
Britting developed a professional identity in entertainment well before much of the online interest in her became connected to David Krumholtz. Television credits list her as an actress, while her work on Big Breaks established a separate writing credit as well.
She was born on August 30, 1980, in Rockaway, New Jersey. Industry databases identify her birth name as Vanessa Almeda Goonan and report that she uses Britting, her grandmother’s maiden name, professionally.
That distinction matters because many profiles describe her almost entirely through her marriage. Her documented résumé shows a broader career spanning television drama, comedy, film, writing and theater.
Her Education at Montclair State University
Britting studied at Montclair State University, where her professional theater biography says she attended on a full academic scholarship. She graduated summa cum laude with honors with a B.A. in Theatre Studies.
The degree provides useful context for the range of work that followed. Rather than entering entertainment solely through screen auditions, Britting had formal theater education before establishing herself in television and independent productions.
Her later return to the New York stage also reflected that background. Acting remained only one part of her creative work, with writing and producing eventually becoming part of her résumé as well.
Vanessa Britting’s Early Acting Career
Britting began accumulating professional screen credits during the 2000s, initially through smaller film and guest television roles.
One of her early documented appearances came in the short film Snippets in 2004. Television work followed, including an appearance on the CBS military drama The Unit in 2006.
Her recurring role on The Young and the Restless gave her more sustained television exposure. She played Molly Doherty across several episodes in 2006 and 2007, adding daytime television to a career that would soon include several prime-time network series.
Rather than becoming associated with a single long-running character, Britting built much of her acting career as a working guest performer. That path placed her across dramas, comedies and established television franchises.
Without a Trace Became One of Her Better-Known TV Credits
Britting appeared as Angela Richter on the CBS procedural drama Without a Trace. She was credited in three episodes in 2007, making the role one of the more substantial recurring parts in her television filmography.
The series centered on an FBI unit investigating missing-person cases and was already a successful network drama by the time Britting appeared.
Her credits during this period demonstrate a steady progression from smaller appearances toward recurring and recognizable network television work. Without a Trace remains one of the titles most frequently associated with her in professional databases.
Did Vanessa Britting Appear in Numb3rs?
Yes. Britting appeared in Numb3rs, the CBS crime drama that starred David Krumholtz as mathematician Charlie Eppes.
She played Harper Simms in the season-four episode “Tabu,” which aired in November 2007. Although the appearance was brief, it has attracted particular interest because Britting and Krumholtz were already romantically involved by that period.
The credit should not be confused with a regular role on the series. Britting was a guest performer, while Krumholtz was one of its principal stars throughout the show’s run.
Her participation nevertheless represents one of the occasions when their professional and personal lives overlapped.
Desperate Housewives and Other Television Roles
Britting continued appearing on prominent television programs after Numb3rs and Without a Trace.
In 2009, she played a character named Molly in an episode of ABC’s Desperate Housewives. Her television résumé also includes The Protector, Back in the Game and other guest roles.
Her professional stage biography additionally lists Hello Ladies among her television work.
The variety of those credits is more representative of her career than any single breakout role. Britting worked across soap opera, procedural drama and comedy rather than following one narrowly defined television niche.
Big Breaks Showed Her Work as a Writer
One of the most useful details often missing from short biographies is Britting’s involvement in the 2009 comedy short Big Breaks.
She did not simply appear in the project. Britting co-wrote it with David Krumholtz and Amanda Young and played Penny Sullivan. Krumholtz directed the film.
The cast also included performers such as Elizabeth Banks, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jane Lynch, Lucy Punch and Martin Starr.
That writing credit broadens the picture of Britting’s professional career. While television acting accounts for much of her visible résumé, Big Breaks demonstrates that she also developed material behind the camera.
Her Simon Says biography later credited her with writing and producing M.O.M., a project examining the humorous difficulties surrounding breastfeeding.
Vanessa Britting Also Worked in Film
Britting’s film credits are smaller than her television résumé but include several independent and comedy projects.
She appeared as Claire in the 2012 comedy For a Good Time, Call…, alongside a cast led by Ari Graynor and Lauren Miller Rogen. She also worked in short films and smaller independent productions throughout the 2000s and 2010s.
Her 2018 short-film credit Presentation, in which she played Ms. Taylor, is among her more recent completed screen appearances currently listed by industry databases.
IMDb also lists The Trouble with Muffins, in which she plays Brandy, as being in post-production. The project has existed in industry records for many years, however, so its listing should not be interpreted as evidence of a newly announced 2026 production.
Her Return to the Stage in Simon Says
Britting returned to stage acting in 2016 with Simon Says, a play by Mat Schaffer presented at the Lynn Redgrave Theater in New York.
She played Annie in the production alongside three-time Tony Award nominee Brian Murray and actor Anthony J. Goes. The limited engagement opened in July 2016.
Her production biography described Britting as being pleased to return to the stage, making the role particularly relevant when viewed alongside her Theatre Studies education.
This part of her career receives much less attention than her television work, but it helps establish the range of her professional background. Britting was not limited to screen acting and continued participating in live theater after becoming established in television.
How Did Vanessa Britting Meet David Krumholtz?
The exact circumstances of Britting and Krumholtz’s first meeting have not been documented as clearly as the later stages of their relationship.
Public reports establish that they had been together for several years before becoming engaged. Contemporary coverage of their wedding reported that Krumholtz proposed in Paris in July 2008.
By then, both were working actors, and Britting had already appeared on Numb3rs the previous year.
Some online biographies provide more precise dating timelines, but those details are not consistently supported by strong first-party reporting. The better-documented relationship history begins with their engagement and marriage.
Vanessa Britting and David Krumholtz Married in 2010
Britting and Krumholtz married on May 22, 2010, at The Plaza Hotel in New York City.
The ceremony was attended by approximately 180 guests and was described in contemporary entertainment reporting as non-denominational. Several of Krumholtz’s Numb3rs colleagues attended, including Rob Morrow, Judd Hirsch and Peter MacNicol.
Actors Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel were also reported among the groomsmen.
The marriage remains one of the main reasons people search for Britting today, particularly as Krumholtz’s career has continued through projects ranging from The Santa Clause films and Numb3rs to Oppenheimer.
The couple have nevertheless kept much of their private family life outside constant celebrity coverage.
Vanessa Britting and David Krumholtz Have Two Children
Britting and Krumholtz are parents to two children.
Their daughter, Pemma Mae Krumholtz, was born in April 2014. Krumholtz publicly announced her arrival at the time.
Their son, Jonas Krumholtz, was born in December 2016.
The family occasionally appears together at public entertainment events, but Britting and Krumholtz have generally avoided making their children a central part of their public profiles.
That relatively restrained approach is important when covering the family. Beyond information the parents have publicly shared, there is little editorial reason to expand into unnecessary details about the children’s private lives.
What Is Vanessa Britting Doing Now?
Britting has kept a lower professional profile in recent years than during the most active period of her television career.
Her latest clearly documented completed screen credit in major industry databases is the 2018 short film Presentation. No newly announced television or film role for 2026 has been reliably established.
She has continued to make occasional public appearances with Krumholtz. In April 2025, the couple attended the Broadway opening night of Glengarry Glen Ross in New York.
Her reduced number of recent acting credits should not automatically be described as retirement. Britting has not publicly announced that she has left acting, and the available record simply shows fewer publicly documented projects.
Her Life Has Remained Closely Connected to Theater and Acting
Even when Britting has not been appearing regularly on television, acting has remained part of the family’s professional environment.
Krumholtz has spoken publicly about stories Britting shared from acting classes, suggesting that her training and experiences have continued to influence creative conversations beyond her own credited roles.
In August 2026, Krumholtz announced that he was stepping away from acting indefinitely, explaining that he wanted to prioritize his mental health and family. That announcement concerned his career rather than Britting’s and does not indicate any equivalent change in her professional status.
It does, however, show why current searches around the couple may increasingly center on their family life as well as their individual acting histories.
Is Vanessa Britting’s Net Worth Known?
Vanessa Britting’s personal net worth has not been publicly verified by a reliable financial source.
Some celebrity biography websites publish estimates, including figures around $2 million, but these claims generally appear without supporting financial records, disclosed earnings or authoritative reporting.
They should therefore be treated as speculative rather than established fact.
Britting has earned professional credits as an actress and writer and has also been associated with producing work, but there is no reliable public basis for calculating her personal wealth from those credits alone.
The same distinction applies to her husband’s finances. Estimates relating to David Krumholtz should not automatically be presented as Britting’s personal net worth.
What Is Known About Vanessa Britting’s Parents and Family Background?
Reliable public information about Britting’s parents and siblings is limited.
Some low-authority biography sites refer vaguely to her parents using the surname Goonan, but they do not provide documented identities or credible sourcing. There is therefore no solid basis for publishing names, occupations or detailed family histories.
Her professional surname offers one publicly reported family connection: industry biographies state that she adopted Britting from her grandmother’s maiden name.
Claims about her religion, ancestry or ethnicity that circulate on celebrity-profile websites are also not well supported by first-party or authoritative evidence. A careful biography should leave those details unspecified rather than turn assumptions into facts.
Vanessa Britting Has a Career Beyond Being a Celebrity Spouse
Britting’s marriage to David Krumholtz explains much of today’s search interest, but it does not fully define her public record.
Her television work included recurring and guest appearances across major network series. Her background at Montclair State University was centered on theater, and she later returned to live performance in New York.
Writing credits on Big Breaks and her work on M.O.M. also show a creative career extending beyond acting.
Taken together, those details provide a more accurate picture than the common description of Britting simply as “David Krumholtz’s wife.”
Conclusion
Vanessa Britting is an actress and writer whose career includes network television, independent film, screenwriting and Off-Broadway theater. Her marriage to David Krumholtz has brought additional public attention, but her own professional history predates their 2010 wedding and extends beyond their relationship.
She studied theater at Montclair State University, appeared in several recognizable television series and co-wrote Big Breaks. In recent years, Britting has maintained a quieter public profile while occasionally appearing alongside Krumholtz at industry events.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Vanessa Britting?
Vanessa Britting is an American actress and writer whose television credits include Without a Trace, The Young and the Restless, Numb3rs and Desperate Housewives. She is married to actor David Krumholtz.
How old is Vanessa Britting?
Vanessa Britting was born on August 30, 1980. She is 46 years old as of September 2026.
What is Vanessa Britting’s real name?
Industry biographies list her birth name as Vanessa Almeda Goonan. She professionally uses the surname Britting, which is reported to have been her grandmother’s maiden name.
When did Vanessa Britting marry David Krumholtz?
Britting and Krumholtz married on May 22, 2010, at The Plaza Hotel in New York City after becoming engaged in Paris in 2008.
How many children do Vanessa Britting and David Krumholtz have?
They have two children: daughter Pemma Mae and son Jonas.
What movies and TV shows has Vanessa Britting appeared in?
Her credits include The Young and the Restless, Without a Trace, Numb3rs, The Unit, Desperate Housewives, The Protector, Back in the Game, For a Good Time, Call…, Big Breaks and Presentation.
