Glee: Emma Pillsbury

Emma Pillsbury Biography

McKinley High School guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury could use some guidance herself. Her interests include hand-washing and rug-fringe-straightening, and she's a charter member of the Western Ohio Disinfectant Society. Her obsessive-compulsive disorder, which originated in a childhood trauma at a dairy farm, shadows her every move. Now her love life lies dormant while she longs for her secret crush, married glee club coach Will Schuester.

Her attempts to get closer to Will don't go unnoticed, particularly by hulking football coach Ken Tanaka, who's harboring a crush of his own. Ken persuades Emma not to waste her affections on Schuester, but even after she and Ken get engaged, it's clear she's still pining for Will. When Emma upends their wedding day schedule so she can take the glee kids to Sectionals as a favor for Will, Ken finally has had enough.


At first, Emma is thrilled when Will ends his marriage and comes running to her, but it turns out that their romantic relationship is more complicated than she expected. Emma confesses to Will that she's a virgin, and he says that's fine. Yet Emma learns that Will's not ready to jump back into another relationship, so she suggests they take some time apart. Will says he'll wait for her, but she finds out that he's spent time with Vocal Adrenaline coach Shelby Corcoran and April Rhodes. Emma rejects him, telling him he's too promiscuous. Emma confesses that she has been dating her dentist, Carl Howell.

But Will isn't giving up on her: "I love you, Emma. And you love me," he says. "Dentist or no, this thing isn't over between us."


Jayma Mays Biography

In 2004, Jayma Mays made her first television appearance on "Joey," and the following year landed a role in Wes Craven's "Red Eye." Most recently, Mays had recurring roles on the Emmy Award-winning series "Ugly Betty" and the critically acclaimed "Heroes," and she has guest-starred on numerous series, including HOUSE, "Six Feet Under," "The Comeback," "Entourage," "Stacked," "How I Met Your Mother" and "Ghost Whisperer."

Her feature film credits include "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," Clint Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers," "Blind Guy Driving," "Bar Starz" and "Epic Movie," where she met her husband, Adam Campbell. She is lending her voice talents to the upcoming "The Smurfs" movie, due out next summer.

Mays is from Grundy, VA, and graduated from Radford University with a degree in Performing Arts. She lives in Los Angeles.