Jessica Nigri

Jessica Nigri

Starting with a viral "Sexy Pikachu" cosplay at San Diego Comic-Con in 2009, Jessica Nigri built a career that bridges cosplay, promotional modeling, voice acting, and content creation over more than 16 years.

Early Career and Rise

Born in Reno, Nevada in 1989, Jessica grew up in Christchurch, New Zealand before relocating to Arizona. Her cosplay debut at age 19 quickly gained internet attention, and by 2011 she was working as a promotional model for Microsoft and GameStop, appearing as Anya Stroud for the Gears of War 3 launch. The following year marked a significant turning point when she won IGN's contest to portray Juliet Starling from the video game Lollipop Chainsaw, earning a spokesmodel deal with Warner Bros. Games. That role took her to Japan for press tours with outlets including Famitsu and Dengeki, and also generated headlines when she was asked to leave PAX East 2012 over costume complaints.

Spokesmodel and Convention Work

By 2012 and 2013, Jessica had become one of the most visible cosplay-based promotional figures in the gaming industry. She represented titles including Elsword, and comic properties such as Grimm Fairy Tales for Zenescope Entertainment. Ubisoft hired her to portray a female version of Captain Edward Kenway for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag at Gamescom 2013. That same year, Grasshopper Manufacture's Suda51 brought her back to portray Vivienne Squall from Killer Is Dead, and she also represented Tecmo Koei's Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z at PAX. She appeared as a guest of honor at conventions including Anime Expo, Montreal Comiccon, and AVCon, among others.

Voice Acting and Media

Jessica took on the recurring voice role of Cinder Fall in the animated series RWBY, adding voice acting to her professional range. She also worked as an interviewer for outlets such as GameZone and RUGGED TV, and was a member of the cosplay group XX Girls and Kat Gunn's professional team Less Than 3, sponsored by Mad Catz.

Content Creation

Now 36, Jessica maintains an active presence across multiple platforms, including paid content through subscription services. She stands 5'7" with blonde hair and green eyes. She has a small tattoo on her finger. Jessica has spoken publicly about eventually transitioning away from modeling toward behind-the-scenes work in marketing and advertising, though as of 2026 she remains active in content creation.