Gillian McLaren Jacobs (/ˈɡɪlɪən/; born October 19, 1982) is an American actress and director. She portrays Britta Perry on the NBC comedy series Community. Jacobs has also appeared in television shows such as Fringe, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, and The Good Wife, and in films such as Gardens of the Night (2008), The Box (2009), Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012), and Bad Milo! (2013).