Gretchen Mol pronounced GRE-chin MALL was born on November 8 1973 in Deep River, Connecticut. Her father divorced Gretchen's mother 1983; Her mother is Janet, artist, teacher; brother: Jim, editor, born 1971, studied filmmaking at NYU. She graduated from the William Esper Studio majored in acting; Trained at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (majored in acting) in New York, NY; graduated from Valley Regional High School in 1990. She worked as a hat check girl at a restaurant where her agent-to-be spotted her and got her a coke