Jessica Stroup was born on October 23, 1986, in Anderson, South Carolina, to Judith and Don Stroup, a senior vice president at MUFG Union Bank. She spent her childhood in Charlotte, North Carolina, and graduated from Providence High School in 2004.

At the age of 17, she received a scholarship to attend the University of Georgia, but turned it down to pursue an acting career. She moved to Los Angeles and immediately took acting classes, receiving both modeling and acting offers.

Her first acting role was a guest appearance on a 2005 episode of "Unfabulous." She has since appeared in a number of TV shows, such as "Grey's Anatomy," "October Road," and "True Blood."

In 2007, she starred as the female lead in "The Hills Have Eyes 2," playing a US Army National Guard soldier named Amber. The film was a sequel to the 1977 movie of the same name and grossed over $67 million worldwide despite negative reviews from critics.

In April 2008, Jessica Stroup was cast as a series regular on "90210," a reboot of the Golden Globe Award-nominated series "Beverly Hills, 90210." She played the role of Erin Silver, the younger sister of David Silver and Kelly Taylor.

The pilot premiered on September 2, 2008, to a high viewership despite mixed reviews from critics. Her performance earned her the "Sparkling Performance" award at the Young Hollywood Awards in 2010.

Jessica Stroup has also appeared in several horror films, including "Prom Night" (2008), "Homecoming" (2009), and "The Informers" (2008). She reunited with Seth MacFarlane in his directorial debut "Ted" (2012), playing Tracy, a work friend of Lori (played by Mila Kunis).

In 2014, she took on the role of Max Hardy in "The Following," a thriller series that showcased her versatility as an actress. Her role as Joy Meachum in "Iron Fist" (2017-2018), part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, further solidified her status as a talented actress.

In her personal life, she currently lives in Los Angeles, California. She married businessman Neil Hutchinson on September 17, 2022.