Anna Torv was born in 1978 in Melbourne and grew up on the Gold Coast. She graduated from Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) with a degree in Performing Arts in 2001. Her paternal aunt, also called Anna, was the second wife of Rupert Murdoch .
Torv was perhaps best known for her starring in the BBC series Mistresses. She also played the voice of Nariko in the video game Heavenly Sword. In her biggest starring role yet, Torv plays the lead role in Fringe, a new science fiction drama from J.J. Abrams, airing in 2008.