Cheryl Gates McFadden , usually credited as Gates McFadden, is an American actress and choreographer. She is best known for playing Dr. Beverly Crusher in the Star Trek The Next Generation television series and in the four subsequent films.
McFadden was born in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. She attended Brandeis University graduating with a Bachelor of Arts cum laude in theatre arts. After graduating from Brandeis, she moved to Paris and studied theatre with actor Jacques Lecoq. She is of Lithuanian descent on her mothers side.
Source: Wikipedia