Anna was born in Melbourne and moved to Sydney, but she spent her teen years on the Gold Coast. Since graduating from NIDA Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art in 2001, Anna has performed on stage with the Bell Shakespeare Company. In 2008, Anna broke into US television as she is cast as FBI agent Olivia Dunham opposite Joshua Jackson in the FOX drama Fringe. Early on, Anna is being heralded as show creator J.J. Abrams' latest TV star discovery, the previous ones being Keri Russell (Felicity), Jennifer Garner (Alias), and Evangeline Lilly (Lost).