Occupation: Actress

Relationships: Stormy Blackthorne

Appearances: Seasons 5 & 6

Who’d Play Her: Mischa Barton

The Actress Who Became the Real Thing: Jane Wheeler was a struggling, unknown actress when Alex Reynolds hired her for the most unusual role of her career: pretending to be the biological mother of R.J., the infant son Alex had secretly obtained from Stormy’s estranged wife, Kelly. Alex needed Jane to support her claim that the child belonged to a woman she had met in rehab, allowing her to adopt R.J. without revealing that Stormy was his real father. Jane agreed to the deception and signed the necessary adoption papers, expecting the arrangement to be nothing more than another acting job.

The situation became complicated when Jane befriended Miranda and developed a genuine connection with Stormy. As Stormy began falling for her, Jane found herself increasingly uncomfortable with the lie she was helping Alex maintain. Terrified that Jane would expose the truth, Alex had her involuntarily committed to a state-run rehabilitation facility by falsely claiming she had relapsed into drug use. Jane managed to contact Stormy, prompting him, Eddie, and Miranda to break her out. During the escape, she confessed that Alex had hired her to pose as R.J.’s mother. Stormy confronted Alex and learned that R.J. was his son, though Kelly had already returned and taken the baby away.

What began as a paid performance developed into a real romance between Jane and Stormy. Jane also became one of Miranda’s closest friends, though their friendship repeatedly drew her into danger. When Jane’s cousin Farrah became trapped in prostitution under the control of a violent pimp, Jane introduced her to Miranda. Farrah’s plight inspired Miranda to take over a high-priced escort service in an effort to protect the women working for it. Jane supported Miranda’s desire to help but pleaded with her to abandon the operation once threats against her life escalated.

Jane was soon pulled into the investigation surrounding crime boss Hugh Rogers, whose murder left both Miranda and Farrah facing suspicion. When Miranda disappeared after arranging a gathering for the women in her organization, Jane joined Stormy and Eddie in fearing that she had been killed. Miranda eventually returned safely, but the ordeal reinforced Jane’s growing awareness that life among the Blackthornes could turn dangerous without warning.