Busy was born Elizabeth Jean Philipps in Illinois, US. She became interested in acting when she was in fourth grade and was always starring in school productions. In the summer, she would attend theater camp.
She is more commonly known as a television actress, getting her first break on Voll daneben, voll im Leben (1999), She joined Dawsons Creek (1998) and Emergency Room: Die Notaufnahme (1994), but her breakthrough role has been Laurie Keller on Cougar Town: 40 ist das neue 20 (2009).
