Tess was born in the Netherlands, the oldest of four siblings. She studied jazz ballet from the age of five, igniting her lifelong passion for dance. Having been discovered by a local talent scout, she began modeling professionally at seventeen and has since done runway and print work in Hamburg, Amsterdam, Miami, New York, and Los Angeles.

Tess was first introduces to acting when she landed a role in a theatrical play in Amsterdam. After moving to New York, she studied at William Esper Studio for three years and then privately with coach Susan Batson. After starring in an award-winning short film and appearing in a John Legend music video, Tess landed a role in "The Other Guys", where she had the opportunity to work with acclaimed comedic director Adam McKay and opposite Will Ferrel and Mark Whalberg.

She also guest starred on the acclaimed television series "House M.D." and has appeared in two sketches for FunnyorDie. A huge fan of cinema, Tess was inspired by the work of auteurs like Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, and the Coen Brothers. Fluent in English, Dutch, and German, she currently resides in Los Angeles.