Allison Brooks Janney (born November 19, 1959) is an American actress. In a career spanning three decades, she is known for her performances across multiple genres of screen and stage. Janney has received various accolades, including an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

, a

British Academy Film Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...

, a

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

, and seven

Primetime Emmy Awards The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...

, in addition to nominations for two

Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

. Born in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

and raised in

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County, Ohio, Greene County. The 2020 United S ...

, Janney received a scholarship to study at the

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senat ...

following her graduation from

Kenyon College Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio. It was founded in 1824 by Philander Chase. Kenyon College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Kenyon has 1,708 undergraduates enrolled. Its 1,000-acre campus is s ...

. After years of minor and uncredited film and television appearances, Janney's breakthrough came with the role of C. J. Cregg in the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

political drama ''

The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American serial political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White Hous ...

'' (1999–2006), for which she received four

. In 2014, she won the

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a gues ...

for her role as

Margaret Scully The following is a list of characters on ''The X-Files'', an American science fiction television series first broadcast in September 1993 and followed by two feature films: ''The X-Files'' and '' The X-Files: I Want to Believe.'' These characters ...

on the Showtime period drama ''

Masters of Sex ''Masters of Sex'' is an American period drama television series that premiered on September 29, 2013, on Showtime. It was developed by Michelle Ashford and loosely based on Thomas Maier's biography '' Masters of Sex''. Set in the 1950s through ...

''. For her portrayal of Bonnie Plunkett, a cynical recovering addict on the CBS sitcom ''

Mom ] A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of gestati ...

'' (2013–2021), Janney received six Primetime Emmy Award nominations and won twice for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Janney made her professional stage debut with the

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer th ...

production ''Ladies'' (1989), and followed with numerous bit parts in various similar productions, before making her

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

debut with the 1996 revival of ''

Present Laughter ''Present Laughter'' is a comic play written by Noël Coward in 1939 but not produced until 1942 because the Second World War began while it was in rehearsal, and the British theatres closed. The title is drawn from a song in Shakespeare's ''T ...

''. She won two

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. F ...

s and has been nominated for two

: for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in the

revival of ''

A View from the Bridge ''A View from the Bridge'' is a play by American playwright Arthur Miller. It was first staged on September 29, 1955, as a one-act verse drama with ''A Memory of Two Mondays'' at the Coronet Theatre on Broadway. The run was unsuccessful, and M ...

'' (1997), and for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in the original Broadway production of the musical ''

9 to 5 Working(laboring) time is the period of time that a person spends at paid labor. Unpaid labor such as personal housework or caring for children or pets is not considered part of the working week. Many countries regulate the work week by law, s ...

'' (2009). Her film roles include '' Private Parts'' (1997), ''

Primary Colors A set of primary colors or primary colours (see spelling differences) consists of colorants or colored lights that can be mixed in varying amounts to produce a gamut of colors. This is the essential method used to create the perception of a b ...

'' (1998), ''

10 Things I Hate About You ''10 Things I Hate About You'' is a 1999 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Gil Junger and starring Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Larisa Oleynik. The screenplay, written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirs ...

'' (1999), '' Drop Dead Gorgeous'' (1999), '' American Beauty'' (1999), '' Nurse Betty'' (2000), '' The Hours'' (2002), '' Hairspray'' (2007), '' Juno'' (2007), '' The Help'' (2011), ''

The Way, Way Back ''The Way, Way Back'' is a 2013 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash in their directorial debuts. It stars Liam James as Duncan, an introverted 14-year-old who goes on summer vacation to War ...

'' (2013), '' Tammy'' (2014), '' The Rewrite'' (2014), '' Spy'' (2015), '' Tallulah'' (2016), '' The Girl on the Train'' (2016), '' Bad Education'' (2019) and '' Bombshell'' (2019). She voiced roles in ''

Finding Nemo ''Finding Nemo'' is a 2003 American computer-animated comedy-drama adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Andrew Stanton with co-direction by Lee Unkrich, the screenplay was wr ...

'' (2003), ''

Over the Hedge ''Over the Hedge'' is an American syndicated comic strip, written by Michael Fry, and drawn by T. Lewis. It tells the story of a raccoon, a turtle, a squirrel, and their friends, who come to terms with their woodlands being taken over, by su ...

'' (2006), '' Minions'' (2015), and ''

The Addams Family ''The Addams Family'' is a fictional family created by American cartoonist Charles Addams. They originally appeared in a series of 150 unrelated single-panel cartoons, about half of which were originally published in ''The New Yorker'' over ...

'' (2019). For her performance in the black comedy '' I, Tonya'' (2017), Janney won an

, a

BAFTA Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cer ...

, and a

, all for Best Supporting Actress.

Early life and education

Janney was born on November 19, 1959, in

, Massachusetts, and raised in

.Janney in Note: Sources includin
Biography.comTVGuide.com
and The Broadway League'
Internet Broadway Database
list birthplace as Dayton, Ohio. She is the daughter of Macy Brooks Janney (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

Putnam), a former actress, and Jervis Spencer Janney Jr., a real estate developer and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

musician. She has an older brother, Jay and had a younger brother, Hal (1961–2011). Hal, who had battled depression and addiction for many years, committed suicide in 2011 at the age of 49. She attended

the Miami Valley School The Miami Valley School (MVS) is an independent school for grades Pre-K through 12, located in Dayton, Ohio, founded in 1964. The Miami Valley School is a non-profit organization. The Miami Valley School uses the Immersion Method, a philosophy b ...

in Dayton, where she was named a distinguished alumna in 2005, and the

Hotchkiss School The Hotchkiss School is a coeducational preparatory school in Lakeville, Connecticut, United States. Hotchkiss is a member of the Eight Schools Association and Ten Schools Admissions Organization. It is also a former member of the G30 Schools ...

in Connecticut, where she was named Alumna of the Year in 2016. Janney initially aspired to a career in

figure skating Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, when contested at the 1908 Olympics in London. The Olympic disciplines are me ...

, but her tall stature and a freak accident when she was a teenager put an end to that dream. She attended

Gambier, Ohio Gambier is a village in Knox County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,391 at the 2010 census. Gambier is the home of Kenyon College. A major feature is a gravel path running the length of the village, referred to as "Middle Path". This ...

, where she majored in theatre. During her freshman year, Janney met actors

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...

and

Joanne Woodward Joanne Gignilliat Trimmier Woodward (born February 27, 1930) is an American actress. A star since the Golden Age of Hollywood, Woodward made her career breakthrough in the 1950s and earned esteem and respect playing complex women with a charact ...

at a play for the inaugural event of the college's newly built Bolton Theater, which Newman was directing. The couple encouraged her to continue acting and offered her guidance during the early days in her career. She went on to train at the

Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre is a full-time professional conservatory for actors in New York City. First operational from 1915 to 1927, the school re-opened in 1928 and has been active ever since. It is the birthplace of th ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

and then received a scholarship to study at the

in mid-1984.

Career

Television

1990s: Television debut and early work

Janney's first role on television was in the short-lived black-and-white faux-1940s comedy '' Morton & Hayes''; she appeared in two episodes of the 1991 CBS series as Eddie Hayes' wife. She then moved on to soap operas; she played the short-term role of Vi Kaminski on ''

As the World Turns ''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other s ...

'', and then played the recurring role of Ginger, one of the Spaulding maids, on ''

Guiding Light ''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the third longest-running drama in television in American history. ''Guiding Light'' a ...

'' for nearly two years. In the spring of 1994, she appeared in the season-four finale of ''

Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering ...

'', titled "Old Friends", as a reluctant witness against a member of the Russian mob. She was also a cast member on the radio show ''

A Prairie Home Companion ''A Prairie Home Companion'' is a weekly radio variety show created and hosted by Garrison Keillor that aired live from 1974 to 2016. In 2016, musician Chris Thile took over as host, and the successor show was eventually renamed '' Live from ...

''.

1999–2007: Critical recognition and ''The West Wing''

After a decade of small and uncredited parts, Janney had her breakthrough when she was cast as White House Press Secretary C. J. Cregg in the

political drama ''

''. Creator

Aaron Sorkin Aaron Benjamin Sorkin (born June 9, 1961) is an American playwright, screenwriter and film director. Born in New York City, he developed a passion for writing at an early age. Sorkin has earned an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, five Primetime ...

called Janney to audition for the role after seeing her in the film ''

''. Loosely based on Dee Dee Myers, the press secretary during

Clinton administration Bill Clinton's tenure as the 42nd president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 1993, and ended on January 20, 2001. Clinton, a Democrat from Arkansas, took office following a decisive election victory over ...

, C. J. is a

National Merit Scholar The National Merit Scholarship Program is a United States academic scholarship competition for recognition and university scholarships administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), a privately funded, not-for-profit organizat ...

who ultimately succeeds

Leo McGarry Leo Thomas McGarry is a fictional character played by American actor John Spencer on the television serial drama ''The West Wing''. This role earned Spencer the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2002. ...

as White House Chief of Staff. Writing for ''

The Atlantic ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...

'', John Reid says that "her capability and combination of strength and simple compassion represented the fantasy of the Bartlet White House better than anyone." The publication also ranks her as the best character from the series. In their ranking of the best characters from all the television series created by Sorkin, ''

Vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...

'', ranks C. J. at No. 2 and says; "If all the Sorkin women were as classy, self-assured, and legitimately funny (the turkey pardon!) as C. J., we'd never have had the Sorkin woman argument in the first place". For her portrayal of C. J. Cregg, Janney won four

, four

Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1952 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...

, a

Satellite Award The Satellite Awards are annual awards given by the International Press Academy that are commonly noted in entertainment industry journals and blogs. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards. The award ceremonies take place ...

and four nominations for the

Golden Globe Awards The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

, making her the most awarded cast member of the series.

2002–2011: Continued guest roles

Janney guest starred on the sitcom ''

Frasier ''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons. It premiered on September 16, 1993, and ended on May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee (as Grub ...

'' in a 2002 episode ''Three Blind Dates'' and appeared in the short-lived ''

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip ''Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip'' is an American comedy-drama television series created and primarily written by Aaron Sorkin. The series was about the production of a live comedy series, similar to ''Saturday Night Live''. Produced by Warner Br ...

'' in a guest appearance as herself in the episode "The Disaster Show". In late 2009, she was chosen to play the role of Sheila Jackson in the pilot episode of '' Shameless'', but when Showtime picked up the series, she was replaced after the pilot by

Joan Cusack Joan Mary Cusack (; born October 11, 1962) is an American actress. She received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her roles in the comedy-drama '' Working Girl'' (1988) and the romantic comedy '' In & Out'' (1997 ...

. In 2010, Janney appeared as Allison Pearson in ''

In Plain Sight ''In Plain Sight'' is an American drama television series that premiered on the USA Network on June 1, 2008. The series revolves around Mary Shannon (Mary McCormack), a Deputy United States Marshal attached to the Albuquerque, New Mexico, office ...

''. In May 2010, she appeared in the antepenultimate episode of the ABC television series ''

Lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography * Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland *Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...

'' as the adoptive mother of the show's two mythological opponents, Jacob and The Man in Black. She starred in the ABC network comedy '' Mr. Sunshine''. The series, which was created by

Matthew Perry Matthew Langford Perry (born August 19, 1969) is an American-Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom ''Friends'' (1994–2004). As well as starring in the short-lived television series '' St ...

, was a

mid-season replacement In American network television scheduling, a mid-season replacement is a television show that premieres in the second half of the traditional television season, usually between December and May. Mid-season replacements usually take place after a ...

for the 2010–11 television season.

2013–2021: ''Mom'', ''Masters of Sex'', and other roles

Following few short-lived shows and a brief sabbatical from television, Janney returned to the small screen with the CBS

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...

'', which ran from 2013 until 2021. Janney played Bonnie Plunkett, a self-centered, cynical recovering addict who tries to regain the love and trust of her daughter (played by

Anna Faris Anna Kay Faris (; born November 29, 1976) is an American actress. She rose to prominence for her work in comedic roles, particularly the lead part of Cindy Campbell in the ''Scary Movie'' film series (2000–2006). She has appeared in a number ...

). She was influenced to take on the role following the death of her younger brother from drug addiction, as well as her longtime desire to work on multicam comedy. For her performance on the series, Janney garnered critical acclaim and six Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning twice as Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She also received six nominations at the Critics' Choice Television Awards winning twice for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series."Allison Janney Emmy"
emmys.com, retrieved May 9, 2019 From 2014 to 2016, Janney guest-starred in Showtime's

period drama A historical drama (also period drama, costume drama, and period piece) is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television. Historical drama includes historical fiction and romance film, romances, adventure f ...

'', portraying a sexually repressed homemaker in 1950s who struggles to understand the disintegration of her marriage. Her performance received praise with Janney receiving three consecutive nominations for the

winning one in 2014, and winning the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series. Janney appeared as herself, in an episode of the second season of the Netflix series '' The Kominsky Method''. On the

Disney Channel Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Comp ...

animated show ''

Phineas and Ferb ''Phineas and Ferb'' is an American animated musical-comedy television series created by Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh for Disney Channel and Disney XD. Produced by Disney Television Animation, the series was originally broadcast as ...

'', Janney voiced Charlene. In 2022, Janney appeared in an episode of '' Who Do You Think You Are?'' in which she learned she was descended from Stephen Hopkins, one of the settlers on the ''

Mayflower ''Mayflower'' was an English ship that transported a group of English families, known today as the Pilgrims, from England to the New World in 1620. After a grueling 10 weeks at sea, ''Mayflower'', with 102 passengers and a crew of about 30, ...

''.

Film

1989–2005: Early roles and beginnings

Janney made her film debut with a minor part in '' Who Shot Pat?'' (1989). This was followed by a series of minor roles in numerous films throughout the 1990s, including; ''

Wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly un ...

'', ''

The Object of My Affection ''The Object of My Affection'' is a 1998 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Nicholas Hytner and starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd. The film was adapted from the novel of the same name by Stephen McCauley and the screenplay was ...

'', ''

Big Night ''Big Night'' is a 1996 American comedy-drama film co-directed by Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci. The film stars Tucci, alongside Minnie Driver, Ian Holm, Isabella Rossellini, Allison Janney and Tony Shalhoub. Produced by David Kirkpatri ...

'', '' The Impostors'', '' Drop Dead Gorgeous'', ''

The Ice Storm ''The Ice Storm'' is a 1994 American novel by Rick Moody. The novel was widely acclaimed by readers and critics alike, described as a funny, acerbic, and moving hymn to a dazed and confused era of American life.Primary Colors A set of primary colors or primary colours (see spelling differences) consists of colorants or colored lights that can be mixed in varying amounts to produce a gamut of colors. This is the essential method used to create the perception of a b ...

'', ''

'', '' Private Parts'', and '' American Beauty''. For the last of these she won the

and

Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble The Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Broadcast Film Critics Association. 2000s 2001 * ''Gosford Park'' ** ''Ocean's Eleven'' ** ''The Royal ...

. She also appeared in '' Nurse Betty'' (2000), '' The Hours'' (2002), ''

'' (2003), '' How to Deal'' (2003), '' The Chumscrubber'' (2005), ''

Winter Solstice The winter solstice, also called the hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). For that hemisphere, the winter ...

'' (2004), and '' Our Very Own'' (2005). For the last of these, she received a nomination for the

Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female The Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female was an award presented annually by Film Independent. It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an absolutely outstanding performance in a supporting role while working in an indepen ...

2007–2016: Established character actress

In 2007, Janney starred in

Jason Reitman Jason R. Reitman (; born October 19, 1977) is a Canadian-American actor and filmmaker, best known for directing the films '' Thank You for Smoking'' (2005), '' Juno'' (2007), '' Up in the Air'' (2009), '' Young Adult'' (2011), and '' Ghostbuste ...

's comedy-drama '' Juno'', playing Bren MacGuff, the titular character's stepmother. In the same year, she appeared in the musical '' Hairspray'', and won the Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress and the

Critics' Choice Movie Awards The Critics' Choice Movie Awards (formerly known as the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award) is an awards show presented annually by the American-Canadian Critics Choice Association (CCA) to honor the finest in cinematic achievement. Writ ...

for Best Acting Ensemble. In 2010, Janney earned praise for her performance in

Todd Solondz Todd Solondz (; born October 15, 1959) is an American filmmaker and playwright known for his style of dark, socially conscious satire. Solondz's work has received critical acclaim for its commentary on the "dark underbelly of middle class Americ ...

's comedy-drama '' Life During Wartime''. In 2011, Janney appeared in Tate Taylor's

'' The Help'', which won the

and

. She also appeared in ''

Margaret Margaret is a female first name, derived via French () and Latin () from grc, μαργαρίτης () meaning "pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Persian. Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular through ...

'' (2011), '' Struck by Lightning'' (2012), ''

Liberal Arts Liberal arts education (from Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as La ...

'' (2012), '' Spy'' (2015), '' The DUFF'' (2015), ''

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children ''Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children'' is a contemporary fantasy debut novel by American author Ransom Riggs. The story is told through a combination of narrative and a mix of vernacular and found photography from the personal archiv ...

'' (2016), '' Tallulah'' (2016), and '' The Girl on the Train'' (2016).

2017–2022: Awards success and continued work

In 2017, Janney starred in

Craig Gillespie Craig Gillespie (born 1 September 1967) is an Australian-American film, television, music video, and commercial director. He is best known for directing the films ''Lars and the Real Girl'' (2007), ''Fright Night'' (2011), ''I, Tonya'' (201 ...

's black comedy '' I, Tonya'', based on the life of figure skater

Tonya Harding Tonya Maxene Price (née Harding; born November 12, 1970) is an American former figure skater, retired boxer and a reality television personality. Born in Portland, Oregon, Harding was raised primarily by her mother, who enrolled her in ice s ...

. Screenwriter Steven Rogers wrote the role of LaVona specifically for Janney and refused to sell his screenplay until Janney was cast in the film. Janney would consider the part as one of the most challenging of her career. Janney earned numerous accolades for her performance in the film including the

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

Critics' Choice Movie Award The Critics' Choice Movie Awards (formerly known as the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award) is an awards show presented annually by the American-Canadian Critics Choice Association (CCA) to honor the finest in cinematic achievement. Writ ...

Independent Spirit Award The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glas ...

, and BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress. Bad Education 02 (48810498807)

Janney appeared in five movies in 2019. She had cameo appearances in the family comedy '' Troop Zero'', the psychological thriller '' Ma'', and '' Bombshell''. For the last of these she received nominations at the

, and Critics' Choice Movie Award Best Acting Ensemble. Janney also voiced for the role of Margaux Needler in the animated version of ''

''. Janney also appeared in '' Bad Education'' and Tate Taylor's comedy-drama '' Breaking News in Yuba County''. She also had the title role in J. J. Abrams's thriller '' Lou''.

= Upcoming projects

= Janney is currently in production with two films: the comedy ''

The People We Hate at the Wedding ''The People We Hate at the Wedding'' is a 2022 American comedy film directed by Claire Scanlon from a screenplay by the Molyneux sisters, based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Grant Ginder. It stars Allison Janney, Ben Platt, Cynthia ...

'' and the sci-fi film '' True Love''.

Theater

1989–1996: Career beginnings in theatre

Janney made her professional stage debut in 1989 with an uncredited part in the

production ''Ladies''. Following minor roles in similar productions like; ''Prescribed Laughter In The Emergency Café'', ''

Five Women Wearing the Same Dress ''Five Women Wearing the Same Dress'' is a play written in 1993 by Alan Ball. Plot The play is a comedy set at the home of the bride in Knoxville, Tennessee during the newly married couple's ostentatious wedding reception. The five bridesmaid ...

'' and ''Blue Window'', Janney made her

debut with the 1996 revival of

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...

's ''

''. She played Liz Essendine, the estranged wife of the lead character (played by

Frank Langella Frank A. Langella Jr. (; born January 1, 1938) is an American stage and film actor. He has won four Tony Awards: two for Best Leading Actor in a Play for his performance as Richard Nixon in Peter Morgan's '' Frost/Nixon'' and as André in Flor ...

). Although a minor role, her performance garnered praise and attention with ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' calling it "The most fully accomplished performance on the stage". For her performance in the play, Janney won the

Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre se ...

, Clarence Derwent Award for Most Promising Female, Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play and received a nomination for the

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions. The awards were established in ...

1998–2009: ''A View from the Bridge'' and ''9 to 5''

Janney starred in the 1998 revival of

Arthur Miller Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are '' All My Sons'' (1947), ''Death of a Salesman'' ( ...

's ''

'' to positive reviews. For her performance, Janney won the

, Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play, and received a nomination for the

Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play is an honor presented at the Tony Awards, a ceremony established in 1947 as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre. The award is given to actresses for quality leadi ...

. In 2009, Janney starred in the musical ''

'' alongside Stephanie J. Block and

Megan Hilty Megan Kathleen Hilty (born March 29, 1981) is an American actress and singer. She rose to prominence for her roles in Broadway musicals, including her performance as Glinda the Good Witch in '' Wicked'', Doralee Rhodes in '' 9 to 5: The Musical' ...

. Her performance garnered positive reviews, and Janney earned the

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions. The awards were established in 1955, ...

and a nomination for the

Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical is awarded to the best actress in a musical, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did not win have only been publicly ...

2017: Return to theatre and critical acclaim

In 2017, Janney returned to Broadway with the revival of

John Guare John Guare ( ;; born February 5, 1938) is an American playwright and screenwriter. He is best known as the author of ''The House of Blue Leaves'' and ''Six Degrees of Separation''. Early life He was raised in Jackson Heights, Queens.Druckman, ...

's ''

Six Degrees of Separation Six degrees of separation is the idea that all people are six or fewer social connections away from each other. As a result, a chain of "friend of a friend" statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six steps. It is also k ...

'' in the role of Ouisa Kittredge. Janney received nominations for the

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions. The awards were established in 1955, with ...

, Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance and won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play.

Personal life

Janney has never been married and has no children, of which she said: "I’ve never had that instinct to have kids, I’m at peace with it". She was romantically involved with computer programmer Dennis Gagomiros. The couple began dating in 1994, and were interested in getting married but ended their relationship after seven years together in 2001. In 2002, she met actor Richard Jenik (her co-star in '' Our Very Own''). The couple got engaged in 2004 but broke up two years later in 2006. In 2012, Janney met production manager Philip Joncas. The two met on the set of ''

'' and began dating soon after. The couple dated for five years before ending their relationship in 2017. In interviews related to her role on ''

,'' Janney discussed her brother, Hal, who fought

drug addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use of ...

for years before his suicide. She has credited playing her character on ''Mom'' to people fighting addiction. On March 4, 2018, Janney dedicated her

win to him during her acceptance speech. In 2004, she began lending her voice to television and radio spots created by

Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente (; KP), commonly known simply as Kaiser, is an American integrated managed care consortium, based in Oakland, California, United States, founded in 1945 by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser and physician Sidney Garfield. Kaiser P ...

in the

health maintenance organization In the United States, a health maintenance organization (HMO) is a medical insurance group that provides health services for a fixed annual fee. It is an organization that provides or arranges managed care for health insurance, self-funded healt ...

's broad "Thrive" media campaign, and in a radio campaign for the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...

. In September 2010, it was announced that Janney would be the voice of the Aly San San spokesdroid in the Disney attraction Star Tours – The Adventures Continue. The attraction later opened at

Disney's Hollywood Studios Disney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division. Based on a concept by Ma ...

and

Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney in ...

. In October 2016, Janney became the first woman to receive the Alumni Award of

The Hotchkiss School The Hotchkiss School is a coeducational University-preparatory school#North America, preparatory school in Lakeville, Connecticut, United States. Hotchkiss is a member of the Eight Schools Association and Ten Schools Admissions Organization. It i ...

and received a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

for her work in the entertainment industry, located at 6100

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

Activism

Janney has campaigned for numerous issues like

women's rights Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countries, ...

LGBTQ rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Notably, , 33 ...

mental health Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. It likewise determines how an individual handles stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making. Mental health ...

animal rights Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all sentient animals have moral worth that is independent of their utility for humans, and that their most basic interests—such as avoiding suffering—should be afforded the sa ...

, and

addiction recovery The recovery model, recovery approach or psychological recovery is an approach to mental disorder or substance dependence that emphasizes and supports a person's potential for recovery. Recovery is generally seen in this model as a personal journey ...

. In 2018, Janney participated in the

2018 Women's March The 2018 Women's March was a global protest that occurred on January 20, 2018, on the anniversary of the 2017 Women's March. About In 2018, women's groups across the United States coordinated mass rallies, attracting hundreds of thousands of ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, part of a larger national movement for women's rights, human rights, and social justice. She supports various charities including

American Heart Association The American Heart Association (AHA) is a nonprofit organization in the United States that funds cardiovascular medical research, educates consumers on healthy living and fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and death ...

American Stroke Association The American Heart Association (AHA) is a nonprofit organization in the United States that funds cardiovascular medical research, educates consumers on healthy living and fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and death ...

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) is an American nonprofit organization that raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the United States, headquartered in New York City. It is the theatre community's response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. ...

, and

GLAAD GLAAD (), an acronym of Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, is an American non-governmental media monitoring organization originally founded as a protest against defamatory coverage of gay and lesbian demographics and their portrayals ...

. In 2016, Janney was honored at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...

at the event "Champions of Change", which honored 10 accomplished individuals from across the country who were being recognized for advancing addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery. She also participated in a panel discussion with Surgeon General

Vivek Murthy Vivek Hallegere Murthy (born July 10, 1977) is an American physician and a vice admiral in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps who has served as the 19th and 21st surgeon general of the United States under Presidents Obama ...

to talk about the portrayal of addiction and recovery in the media. In 2017, Janney donated $250,000 to

Planned Parenthood The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA), or simply Planned Parenthood, is a nonprofit organization that provides reproductive health care in the United States and globally. It is a tax-exempt corporation under Internal Reve ...

. In 2020 with the outbreak of

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

, Janney donated $10,000 to the Dayton Foodbank, an organization providing the food supply to the homeless. Janney has also been an active supporter of voter registration, posting about voter ID issues and suggesting fans check

VoteRiders VoteRiders is an American non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to ensure that all US citizens over 18 years old are able to exercise their right to vote. Through resources and media exposure, one of its main focuses is ...

for details. She and her ''West Wing'' costars were part of Michelle Obama's When We All Vote initiative. More recently, she participated in ''Divas for Democracy: United We Slay'', a streaming variety show supporting voter registration.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Music video

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * * * * *

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Janney, Allison 1959 births Living people 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from Boston Actresses from Dayton, Ohio Actresses from Massachusetts Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art American film actresses American musical theatre actresses American soap opera actresses American stage actresses American television actresses American voice actresses Audiobook narrators Best Supporting Actress AACTA International Award winners Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winners Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Award winners Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe (film) winners Drama Desk Award winners Hotchkiss School alumni Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female winners Kenyon College alumni Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre alumni Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series Screen Actors Guild Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Screen Actors Guild Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Drama Series Primetime Emmy Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Primetime Emmy Award winners Theatre World Award winners

Early life and education

Career

Television

1990s: Television debut and early work

1999–2007: Critical recognition and ''The West Wing''

2002–2011: Continued guest roles

2013–2021: ''Mom'', ''Masters of Sex'', and other roles

Film

1989–2005: Early roles and beginnings

2007–2016: Established character actress

2017–2022: Awards success and continued work

= Upcoming projects

Theater

1989–1996: Career beginnings in theatre

1998–2009: ''A View from the Bridge'' and ''9 to 5''

2017: Return to theatre and critical acclaim

Personal life

Activism

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Music video

Awards and nominations

See also

References

External links