Biography
J. Gregg on the popular and acclaimed television drama, "The West Wing" (NBC, 1999-2006). Prior to this success, Janney was a New York-based performer looking for her first big break while taking whatever role she could get her hands on. Frustrated to the point of almost quitting for good, she had her first real breakthrough with a stunning Broadway debut in Neil Coward's "Present Laughter" (1996). More Broadway success came her way the …
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Career Milestones
| Appeared in productions at Williamstown Theatre Festival and in NYC theaters | ||
| Aspired to be a competitive figure skater | ||
| Raised in Dayton, OH | ||
| While a student at Kenyon College, auditioned for and won role in a play directed by Paul Newman (a Kenyon alumnus) | ||
1977 | Injured at a party when after someone stepped on her strapless gown, she ran through a glass door | |
1982 | After graduation, moved to NYC to attend Neighborhood Playhouse | |
1994 | Feature film debut with a bit role in "The Cowboy Way" | |
1994 | First prominent stage role, "Fat Men in Skirts" by Nicky Silver; first collaboration with Stanley Tucci | |
1994 | Landed recurring role of wisecracking maid on the CBS daytime drama "Guiding Light" | |
1996 | Breakthrough screen role as Ann, the floral shop owner, in "Big Night"; film co-written and co-directed by Tucci | |
1996 | Broadway debut opposite Frank Langella in revival of Noel Coward's "Present Laughter" | |
1997 | Had featured roles in "Private Parts" and "The Ice Storm" | |
1997 | Returned to Broadway opposite Anthony LaPaglia in "A View From the Bridge"; received Tony nomination | |
1998 | Reunited with Tucci for "The Impostors," playing a con artist aboard a luxury liner | |
1999 | Portrayed Chris Cooper's emotionally-detached wife in "American Beauty" | |
1999 | Primetime series debut as C.J. Cregg, the presidential press secretary on the NBC series "The West Wing"; earned Golden Globe (2002, 2003), SAG (2002, 2004, 2005) and Emmy (2003, 2006) nominations for Best Actress | |
1999 | Tackled first Shakespearean role as Kate in "The Taming of the Shrew," opposite Jay O Sanders in NYC's Central Park | |
2000 | Delivered a memorable supporting role in "Nurse Betty" as an acerbic soap opera writer-producer | |
2001 | Joined the all-female cast of the comedy-drama telepic "A Girl Thing" (Showtime) | |
2002 | Played Sally Lester, the lesbian lover of Clarissa Vaughn (Meryl Streep), in the film version of the award-winning novel "The Hours" | |
2003 | Played the mother in the feature "How To Deal" | |
2003 | Voiced Peach in the Pixar animated feature "Finding Nemo" | |
2005 | Co-starred in Arie Posin's ensemble "The Chumscrubber," a darkly satiric story about life crumbling in the midst of a seemingly idyllic suburbia | |
2005 | Co-starred in the drama "Our Very Own"; earned an Independent Spirit Award Nomination for Best Supporting Female | |
2006 | Voiced Gladys, the president of the local homeowners' association in the animated comedy "Over the Hedge" | |
2007 | Cast in the big-screen musical "Hairspray" as Prudy Pingleton, Penny's (Amanda Bynes) strict and religious mother | |
2007 | Played the stepmother of a pregnant teen in Jason Reitman's quirky comedy "Juno" | |
2008 | Cast as Violet Newstead in "9 to 5: The Musical," based on the film of the same name; earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical | |
2010 | Starred in Todd Solondz's dramedy "Life During Wartime" | |
2011 | Cast alongside Anna Paquin, Matt Damon, and Mark Ruffalo in "Margaret" | |
2011 | Cast opposite Matthew Perry on the ABC comedy series "Mr. Sunshine" | |
2011 | Nominated for the 2011 Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female | |
2011 | Nominated for the 2011 Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female ("Life During Wartime") | |
2011 | Played Skeether Phelan's (Emma Stone) cancer-stricken mother in the big-screen adaptation of "The Help" | |
2012 | Appeared opposite Eddie Murphy in the comedy-drama "A Thousand Words" | |
2012 | Cast opposite writer and director Josh Radnor in romantic comedy "Liberal Arts" | |
Awards
2000 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television in The West Wing |
2000 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2000 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in American Beauty |
2001 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television in The West Wing |
2001 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2001 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2001 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2002 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama in The West Wing |
2002 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2002 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2002 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2003 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama in The West Wing |
2003 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2003 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in The Hours |
2003 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2003 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2004 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2004 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2004 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2005 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2005 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2006 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female in Our Very Own |
2006 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2006 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2008 | Palm Springs International Film Festival for Ensemble Cast Award in Hairspray |
2008 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Hairspray |
2011 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female in Life During Wartime |
2011 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in The Help |