Allison Janney facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Allison Janney
Janney in 2008
Born	Allison Brooks Janney (1959-11-19) November 19, 1959 (age 65) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Education	Kenyon College Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1989–present
Partner(s)	Richard Jenik (2002–2006)
Awards	Full list

Allison Janney (born November 19, 1959) is a talented American actress. She is famous for her amazing performances in movies, TV shows, and plays. Allison has won many important awards. These include an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and seven Primetime Emmy Awards. She has also been nominated for two Tony Awards.

Allison was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in Dayton, Ohio. After finishing college, she earned a special scholarship. This allowed her to study acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. For many years, Allison had small roles in films and TV. Her big break came when she played C. J. Cregg in the TV show The West Wing (1999–2006). She won four Primetime Emmy Awards for this role. Later, she won two more Emmys for playing Bonnie Plunkett in the TV show Mom (2013–2021). In 2024, she starred in the Netflix drama series The Diplomat.

Allison first acted on stage in 1989 in an Off-Broadway play called Ladies. She then had many small parts in other plays. Her first role on Broadway was in the 1996 play Present Laughter. She has won two Drama Desk Awards. She was also nominated for two Tony Awards. These nominations were for her roles in A View from the Bridge (1997) and the musical 9 to 5 (2009).

Allison has also played many memorable characters in films. Some of her well-known movies include Primary Colors (1998), American Beauty (1999), and Juno (2007). She also appeared in Hairspray (2007) and The Help (2011). In 2017, Allison played LaVona Golden in the movie I, Tonya. For this role, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Early Life and Education

Kenyon College, where Allison Janney studied

Allison Janney was born on November 19, 1959. Her birthplace was Boston, Massachusetts. She grew up in Dayton, Ohio. Her mother, Macy Brooks Janney, was a former actress. Her father, Jervis Spencer Janney Jr., was a real estate developer and jazz musician. Allison has an older brother named Jay. She also had a younger brother, Hal, who passed away in 2011.

Allison went to the Miami Valley School in Dayton. She also attended the Hotchkiss School in Connecticut. When she was younger, Allison dreamed of becoming a figure skater. However, an accident when she was a teenager changed her path. She then went to Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. There, she studied theatre.

During her first year at college, Allison met famous actors Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. They saw her in a play and encouraged her to keep acting. They also gave her advice early in her career. Allison continued her training at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York. In 1984, she received a scholarship. This allowed her to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

Allison Janney's Acting Career

Early Roles and Broadway Debut (1989–1998)

Allison Janney's first TV role was in the comedy show Morton & Hayes in 1991. She then appeared in soap operas. She played Vi Kaminski on As the World Turns. She also played Ginger on Guiding Light for almost two years. In 1994, she was a guest star on Law & Order. She also worked on the radio show A Prairie Home Companion.

Allison started her professional stage career in 1989. She had a small part in the play Ladies. She then appeared in other plays like Five Women Wearing the Same Dress. Her first role on Broadway was in 1996. She played Liz Essendine in Present Laughter. Even though it was a small role, her acting was highly praised. The New York Times called it a "fully accomplished performance." For this role, Allison won the Theatre World Award and the Clarence Derwent Award. She also received a nomination for the Drama Desk Award.

Allison's first movie role was a small part in Who Shot Pat? (1989). Throughout the 1990s, she had many small film roles. These included movies like Wolf (1994), Big Night (1996), and American Beauty (1999).

In 1998, Allison starred in the play A View from the Bridge. Critics loved her performance. The New York Times said she was "splendid" as Beatrice. Variety also praised her acting. For this role, Allison won the Drama Desk Award. She also received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.

The West Wing and Major Success (1999–2006)

After many years of small roles, Allison Janney became widely known. This happened when she was cast as White House Press Secretary C. J. Cregg. This was in the NBC political drama The West Wing. The show's creator, Aaron Sorkin, asked her to audition after seeing her in the movie Primary Colors.

C. J. Cregg was a smart and strong character. She eventually became the White House Chief of Staff. Many people consider C. J. Cregg to be one of the best characters on TV. For her role as C. J. Cregg, Allison won four Primetime Emmy Awards. She also won four Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Satellite Award. She was nominated four times for the Golden Globe Awards. This made her the most awarded actor in the show's cast.

During this time, Allison also appeared in several films. These included Nurse Betty (2000), The Hours (2002), and Finding Nemo (2003). She also had a guest role on the TV show Frasier in 2002.

Becoming an Established Actor (2007–2016)

In 2007, Allison Janney starred in the comedy-drama Juno. She played Bren MacGuff, the main character's stepmother. In the same year, she was in the musical movie Hairspray. For Hairspray, she won the Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also won a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble.

In 2009, Allison starred in the musical 9 to 5 on Broadway. Her performance received great reviews. She won the Drama Desk Award and was nominated for a Tony Award.

In 2011, Allison appeared in the historical drama The Help. She acted alongside Emma Stone and Viola Davis. The cast won the Screen Actors Guild Award for their performance. The film was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.

After a short break from TV, Allison returned in 2013. She starred in the CBS sitcom Mom. The show ran until 2021. Her acting in Mom was highly praised. She was nominated for six Primetime Emmy Awards. She won twice for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She also won two Critics' Choice Television Awards.

Allison also appeared in many other films during this period. These included the comedy The Way Way Back (2013) and the spy comedy Spy (2015). She also voiced Julia in The Simpsons in 2016.

Career Expansion and Continued Success (2017–Present)

In 2017, Allison Janney returned to Broadway. She starred in the play Six Degrees of Separation. Critics praised her performance. She received nominations for the Drama Desk Award and won the Outer Critics Circle Award.

Also in 2017, Allison starred in the movie I, Tonya. She played LaVona Golden, the mother of figure skater Tonya Harding. The screenwriter wrote the role specifically for Allison. Allison said it was one of her most challenging roles. Her performance received widespread praise. She won many awards for it, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also won the Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and BAFTA Award.

In 2019, Allison appeared in five films. She had small roles in Troop Zero and Ma. She also voiced Margaux Needler in The Addams Family. She starred in Bad Education and Breaking News in Yuba County. She also had the main role in the thriller Lou (2022).

In 2022, Allison appeared on the show Who Do You Think You Are?. She learned she was related to Stephen Hopkins. He was one of the settlers on the Mayflower. She also appeared in the film The Creator (2023).

In 2024, Allison began starring in the TV series Palm Royale. She also guest-starred in Curb Your Enthusiasm. Later in 2024, she started playing Grace Penn, the Vice President of the United States, in the Netflix show The Diplomat. Her performance was highly praised. Rolling Stone ranked it among the best TV performances of 2024. Allison is currently working on two new films.

Personal Life

Allison Janney in 2014

Allison Janney has never been married and does not have children. She dated computer programmer Dennis Gagomiros from 1994 to 2001. In 2002, she met actor Richard Jenik. They got engaged in 2004 but broke up in 2006. From 2012 to 2017, she dated production manager Philip Joncas.

Since 2004, Allison has lent her voice to ads for Kaiser Permanente. She also voiced the Aly San San spokesdroid for the Disney attraction Star Tours – The Adventures Continue. In 2016, Allison received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This honor recognized her work in entertainment.

Activism and Causes

Allison Janney supports many important causes. These include women's rights, LGBTQ rights, mental health, and animal rights. In 2018, she took part in the 2018 Women's March in Los Angeles. This event supported women's rights and social justice. She also supports charities like the American Heart Association and GLAAD.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Allison donated $10,000. This money went to the Dayton Foodbank. This organization helps provide food to people in need.

Allison is also a strong supporter of voter registration. She encourages people to check VoteRiders for information on voting. She and her West Wing co-stars worked with Michelle Obama's When We All Vote initiative. She also participated in a show called Divas for Democracy. This show helped support voter registration.

Selected Film and Television Roles

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1989	Who Shot Pat?	Miss Penny
1994	Dead Funny	Jennifer
	Cowboy Way, TheThe Cowboy Way	NYPD computer operator
	Wolf	Party Guest
	Miracle on 34th Street	Woman in Christmas Shop
	Heading Home	Mary Polanski
1996	Flux	Heather
	Rescuing Desire	Betsy
	Walking and Talking	Gum Puller
	Big Night	Ann
	Faithful	Saleswoman
	Associate, TheThe Associate	Sandy
1997	Anita Liberty	Gynecologist	Short film
	Private Parts	Dee Dee
	Ice Storm, TheThe Ice Storm	Dot Halford
	Julian Po	Lilah Leech
1998	Primary Colors	Miss Walsh
	Object of My Affection, TheThe Object of My Affection	Constance Miller
	Impostors, TheThe Impostors	Maxine
	Six Days, Seven Nights	Marjorie Smith, Robin's Boss
	Celebrity	Evelyn Isaacs
1999	10 Things I Hate About You	Ms. Perky
	Drop Dead Gorgeous	Loretta
	American Beauty	Barbara Fitts
	The Debtors
2000	Leaving Drew	Paula	Short film
	Auto Motives	Gretchen
	Nurse Betty	Lyla Branch
	Rooftop Kisses	Melissa	Short film
2002	Hours, TheThe Hours	Sally Lester
2003	Finding Nemo	Peach	Voice
	How to Deal	Lydia Martin
	Chicken Party	Barbara Strasser	Short film
2004	Piccadilly Jim	Eugenia Crocker
	Winter Solstice	Molly Ripkin
2005	Strangers with Candy	Alice
	Our Very Own	Joan Whitfield
	The Chumscrubber	Allie Stifle
2006	Over the Hedge	Gladys Sharp	Voice
2007	Hairspray	Prudy Pingleton
	Juno	Brenda "Bren" MacGuff
2008	Pretty Ugly People	Suzanna
	Prop 8: The Musical	Prop 8 leader's wife
2009	Away We Go	Lily Anderson
	Life During Wartime	Trish Maplewood
2011	Margaret	Wounded woman / Monica Patterson
	Help, TheThe Help	Charlotte Phelan
	Oranges, TheThe Oranges	Cathy Ostroff
2012	Thousand Words, AA Thousand Words	Samantha Davis
	Struck by Lightning	Sheryl Phillips
	Liberal Arts	Prof. Judith Fairfield
2013	The Way, Way Back	Betty Thompson
	Days and Nights	Elizabeth
	Bad Words	Dr. Bernice Deagan
	Trust Me	Meg
	Brightest Star	The Astronomer
2014	Tammy	Deb
	Mr. Peabody & Sherman	Mrs. Grunion	Voice
	The Rewrite	Prof. Mary Weldon
	Get On Up	Kathy
2015	The DUFF	Dottie Piper
	Spy	Elaine Crocker
	Minions	Madge Nelson	Voice
2016	Tallulah	Margaret "Margo" Mooney
	Finding Dory	Peach	Voice, cameo
	Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children	Dr. Nancy Golan / Mr. Barron
	The Girl on the Train	Detective Riley
2017	A Happening of Monumental Proportions	Principal Nichols
	Sun Dogs	Rose Chipley
	I, Tonya	LaVona Golden
2019	Troop Zero	Miss Massey
	Ma	Dr. Brooks	Cameo
	Bad Education	Pamela "Pam" Gluckin
	The Addams Family	Margaux Needler	Voice
2020	Lazy Susan	Velvet Swensen
2021	Breaking News in Yuba County	Sue Buttons	Also executive producer
2022	To Leslie	Nancy
	Lou	Lou Adell	Also executive producer
	The People We Hate at the Wedding	Donna
2023	The Creator	Colonel Howell
TBA	Everything's Going to Be Great	TBA	Post-production
	Untitled A Simple Favor sequel	TBA	Post-production

Key

Denotes films that have not yet been released

Television Roles

Theatre Performances

Music Video Appearances

Awards and Nominations

See Also

In Spanish: Allison Janney para niños

• List of Kenyon College people
• List of Primetime Emmy Award winners
• List of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
• List of actors with Academy Award nominations
• List of alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art