Jennifer Jason Leigh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jennifer Jason Leigh
Leigh in 2015
Born	Jennifer Leigh Morrow (1962-02-05) February 5, 1962 (age 63) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1976–present
Spouse(s)	Noah Baumbach ​ ​ (m. 2005; div. 2013)​
Children	1
Parent(s)	Vic Morrow Barbara Turner

Jennifer Jason Leigh (born Jennifer Leigh Morrow; February 5, 1962) is an American actress. She started acting on television in the 1970s. She became well-known after her role in the teen film Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982).

Jennifer Jason Leigh has earned praise for her roles in many films. These include Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989), Miami Blues (1990), and Backdraft (1991). She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for playing Dorothy Parker in Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994).

Leigh also starred in Georgia (1995), a film written by her mother. She later co-wrote and co-directed The Anniversary Party (2001) with Alan Cumming. She appeared in the crime drama Road to Perdition (2002) and the family drama Margot at the Wedding (2007). From 2009 to 2012, she had a role in the TV series Weeds. She also received praise for her voice work in Anomalisa (2015). For her role in The Hateful Eight (2015), she was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. More recently, she starred in the Netflix series Atypical (2017–2021). She also appeared in the science fiction films Annihilation (2018) and Possessor (2020). In 2023, she starred in the fifth season of the crime drama series Fargo.

For her work on stage, Leigh was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. This was for her performance in Abigail's Party. She made her Broadway debut in 1998 in the musical Cabaret.

Early Life and Family Background

Jennifer Jason Leigh was born on February 5, 1962, in Los Angeles, California. Her father, Vic Morrow, was an actor. Her mother, Barbara Turner, was a screenwriter. Her parents separated when she was two years old.

Jennifer's birth name was Jennifer Leigh Morrow. She changed her last name when she started acting. She chose "Jason" to honor actor Jason Robards, who was a friend of her family. Her parents were Jewish. Her father's family came from Russia, and her mother's family came from Austria.

Jennifer has an older sister, Carrie Ann Morrow, who passed away in 2016. She also has a half-sister, actress Mina Badie. Mina Badie appeared with Jennifer in the film The Anniversary Party. Film director Reza Badiyi became Jennifer's stepfather when he married her mother.

Acting Career Highlights

Early Roles and Breakthrough Films

Leigh with Eva Marie Saint in The Best Little Girl in the World (1981)

Jennifer Jason Leigh had her first film role in Death of a Stranger (The Execution) (1973). When she was 14, she took acting classes. She then got a role in the film The Young Runaways (1978). She also appeared in TV shows like Baretta and The Waltons.

She starred in several TV movies. One notable role was playing a teenager with an eating disorder in The Best Little Girl in the World. For this role, Leigh lost a lot of weight. In 1981, she made her film debut in Eyes of a Stranger. She left school to take on this role.

In 1982, Leigh played Stacy Hamilton in the high school film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. This movie helped launch the careers of many young actors. Film critic Roger Ebert praised her acting in the film. After this, Leigh often played sensitive or troubled characters in movies.

Acclaimed Performances in the 1990s

In 1990, Leigh had a big career moment. She won awards for her roles in Last Exit to Brooklyn and Miami Blues. In these films, she played very different characters. Critics praised her ability to play complex roles.

In 1991, Leigh appeared in her first major Hollywood film, Backdraft. She played a more typical role as the girlfriend of the main actor. She also found success in the drama Rush (1991). In this film, she played an undercover police officer.

Her next film, Single White Female (1992), was a big hit. It brought Leigh to a wider audience. She played a woman who causes trouble for her roommate. Leigh won an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain for this role.

In 1995, Leigh co-starred with Kathy Bates in Dolores Claiborne. She played a woman dealing with past difficulties. Leigh received great praise for her role as Sadie Flood in Georgia (1995). For this part, she lost weight and sang all her songs live. Critics highly praised her performance, calling it "powerful" and "risk-taking."

Throughout the 1990s, Leigh worked with many independent film directors. She worked with Robert Altman in Short Cuts (1993) and Kansas City (1996). Leigh has said she admired Altman and considered him a mentor.

She also played a fast-talking reporter in the comedy The Hudsucker Proxy (1994). Leigh took on her first main role as writer Dorothy Parker in Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994). She received a Golden Globe Award nomination for this role.

In 1997, she starred in Washington Square. She played a quiet 19th-century heiress. In 1999, she played a virtual-reality game designer in eXistenZ.

Roles in the 2000s and Beyond

In 2002, Leigh had a small role in Road to Perdition. She also co-starred in In the Cut (2003). She played a character named Stevie in The Machinist (2004). Her performance in Childstar won her a Genie Award in 2005.

Leigh appeared in Palindromes (2004) and The Jacket (2005). She also acted in two films directed by her former partner Noah Baumbach: Margot at the Wedding and Greenberg. From 2009 to 2012, Leigh was a regular guest on the TV series Weeds.

In 2015, Leigh starred in Quentin Tarantino's western film The Hateful Eight. The movie is set after the Civil War. Her performance earned her many award nominations. These included her third Golden Globe nomination and her first Academy Award nomination. In 2017, she reunited with her Hateful Eight co-star Tim Roth in the TV series Twin Peaks.

Leigh played Dr. Ventress in the science fiction film Annihilation (2018). In 2019, she appeared in The Affair and narrated the audiobook for Quentin Tarantino's novel Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. She also appeared in Possessor in 2020. In 2022, Leigh was cast in a main role in the fifth season of the TV series Fargo.

Stage Performances

In 1998, Leigh took on the main role of Sally Bowles in the Broadway musical Cabaret. In 2001, she also took over the lead role in the play Proof on Broadway. Her other stage appearances include The Glass Menagerie and The House of Blue Leaves.

Writing and Directing Work

In 2001, Leigh co-wrote and co-directed The Anniversary Party. This film was about a married couple celebrating their anniversary with friends. Leigh and her co-writer Alan Cumming used their own experiences to create the story. The film was made quickly and starred many of their real-life friends. Leigh and Cumming received an award for their filmmaking. The film also received positive reviews.

Personal Life

In 1982, Jennifer Jason Leigh's father, Vic Morrow, passed away in an accident during the filming of Twilight Zone: The Movie. Leigh and her sister later reached a settlement regarding the accident.

Leigh has described herself as a private person. She prefers to work on independent films that people feel strongly about.

She married writer-director Noah Baumbach in 2005. Their son was born in 2010. They later separated in 2010, and their divorce was finalized in 2013.

Performances

Film

Television

Stage

Awards and Nominations

Film Awards

• Short Cuts: Won Golden Globe Special Ensemble Cast Award and Volpi Cup for Best Ensemble Cast.
• Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle: Won Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress and National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress. Nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama.
• Anomalisa: Nominated for Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Production and Independent Spirit Awards for Best Supporting Female.
• The Hateful Eight: Won several awards including Capri Supporting Actress Award and National Board of Review for Best Supporting Actress. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, and BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

Television Awards

• Thanks from a Grateful Nation: Nominated for a Satellite Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film.

Stage Awards

• Abigail's Party: Nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play and Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actress.

See also

In Spanish: Jennifer Jason Leigh para niños