Judith Light facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Judith Light
Light in 2019
Born	Judith Ellen Light (1949-02-09) February 9, 1949 (age 76) Trenton, New Jersey, U.S.
Education	Doane Academy
Alma mater	Carnegie Mellon University (BFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1969–present
Known for	Who's the Boss? One Life to Live Other Desert Cities The Assembled Parties
Spouse(s)	Robert Desiderio ​ (m. 1985)​

Judith Ellen Light (born February 9, 1949) is an American actress. She is famous for her roles in TV shows like Who's the Boss? and One Life to Live. She has also won many awards for her acting on stage. These include two Tony Awards, which are like the Oscars for theater.

Judith Light is also well-known for helping others. She is a strong supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and works to fight against HIV/AIDS. Her activism started in the 1980s.

Early Life and Education

Judith Light was born in Trenton, New Jersey. Her mom, Pearl Sue, was a model, and her dad, Sidney, was an accountant. She went to high school at St. Mary's Hall–Doane Academy in Burlington, New Jersey. She finished high school in 1966.

After high school, Judith went to Carnegie Mellon University. She earned a degree in drama there. She remembers her acting program as very tough but helpful. In 1970, she started her acting career on stage in a play called Richard III.

Acting Career Highlights

Early TV Success

Judith Light first acted on Broadway in 1975 in a play called A Doll's House. She also performed with different theater groups. In the late 1970s, she almost stopped acting because she wasn't getting many roles.

Then, in 1977, her agent told her about a role in the TV show One Life to Live. She wasn't sure at first, but she took the audition. She realized the show could reach many people. She got the role of Karen Wolek. This part became very popular and helped the show get high ratings.

Her acting as Karen Wolek was highly praised. In 1980, she won her first Daytime Emmy Award for "Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series." She won another Emmy for the same role in 1981.

Becoming a TV Star

After her success on daytime TV, Judith Light got a main role in the sitcom Who's the Boss?. She played Angela Bower, a strong advertising executive. The show also starred Tony Danza as her housekeeper. Who's the Boss? was very popular and ran for eight seasons, from 1984 to 1992.

While on Who's the Boss?, she also acted in TV movies. One important role was in The Ryan White Story (1989). She played the mother of Ryan White, a teenager who had HIV/AIDS. This movie helped raise awareness about the disease.

In the 1990s, she continued to act in TV movies and other sitcoms. She also returned to the stage in 1999 for the play Wit. She played a professor fighting cancer and even shaved her head for the role.

Later TV and Theater Roles

In 2002, Judith Light joined the cast of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She played Judge Elizabeth Donnelly in many episodes until 2010. From 2006 to 2010, she also played Claire Meade in the TV show Ugly Betty. She was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award for this role.

In the 2000s, she also appeared in movies like Ira & Abby (2006) and Save Me (2007). In Save Me, she played a woman who runs a Christian group helping gay men. The movie showed how her character learned to accept others.

Judith Light returned to Broadway in 2010 in the play Lombardi. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance. She then won two Tony Awards in a row for her roles in Other Desert Cities (2012) and The Assembled Parties (2013).

From 2014 to 2019, she starred in the TV series Transparent. She played Shelly Pfefferman, the ex-wife of a transgender character. She received many award nominations for this role. In 2018, she was praised for playing Marilyn Miglin in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. In 2019, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

More recently, she has appeared in films like Tick, Tick... Boom! (2021) and The Menu (2022). She also played roles in TV shows such as Shining Vale and Julia. In 2023, she won a Primetime Emmy Award for her guest role in the TV series Poker Face.

Personal Life

Judith Light married actor Robert Desiderio in 1985. Since 2010, they live in different places. She mostly lives in New York City, and he lives in Southern California. She also has homes in Beverly Hills, California, and Aspen, Colorado. She is Jewish and practices Kundalini yoga.

Activism and Support

Judith Light is a strong advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. She also supports people living with HIV/AIDS. She started her activism in the early 1980s, when the HIV/AIDS epidemic began. She was one of the first celebrities to speak out against the unfair treatment of LGBTQ+ people and those with AIDS.

She has served on the boards of important organizations like the Matthew Shepard Foundation. This group works to prevent hate crimes. She also supports the Point Foundation, which helps students who face discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender.

Besides these causes, she encourages people to get vaccinated against the flu. This helps protect people who are more likely to get sick.

Filmography

Film

Television films

Television series

Theatre

Awards and Nominations

Film and Television Awards

Theatre Awards

Images for kids

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  Light at the Governor's Ball following the 1989 Annual Emmy Awards

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  Light in 2007

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  Judith Light accepting her 2012 Drama Desk Award at The Town Hall in New York City

See also

In Spanish: Judith Light para niños