Julia Louis-Dreyfus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Louis-Dreyfus in 2019
Born	Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus (1961-01-13) January 13, 1961 (age 64) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actor comedian producer
Years active	1980–present
Spouse(s)	Brad Hall ​ (m. 1987)​
Children	2, including Charlie Hall
Parents	Gérard Louis-Dreyfus (father) Judith LeFever Bowles (mother)
Relatives	Lauren Bowles (maternal half-sister) Robert Louis-Dreyfus (paternal second cousin once removed) Kyril Louis-Dreyfus (paternal second cousin twice removed) Pierre Louis-Dreyfus (grandfather) Charles Louis-Dreyfus (great-grandfather) Léopold Louis-Dreyfus (great-great-grandfather)
Awards	Full list

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (born January 13, 1961) is a famous American actress, comedian, and producer. She is well-known for her roles in many successful comedy TV shows and movies. Julia has won many awards, including 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and 9 Screen Actors Guild Awards.

She started her comedy career in Chicago with The Practical Theatre Company. From 1982 to 1985, she was a cast member on the TV show Saturday Night Live. Her big break came when she played Elaine Benes on the hit sitcom Seinfeld from 1990 to 1998. She also earned praise for her roles as Christine Campbell on The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006–2010) and Selina Meyer on Veep (2012–2019).

Julia Louis-Dreyfus has also appeared in movies like Enough Said (2013) and Downhill (2020). She has lent her voice to animated films such as A Bug's Life (1998) and Onward (2020). Since 2021, she has played Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She is one of the most awarded actors in American television history.

Early Life and Education

Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus was born in New York City on January 13, 1961. Her mother, Judith, is a writer and special needs educator. Her father, Gérard Louis-Dreyfus, was a French businessman. Her family has a long history in business.

Julia's parents divorced when she was one year old. She moved to Washington, D.C., when she was four. Her mother then married L. Thompson Bowles, a dean at George Washington University School of Medicine. Julia gained a half-sister, Lauren Bowles, who is also an actress. Because of her stepfather's work, Julia lived in different places like Colombia, Sri Lanka, and Tunisia during her childhood.

In 1979, she graduated from the all-girls Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, Maryland. She later said that being in an all-girls school helped her feel more confident to try new things. She attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, studying theater. She performed in student comedy shows before leaving in her junior year to join Saturday Night Live. In 2007, she received an honorary degree from Northwestern University.

Becoming an Actress

Early Career and Saturday Night Live

Louis-Dreyfus as a part of The Practical Theatre Company's "Golden 50th Anniversary Jubilee" in 1982, alongside castmates Brad Hall, Gary Kroeger and Paul Barrosse

Julia Louis-Dreyfus trained at The Second City, a famous improvisational theater group. Her performance with The Practical Theatre Company led to her joining NBC's Saturday Night Live (SNL) when she was 21.

She was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1982 to 1985. At that time, she was the youngest female cast member ever on the show. During her last year on SNL, she met writer Larry David, who later co-created Seinfeld. Julia has said that joining SNL felt like a "Cinderella" story, but it was also challenging at times.

Memorable Characters on Saturday Night Live

• April May June, a TV preacher
• Becky, El Dorko's date
• Consuela, a co-host on Let's Watch TV
• Darla in a parody of The Little Rascals
• Weather Woman, a superhero
• Patti Lynn Hunnsucker, a teenage reporter for Weekend Update

After leaving SNL in 1985, Julia appeared in several films. These included Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989). She also starred in the sitcom Day by Day from 1988 to 1989.

Seinfeld and Widespread Fame

Louis-Dreyfus at the 47th Emmy Awards ceremony in September 1995

In the early 1990s, Julia Louis-Dreyfus became very famous for playing Elaine Benes on NBC's Seinfeld. She played Elaine for nine seasons, appearing in almost every episode. Her character was added after the first episode because NBC wanted a female character in the show.

Julia received great reviews for her role on Seinfeld. She won many awards during the 1990s. She won a Golden Globe Award in 1994 and several Screen Actors Guild Awards. In 1996, she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. When she won, she said it was a "shocker" and that winning was "much better than losing."

In 1998, Seinfeld ended after nine seasons. The final episode was watched by over 76 million viewers, making it one of the most-watched TV events ever. While on Seinfeld, Julia also appeared in films like Fathers' Day (1997).

After Seinfeld

After Seinfeld, Julia voiced Princess Atta in the successful Pixar film A Bug's Life (1998). She also voiced Gloria in three episodes of The Simpsons. In 2001, she appeared as herself in Larry David's show Curb Your Enthusiasm.

In 2002, Julia starred in a new sitcom called Watching Ellie, created by her husband Brad Hall. The show received mixed reviews and was canceled in 2003. After this, some people in the media started talking about a "Seinfeld curse". This was a rumor that actors from Seinfeld couldn't find success again. Julia dismissed this idea, calling it "a made-up thing by the media." From 2004 to 2005, she had a recurring role on the comedy show Arrested Development.

The New Adventures of Old Christine

Louis-Dreyfus representing her role from The New Adventures of Old Christine at the Museum of Television & Radio in April 2007

In 2005, Julia Louis-Dreyfus was cast in the main role of a new CBS sitcom, The New Adventures of Old Christine. She played Christine Campbell, a single mom who runs a women's gym and has a good relationship with her ex-husband. The show started strong in 2006 with 15 million viewers.

Critics praised Julia's performance. One critic said she "broke the so-called 'Seinfeld' curse." Another called her "one of the funniest women on network television." In 2006, she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role. In her acceptance speech, she joked about the "curse," saying, "I'm not somebody who really believes in curses, but curse this, baby!" She received many more nominations for this role.

In May 2006, Julia hosted Saturday Night Live, becoming the first female former cast member to return as a host. She appeared with her Seinfeld co-stars Jason Alexander and Jerry Seinfeld in a skit about the "Seinfeld curse." She hosted SNL again in 2007 and 2016. In 2009, she reunited with the Seinfeld cast for four episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Louis-Dreyfus at the unveiling of her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May 2010

In 2009, Julia received the Legacy of Laughter award at the TV Land Awards. The next year, on May 4, 2010, she received her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This honored her great contributions to television. Her star was initially spelled incorrectly, but it was fixed.

Old Christine was canceled in May 2010 after five years. Julia also guest-starred in the web series Web Therapy and the live episode of 30 Rock.

Veep and More Success

Louis-Dreyfus with then Vice President Joe Biden in April 2013

In 2011, Julia Louis-Dreyfus was cast as U.S. Vice President Selina Meyer in a new comedy series called Veep on HBO. She also became a producer for the show. To prepare for her role, Julia spoke with real vice presidents, senators, and other political staff.

The first season of Veep premiered on April 22, 2012. Critics highly praised the show and Julia's performance. The Hollywood Reporter called it her "best post-Seinfeld role." The Los Angeles Times said she was "one of the medium's great comediennes." The Huffington Post named her one of the funniest people of 2012.

Louis-Dreyfus after receiving her third Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Veep in August 2014

For her role on Veep, Julia won many awards. She received seven nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series between 2012 and 2019, winning six times. These wins, along with her previous Emmys for Seinfeld and The New Adventures of Old Christine, made her the only woman to win an acting award for three different comedy series. Her sixth win in 2016 broke the record for most wins in that category. By 2017, her eighth acting Emmy win tied her with Cloris Leachman for the most Emmys ever won by a performer. She also won three Emmys as a producer for Veep.

Louis-Dreyfus with her colleague Timothy Simons accepting the Peabody Award for Veep from Al Franken in May 2017

Julia also voiced Rochelle in the 2013 animated film Planes. She starred in the film Enough Said (2013), which was her first lead role in a full-length movie. The film received excellent reviews, with many praising Julia's performance.

Since 2014, Julia has appeared in commercials for Old Navy. In 2015, she acted in the sketch series Inside Amy Schumer. On April 16, 2016, she hosted Saturday Night Live for the third time and brought back her character Elaine Benes from Seinfeld.

Recent Work

Louis-Dreyfus with Gladys Knight and Mindy Kaling in the White House in March 2023.

In 2020, Julia Louis-Dreyfus starred in the comedy-drama Downhill with Will Ferrell. She also voiced a suburban elf mother in Pixar's Onward. In January 2020, she signed a deal with Apple TV+ to develop and star in new projects.

In 2021, Julia appeared in the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She also appeared in Black Widow (2021) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) in the same role. She is set to appear in the film Thunderbolts* (2025). In 2022, she was a guest on the Netflix show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman.

In 2023, she reunited with director Nicole Holofcener for the independent comedy film You Hurt My Feelings. Julia produced the film and received positive reviews for her acting. That same year, she played a mother in the Netflix romantic comedy You People and starred in the film Tuesday.

In 2023, Julia Louis-Dreyfus became the host of the podcast Wiser Than Me. On the show, she interviews older women about their life experiences and wisdom. Guests have included Jane Fonda and Carol Burnett. The show was named Apple's Best Podcast of the Year in 2023. In 2024, Apple announced that Wiser Than Me was the 3rd most shared show in the United States on Apple Podcasts.

Personal Life

Family and Marriage

Louis-Dreyfus and her husband Brad Hall at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival

Julia has a maternal half-sister, Lauren Bowles, who is also an actress. She also has two paternal half-sisters, Phoebe and Emma.

Julia met her husband, comedian Brad Hall, at Northwestern University. They married in 1987 and have two sons. Their older son, Henry Hall, is a singer-songwriter. Their younger son, Charlie Hall, is an actor.

Health and Advocacy

On September 28, 2017, Julia Louis-Dreyfus announced she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She shared this news to raise awareness and support for universal healthcare. On October 18, 2018, she announced that she was cancer-free.

Julia was raised Catholic but now considers herself agnostic. She has been a strong supporter of environmental causes. She has helped raise millions for organizations like Heal the Bay and the Natural Resources Defense Council. She also worked to pass a measure that provided $500 million for cleaning up the Los Angeles water supply.

She has also been involved in politics, supporting Al Gore and Barack Obama in their presidential campaigns. In 2016, she supported Hillary Clinton. In 2017, she spoke out against a travel ban, saying her father fled religious persecution. In 2020, she hosted the final night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, supporting Joe Biden. She encourages all Americans to vote.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1986	Troll	Jeanette Cooper
	Hannah and Her Sisters	Marianna
	Soul Man	Elizabeth Stimson
1989	National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation	Margo Chester
1993	Jack the Bear	Peggy Etinger
1994	North	North's Mother
1997	Fathers' Day	Caroline Lawrence
	Deconstructing Harry	Leslie
1998	A Bug's Life	Princess Atta	Voice
2012	Picture Paris	Ellen Larson
2013	Planes	Rochelle	Voice
	Enough Said	Evelyn
2020	Downhill	Billie Stanton	Also producer
	Onward	Laurel Lightfoot	Voice
2021	Black Widow	Valentina Allegra de Fontaine	Cameo
2022	Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
2023	You People	Shelley
	You Hurt My Feelings	Elizabeth	Also producer
	Tuesday	Zora
2025	Thunderbolts*	Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
2026	Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Movie	0TBA	Post-production

Television

Awards and Honors

Julia Louis-Dreyfus has won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series seven times. She won once for her role on The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006). She also won six times in a row for playing Selina Meyer on Veep (2012–2017). She also won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series once for Seinfeld (1996).

As of 2017, she holds the record for the most Primetime Emmy awards as an actor for the same role. She is also tied with Cloris Leachman for the most acting Primetime Emmy awards overall (with eight). She has been nominated for nine Golden Globe Awards, winning one for her role as Elaine Benes on Seinfeld (1995).

She has also been nominated for twenty-one Screen Actors Guild Awards. She has won five for her individual performances and nine overall for her work on Seinfeld (1997–1998) and Veep (2014, 2017–2018).

In 2018, she received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. This award honors people who have made a lasting impact on American humor.

In 2023, her podcast, Wiser Than Me, won Apple's Best Podcast of the Year.

See also

In Spanish: Julia Louis-Dreyfus para niños