Kristen Johnston facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kristen Johnston
Johnston in Cannes, 2011
Born	Kristen Angela Johnston (1967-09-20) September 20, 1967 (age 57) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Education	New York University
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1985–present
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)

Kristen Angela Johnston (born September 20, 1967) is an American actress. She is famous for her roles in TV shows, especially comedies. Kristen Johnston won two Emmy Awards for playing Sally Solomon in the show 3rd Rock from the Sun. She also starred as Holly Franklin in The Exes and Tammy Diffendorf in Mom.

Kristen Johnston has also appeared in several movies. These include Austin Powers: The Spy Who ... Me (1999), The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000), Music and Lyrics (2007), and Bride Wars (2009). She wrote a book about her life called Guts: The Endless Follies and Tiny Triumphs of a Giant Disaster (2012), which became a best-seller. She also helps young people through her organization SLAM.

Kristen Johnston's Early Life

Kristen Angela Johnston was born on September 20, 1967. Her father, Rod Johnston, was a state senator in Wisconsin. Kristen grew up in a town near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She finished high school at Whitefish Bay High School in 1985. Later, she studied drama at New York University and earned a special degree in fine arts.

Kristen Johnston's Acting Career

Kristen Johnston started her acting career on stage in New York. She worked with the Atlantic Theater Company, which was started by the famous writer David Mamet. She acted in many plays, including As You Like It. She also performed with other theater groups. For her role in the play The Lights, she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award.

Becoming a TV Star

A casting agent saw Kristen Johnston in The Lights. This led to her auditioning for the role of Sally Solomon in the TV series 3rd Rock from the Sun. In 1996, she got the part and became a main character on the show. She starred in 3rd Rock from the Sun from 1996 to 2001. During this time, she won two Emmy Awards for her acting.

Kristen Johnston in 2008.

Movies and Other TV Roles

Kristen Johnston's first movie was a short film called The Debt in 1993. This film won an award at the Cannes Film Festival. In 1995, she was in the movie Backfire!. She also played a sea hag named Esmeralda in the family movie Thrill Ride (2016).

She had guest roles on TV shows like Chicago Hope and Hearts Afire. She also narrated a show called Microscopic Milton for the Disney Channel. Her well-known movie roles include Austin Powers: The Spy Who ... Me (1999), The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000), Music and Lyrics (2007), and Bride Wars (2009). In 1998, she was a spokesperson for the Clairol company.

Kristen Johnston appeared in the TV series ... and the City in 2004. She played a character named Lexi Featherston. In 2005, she was in six episodes of the TV show ER. She also had a role in a pilot episode for an American version of the British show Absolutely Fabulous in 2009, but the series was not made. She appeared in Ugly Betty and Bored to Death as well.

Recent TV Work

From 2011 to 2015, Kristen Johnston starred in the TV Land comedy The Exes. She played Holly Franklin, a divorce lawyer. Her character's former clients and friends lived in an apartment across the hall that she owned.

In 2018, she began a role as Tammy Diffendorf on the CBS comedy Mom. She became a main cast member for the show's last two seasons (2019–2021). Tammy's character is Bonnie's foster sister and joins a support group after being released from prison. Kristen Johnston described Tammy as a "dumbest smart person" who is "so many things at once."

In May 2024, it was announced that Kristen Johnston will be in a new Netflix comedy series called Leanne. She will play a character named Carol, who is loyal to her sister, Leanne.

Kristen Johnston's Advocacy Work

Kristen Johnston runs a nonprofit organization called SLAM. SLAM stands for Sobriety, Learning and Motivation. Through SLAM, she helps high school girls in New York City. She mentors them on topics like self-esteem. She has also worked to encourage the city to create special high schools that support students in recovery.

Kristen Johnston's Personal Life

Kristen Johnston dated actor Ryan Reynolds in 1999. They attended a movie premiere together.

In her book, Kristen Johnston shared that she was diagnosed with lupus in November 2013. This health condition caused her to miss filming some episodes of her show The Exes. Another character was brought in to cover her absence during that time.

Kristen Johnston's Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Podcasts

Kristen Johnston's Stage Performances

Kristen Johnston's Awards

Kristen Johnston's Autobiography

• 2012: Guts: The Endless Follies and Tiny Triumphs of a Giant Disaster, Gallery Books, ISBN: 978-1451635065

See also

In Spanish: Kristen Johnston para niños