Téa Leoni facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Téa Leoni
Leoni in 2007
Born	Elizabeth Téa Pantaleoni (1966-02-25) February 25, 1966 (age 59) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1988–present
Spouse(s)	Neil Joseph Tardio Jr. ​ ​ (m. 1991; div. 1995)​ David Duchovny ​ ​ (m. 1997; div. 2014)​ Tim Daly ​ (m. 2025)​
Children	2, including West Duchovny
Relatives	Amram Ducovny (former-father-in-law) Daniel Duchovny (former-brother-in-law)

Téa Leoni (born Elizabeth Téa Pantaleoni on February 25, 1966) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in movies and TV shows.

Early in her career, she starred in TV comedies. These included Flying Blind (1992–1993) and The Naked Truth (1995–1998).

Téa Leoni became very well-known after the 1995 film Bad Boys. This led to many main roles in popular movies. Some of these were Deep Impact (1998) and The Family Man (2000). She also starred in Jurassic Park III (2001) and Fun with Dick and Jane (2005).

From 2014 to 2019, Leoni played Elizabeth McCord. This was the main character in the CBS drama series Madam Secretary.

About Téa Leoni's Early Life

Téa Leoni was born in New York City on February 25, 1966. Her mother, Emily Ann, was a dietitian and nutritionist. Her father, Anthony Pantaleoni, was a corporate lawyer.

Her Family Background

Téa Leoni's family has interesting roots. Her paternal grandfather had Italian, English, and Irish heritage. He was related to a famous Italian economist and politician, Maffeo Pantaleoni.

Her paternal grandmother was Helenka Adamowska Pantaleoni. She was an American silent film actress. She was also a humanitarian, helping people in need. Helenka was born in Brookline, Massachusetts. Her parents were Polish musicians.

Téa Leoni's mother grew up in Amarillo, Texas. Téa is also the niece of actor Hank Patterson.

Where Téa Leoni Grew Up

Téa Leoni spent her childhood in Englewood, New Jersey, and New York City. She went to two private schools. These were Brearley School and The Putney School in Vermont. She also attended Sarah Lawrence College but did not finish her studies there.

In 2017, Téa Leoni appeared on the show Finding Your Roots. She learned that her mother, who was adopted, had biological parents from Ireland. Her mother's ancestors came to Virginia in the early 1700s. They started a farm near George Washington's farm.

Téa Leoni's Acting Career

Téa Leoni started her acting career in 1988. She was cast in Angels 88, a new version of Charlie's Angels. However, the show was never aired. The next year, she appeared in the TV show Santa Barbara.

Early TV Roles

In 1991, Téa Leoni had her first small movie role in Switch. She also had a small part in A League of Their Own (1992).

From 1992 to 1993, Leoni starred in the Fox sitcom Flying Blind. In 1995, she was a guest star on the sitcom Frasier.

Later in 1995, she got a main role in The Naked Truth. She played Nora Wilde, a tabloid news journalist. This show ran until 1998. She was also offered a role on the hit show Friends, but she chose The Naked Truth instead.

Big Screen Success

Téa Leoni had a lead role in the 1995 action comedy Bad Boys. This movie was a huge success, earning over $141 million worldwide.

After her TV work, Leoni starred in Deep Impact (1998). This was a big movie about a comet hitting Earth. It earned $349 million worldwide. She then had main roles in other large movies. These included the romantic comedy The Family Man (2000) with Nicolas Cage. She also starred in the science fiction film Jurassic Park III (2001).

In 2002, she played a film studio executive in Hollywood Ending. In 2004, she was the wife of Adam Sandler's character in Spanglish. In 2005, Leoni starred with Jim Carrey in Fun with Dick and Jane. This movie made $202 million worldwide.

Later Roles and Madam Secretary

Leoni appeared in several smaller films in the late 2000s. These included You Kill Me and The Smell of Success. She also starred with Ricky Gervais in Ghost Town. In 2011, she had a supporting role in the comedy film Tower Heist.

Téa Leoni starred as Elizabeth McCord in the CBS political drama Madam Secretary. This show was very popular and ran from 2014 to 2019.

Téa Leoni's Personal Life

Téa Leoni has been married three times.

She married Neil Joseph Tardio Jr. in 1991. They divorced in 1995.

Leoni married actor David Duchovny in 1997. They have two children: a daughter, Madelaine West Duchovny, and a son, Kyd Miller Duchovny. Leoni and Duchovny separated in 2008 and again in 2011. They divorced in 2014.

After her divorce from Duchovny, Leoni moved to New York City. She began dating Tim Daly, her co-star from Madam Secretary, in December 2014. They both went to The Putney School. Leoni and Daly were married on July 12, 2025, in New York.

Helping Others: UNICEF Work

Téa Leoni was named a UNICEF goodwill ambassador in 2001. This means she helps promote UNICEF's work for children around the world. Her paternal grandmother, Helenka Pantaleoni, was also very involved with UNICEF for over 25 years.

An Asteroid Named After Her

An asteroid was named after Téa Leoni! It is called 8299 Téaleoni. It was discovered in 1993 by Eric Elst.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Téa Leoni para niños