Allison Janney
Allison Brooks Janney (born November 19, 1959) is an American actress. In a career spanning three decades, she is known for her performances across multiple genres of screen and stage. Janney has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and seven Primetime Emmy Awards, in addition to nominations for two Tony Awards. Born in Boston and raised in Dayton, Ohio, Janney received a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art following her graduation from Kenyon College. After years of minor and uncredited film and television appearances, Janney's breakthrough came with the role of C. J. Cregg in the NBC political drama The West Wing (1999–2006), for which she received four Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2014, she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Margaret Scully on the Showtime period drama Masters of Sex. For her portrayal of Bonnie Plunkett, a cynical recovering addict on the CBS sitcom Mom (2013–2021), Janney received six Primetime Emmy Award nominations and won twice for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Janney made her professional stage debut with the Off-Broadway production Ladies (1989), and followed with numerous bit parts in various similar productions, before making her Broadway debut with the 1996 revival of Present Laughter. She won two Drama Desk Awards and has been nominated for two Tony Awards: for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in the Broadway revival of A View from the Bridge (1997), and for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in the original Broadway production of the musical 9 to 5 (2009). Her film roles include Private Parts (1997), Primary Colors (1998), 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999), American Beauty (1999), Nurse Betty (2000), The Hours (2002), Hairspray (2007), Juno (2007), The Help (2011), The Way, Way Back (2013), Tammy (2014), The Rewrite (2014), Spy (2015), Tallulah (2016), The Girl on the Train (2016), Bad Education (2019) and Bombshell (2019). She voiced roles in Finding Nemo (2003), Over the Hedge (2006), Minions (2015), and The Addams Family (2019). For her performance in the black comedy I, Tonya (2017), Janney won an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe Award, all for Best Supporting Actress.
Known For
Credits
- 2025 · The Roses as Eleanor
- 2025 · Everything's Going to Be Great as Macy Smart
- 2025 · Another Simple Favor as Aunt Linda McLanden
- 2024 · Palm Royale as Evelyn Rollins
- 2023 · The Creator as Colonel Howell
- 2023 · The Diplomat as Vice President Grace Penn
- 2023 · The Diplomat as President Grace Penn
- 2022 · Minions & More Volume 2 as Madge Nelson (voice)
- 2022 · To Leslie as Nancy
- 2022 · Lou as Lou
- 2020 · Celebrity IOU as Self
- 2019 · Bombshell as Susan Estrich
- 2019 · The Addams Family as Margaux Needler (voice)
- 2019 · Human Discoveries as The Mighty Karen (voice)
- 2019 · Ma as Doctor Brooks
- 2019 · Troop Zero as Miss Massey
- 2018 · The Kominsky Method as Self
- 2017 · I, Tonya as LaVona
- 2017 · DuckTales as Goldie O'Gilt (voice)
- 2017 · Sun Dogs as Rose Chipley
- 2016 · The Girl on the Train as Detective Sgt. Riley
- 2016 · Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children as Dr. Golan
- 2016 · Finding Dory as Peach (voice)
- 2016 · Tallulah as Margo
- 2016 · Chelsea as Self
- 2015 · The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self
- 2015 · Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter as Self
- 2015 · Minions as Madge Nelson (voice)
- 2015 · Spy as Elaine Crocker
- 2015 · The Late Late Show with James Corden as Self
- 2015 · The Late Late Show with James Corden as Self - Guest
- 2015 · The DUFF as Dottie Piper
- 2014 · Variety Studio: Actors on Actors as Self
- 2014 · Tammy as Deb
- 2014 · Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self
- 2014 · Mr. Peabody & Sherman as Ms. Grunion (voice)
- 2013 · Brightest Star as The Astronomer
- 2013 · Masters of Sex as Margaret Scully
- 2013 · Mom as Bonnie Plunkett
- 2013 · The Arsenio Hall Show as Self
- 2013 · Touchy Feely as Bronwyn
- 2013 · Bad Words as Dr. Bernice Deagan
- 2013 · Hollywood Game Night as Self
- 2013 · Struck by Lightning as Sheryl Phillips
- 2013 · The Way Way Back as Betty Thompson
- 2013 · Trust Me as Meg
- 2012 · Celia as Celia
- 2012 · Liberal Arts as Professor Judith Fairfield
- 2012 · Comedy Bang! Bang! as Self
- 2012 · Veep as Janet Ryland
- 2012 · A Thousand Words as Samantha Davis
- 2011 · The Help as Charlotte Phelan
- 2011 · Web Therapy as Judith Frick
- 2011 · Mr. Sunshine as Crystal Cohen
- 2010 · Who Do You Think You Are? as Self
- 2009 · Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- 2008 · Pretty Ugly People as Suzanna
- 2008 · Web Therapy as Judith Frick
- 2008 · The Bonnie Hunt Show as Self
- 2008 · In Plain Sight as Allison Pearson
- 2007 · Juno as Bren MacGuff
- 2007 · Phineas and Ferb as Charlene Doofenshmirtz (voice)
- 2007 · Hairspray as Prudy Pringleton
- 2007 · The Graham Norton Show as Self
- 2006 · The Megan Mullally Show as Self - Guest
- 2006 · Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip as Self
- 2006 · Over the Hedge as Gladys (voice)
- 2005 · Weeds as Ms. Greenstein
- 2005 · Our Very Own as Joan Whitfield
- 2005 · The Chumscrubber as Allie Stiffle
- 2005 · American Dad! as Aunt Jesse (voice)
- 2004 · Piccadilly Jim as Eugenia Crocker
- 2004 · Lost as Mother
- 2004 · The Soup as Self
- 2004 · Winter Solstice as Molly Ripkin
- 2003 · Celebrity Poker Showdown as Self
- 2003 · Chicken Party as Barbara Strasser
- 2003 · Two and a Half Men as Beverly
- 2003 · The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Self
- 2003 · Finding Nemo as Peach (voice)
- 2003 · Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self
- 2003 · Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self - Guest
- 2002 · The Hours as Sally Lester
- 2002 · Rooftop Kisses as Melissa
- 2000 · Curb Your Enthusiasm as Cynthia
- 2000 · Nurse Betty as Lyla
- 1999 · The West Wing as C.J. Cregg
- 1999 · American Beauty as Barbara Fitts
- 1999 · Drop Dead Gorgeous as Loretta
- 1999 · 10 Things I Hate About You as Ms. Perky
- 1999 · Family Guy as Teen People Editor (voice)
- 1999 · Family Guy as Mistress Vita (voice)
- 1999 · Family Guy as Crystal Quagmire (voice)
- 1998 · David and Lisa as Alix
- 1998 · The Impostors as Maxine (Max)
- 1998 · Celebrity as Evelyn Isaacs
- 1998 · Six Days Seven Nights as Marjorie
- 1998 · Primary Colors as Miss Walsh
- 1998 · LateLine as
- 1997 · The Ice Storm as Dot Halford
- 1997 · The View as Self
- 1997 · Private Parts as Dee Dee
- 1997 · King of the Hill as Laura (voice)
- 1996 · The Associate as Sandy
- 1996 · The Daily Show as Self
- 1996 · Rescuing Desire as Betsy
- 1996 · Faithful as Saleslady
- 1996 · Aliens in the Family as
- 1996 · Flux as Heather
- 1995 · Heading Home as Mary Polanski
- 1994 · Miracle on 34th Street as Woman in Christmas Shop
- 1994 · New York Undercover as Vivian
- 1994 · Wolf as Party Guest
- 1993 · Intimate Portrait as Self
- 1993 · Frasier as Susanna
- 1993 · Frasier as Phyllis (voice)
- 1993 · Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Self - Guest
- 1990 · Law & Order as Nora
- 1990 · Law & Order as Ann Madsen
- 1989 · The Simpsons as Julia (voice)
- 1988 · LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self - Guest
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Cameo (uncredited)
- 1975 · People's Choice Awards as Self - Host
- 1975 · People's Choice Awards as Self - Presenter
- 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Presenter
- 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Nominee
- 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Nominee/Performer
- 1953 · The Oscars as Self
- 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Nominee
- Future · The Heart as
- 2023 · True Love: Making The Creator as Self
- 2023 · Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love as Self - Guest
- 2022 · The People We Hate at the Wedding as Donna
- 2022 · Still Working 9 to 5 as Self
- 2021 · Breaking News in Yuba County as Sue Buttons
- 2020 · A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote as C.J. Cregg
- 2020 · The 52nd Annual Emmy Awards as Self - Winner
- 2020 · Lazy Susan as Velvet
- 2019 · Expedition Amelia as Narrator (voice)
- 2019 · Bad Education as Pam Gluckin
- 2018 · Beyond Boundaries: The Harvey Weinstein Scandal as Self (archive footage)
- 2018 · The Night Is Young as Wanda
- 2017 · A Happening of Monumental Proportions as Principal Nichols
- 2015 · Binky Nelson Unpacified as Madge Nelson (voice)
- 2014 · Days and Nights as Elizabeth
- 2014 · Get on Up as Kathy
- 2014 · The Rewrite as Mary Weldon
- 2013 · Letters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2011 · Margaret as Monica Patterson
- 2011 · The Oranges as Carol Ostroff
- 2010 · Love and Distrust as Grechen (segment "Auto Motives")
- 2010 · Life During Wartime as Trish Maplewood
- 2009 · Away We Go as Lily
- 2009 · It's Still Me! as Narrator (voice)
- 2008 · Prop 8: The Musical as Prop 8 Leader's #1 Wife
- 2007 · The EcoZone Project as
- 2006 · Strangers with Candy as Alice
- 2003 · How to Deal as Lydia Martin
- 2001 · A Girl Thing as Kathy McCormack
- 2000 · Auto Motives as Grechen
- 1998 · The Object of My Affection as Constance Miller
- 1997 · Julian Po as Lilah Leech
- 1997 · Path to Paradise: The Untold Story of the World Trade Center Bombing as Assistant D.A.
- 1997 · ...First Do No Harm as Dr. Melanie Abbasac
- 1997 · Anita Liberty as Gynecologist
- 1996 · Big Night as Ann
- 1996 · Walking and Talking as Gum Puller
- 1994 · The Cowboy Way as NYPD Computer Operator
- 1994 · Dead Funny as Jennifer
- 1993 · Blind Spot as Doreen
- 1989 · Who Shot Pat? as Miss Penny
- Future · Miss You, Love You as