Personal Info
Known For:
Acting
Birthday:
November 19, 1959
Place of Birth:
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Social Media
Allison Janney
Biography
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
Filmography
| Year | Movie | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Everything's Going to Be Great | Macy |
| 2025 | Another Simple Favor | Aunt Linda McLanden |
| 2025 | The Roses | |
| 2023 | The Creator | Colonel Howell |
| 2023 | Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love | Self - Guest |
| 2023 | True Love: Making The Creator | Self |
| 2022 | Minions & More Volume 2 | Madge Nelson (voice) |
| 2022 | Lou | Lou |
| 2022 | The People We Hate at the Wedding | Donna |
| 2022 | To Leslie | Nancy |
| 2022 | Still Working 9 to 5 | Self |
| 2021 | Breaking News in Yuba County | Sue Buttons |
| 2020 | Lazy Susan | Velvet |
| 2020 | A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote | C.J. Cregg |
| 2019 | The Addams Family | Margaux Needler (voice) |
| 2019 | Troop Zero | Miss Massey |
| 2019 | Bad Education | Pam Gluckin |
| 2019 | Bombshell | Susan Estrich |
| 2019 | Ma | Doctor Brooks |
| 2019 | Expedition Amelia | Narrator (voice) |
| 2018 | The Night Is Young | Wanda |
| 2018 | Beyond Boundaries: The Harvey Weinstein Scandal | Self (archive footage) |
| 2017 | Sun Dogs | Rose Chipley |
| 2017 | A Happening of Monumental Proportions | Principal Nichols |
| 2017 | I, Tonya | LaVona |
| 2016 | Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children | Dr. Golan |
| 2016 | Tallulah | Margo |
| 2016 | The Girl on the Train | Detective Sgt. Riley |
| 2016 | Finding Dory | Peach (voice) |
| 2015 | Spy | Elaine Crocker |
| 2015 | The DUFF | Dottie Piper |
| 2015 | Minions | Madge Nelson (voice) |
| 2015 | Binky Nelson Unpacified | Madge Nelson (voice) |
| 2014 | Mr. Peabody & Sherman | Ms. Grunion (voice) |
| 2014 | Tammy | Deb |
| 2014 | Days and Nights | Elizabeth |
| 2014 | The Rewrite | Mary Weldon |
| 2014 | Get on Up | Kathy |
| 2013 | Struck by Lightning | Sheryl Phillips |
| 2013 | Touchy Feely | Bronwyn |
| 2013 | The Way Way Back | Betty Thompson |
| 2013 | Trust Me | Meg |
| 2013 | Bad Words | Dr. Bernice Deagan |
| 2013 | Letters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy | Narrator (voice) |
| 2013 | Brightest Star | The Astronomer |
| 2012 | A Thousand Words | Samantha Davis |
| 2012 | Liberal Arts | Professor Judith Fairfield |
| 2012 | Celia | Celia |
| 2011 | Margaret | Monica Patterson |
| 2011 | The Help | Charlotte Phelan |
| 2011 | The Oranges | Carol Ostroff |
| 2010 | Life During Wartime | Trish Maplewood |
| 2010 | Love and Distrust | Grechen (segment "Auto Motives") |
| 2010 | Backwash | Self |
| 2009 | Away We Go | Lily |
| 2009 | It's Still Me! | Narrator (voice) |
| 2008 | Prop 8: The Musical | Prop 8 Leader's #1 Wife |
| 2008 | Pretty Ugly People | Suzanna |
| 2007 | Hairspray | Prudy Pringleton |
| 2007 | Juno | Bren MacGuff |
| 2006 | Over the Hedge | Gladys (voice) |
| 2006 | Strangers with Candy | Alice |
| 2005 | The Chumscrubber | Allie Stiffle |
| 2005 | Our Very Own | Joan Whitfield |
| 2004 | Winter Solstice | Molly Ripkin |
| 2004 | Piccadilly Jim | Eugenia Crocker |
| 2003 | Finding Nemo | Peach (voice) |
| 2003 | How to Deal | Lydia Martin |
| 2003 | Chicken Party | Barbara Strasser |
| 2002 | The Hours | Sally Lester |
| 2002 | Rooftop Kisses | Melissa |
| 2001 | A Girl Thing | Kathy McCormack |
| 2000 | Nurse Betty | Lyla |
| 1999 | American Beauty | Barbara Fitts |
| 1999 | Drop Dead Gorgeous | Loretta |
| 1999 | 10 Things I Hate About You | Ms. Perky |
| 1998 | Six Days Seven Nights | Marjorie |
| 1998 | Primary Colors | Miss Walsh |
| 1998 | Celebrity | Evelyn Isaacs |
| 1998 | The Object of My Affection | Constance Miller |
| 1998 | The Impostors | Maxine (Max) |
| 1998 | David and Lisa | Alix |
| 1997 | ...First Do No Harm | Dr. Melanie Abbasac |
| 1997 | Julian Po | Lilah Leech |
| 1997 | Anita Liberty | Gynecologist |
| 1997 | Private Parts | Dee Dee |
| 1997 | The Ice Storm | Dot Halford |
| 1997 | Path to Paradise: The Untold Story of the World Trade Center Bombing | Assistant D.A. |
| 1996 | The Associate | Sandy |
| 1996 | Walking and Talking | Gum Puller |
| 1996 | Big Night | Ann |
| 1996 | Faithful | Saleslady |
| 1996 | Flux | Heather |
| 1996 | Rescuing Desire | Betsy |
| 1995 | Heading Home | Mary Polanski |
| 1994 | Wolf | Party Guest |
| 1994 | Dead Funny | Jennifer |
| 1994 | The Cowboy Way | NYPD Computer Operator |
| 1994 | Miracle on 34th Street | Woman in Christmas Shop |
| 1993 | Blind Spot | Doreen |
| 1989 | Who Shot Pat? | Miss Penny |
| Miss You, Love You | ||
| The Heart |
| Year | TV Show | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Palm Royale | Evelyn |
| 2023 | The Diplomat | Vice President Grace Penn |
| 2020 | Celebrity IOU | Self |
| 2019 | Human Discoveries | The Mighty Karen (voice) |
| 2018 | The Kominsky Method | Self |
| 2017 | DuckTales | Goldie O'Gilt (voice) |
| 2016 | Chelsea | Self |
| 2015 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert | Self |
| 2015 | Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter | Self |
| 2015 | The Late Late Show with James Corden | Self |
| 2015 | The Late Late Show with James Corden | Self - Guest |
| 2014 | Late Night with Seth Meyers | Self |
| 2014 | Variety Studio: Actors on Actors | Self |
| 2013 | Mom | Bonnie Plunkett |
| 2013 | Hollywood Game Night | Self |
| 2013 | Masters of Sex | Margaret Scully |
| 2013 | The Arsenio Hall Show | Self |
| 2012 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Self |
| 2012 | Veep | Janet Ryland |
| 2011 | Mr. Sunshine | Crystal Cohen |
| 2010 | Who Do You Think You Are? | Self |
| 2009 | Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen | Self - Guest |
| 2008 | The Bonnie Hunt Show | Self |
| 2008 | Web Therapy | Judith Frick |
| 2007 | The EcoZone Project | |
| 2007 | Phineas and Ferb | Charlene Doofenshmirtz (voice) |
| 2007 | The Graham Norton Show | Self |
| 2006 | Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip | Self |
| 2006 | The Megan Mullally Show | Self - Guest |
| 2005 | Weeds | Ms. Greenstein |
| 2005 | American Dad! | Aunt Jesse (voice) |
| 2004 | Lost | Mother |
| 2003 | The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Self |
| 2003 | Two and a Half Men | Beverly |
| 2003 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Self |
| 2003 | Celebrity Poker Showdown | Self |
| 2000 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Cynthia |
| 1999 | Family Guy | Teen People Editor (voice) |
| 1999 | The West Wing | C.J. Cregg |
| 1999 | Family Guy | Mistress Vita (voice) |
| 1999 | Family Guy | Crystal Quagmire (voice) |
| 1998 | LateLine | |
| 1997 | King of the Hill | Laura (voice) |
| 1997 | The View | Self |
| 1996 | The Daily Show | Self |
| 1996 | Aliens in the Family | |
| 1994 | New York Undercover | Vivian |
| 1993 | Frasier | Susanna |
| 1993 | Late Night with Conan O'Brien | Self - Guest |
| 1993 | Intimate Portrait | Self |
| 1993 | Frasier | Phyllis (voice) |
| 1990 | Law & Order | Nora |
| 1990 | Law & Order | Ann Madsen |
| 1989 | The Simpsons | Julia (voice) |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live | Self - Cameo (uncredited) |
| 1956 | Tony Awards | Self - Presenter |
| 1956 | Tony Awards | Self - Nominee |
| 1956 | Tony Awards | Self - Nominee/Performer |
| 1953 | The Oscars | Self |
| 1944 | Golden Globe Awards | Self - Nominee |