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