Allison Janney
Born
November 19, 1959 (age 66)
Birthplace
Boston, Massachusetts, USA

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.

Movies

The Roses
The Roses
2025 ★ 6.7
Eleanor
Everything's Going to Be Great
Everything's Going to Be Great
2025 ★ 6.3
Macy Smart
Another Simple Favor
Another Simple Favor
2025 ★ 5.8
Aunt Linda McLanden
The Creator
The Creator
2023 ★ 7.0
Colonel Howell
The People We Hate at the Wedding
The People We Hate at the Wedding
2022 ★ 6.3
Donna
Minions & More Volume 2
Minions & More Volume 2
2022 ★ 7.4
Madge Nelson (voice)
To Leslie
To Leslie
2022 ★ 7.0
Nancy
Lou
Lou
2022 ★ 6.5
Lou
Breaking News in Yuba County
Breaking News in Yuba County
2021 ★ 5.9
Sue Buttons
A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote
A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote
2020 ★ 8.0
C.J. Cregg
Lazy Susan
Lazy Susan
2020 ★ 4.5
Velvet
Bombshell
Bombshell
2019 ★ 6.8
Susan Estrich
Expedition Amelia
Expedition Amelia
2019 ★ 6.8
Narrator (voice)
The Addams Family
The Addams Family
2019 ★ 6.6
Margaux Needler (voice)
Bad Education
Bad Education
2019 ★ 6.7
Pam Gluckin
Ma
Ma
2019 ★ 5.8
Doctor Brooks
Troop Zero
Troop Zero
2019 ★ 6.9
Miss Massey
The Night Is Young
The Night Is Young
2018 ★ 6.9
Wanda
I, Tonya
I, Tonya
2017 ★ 7.5
LaVona
Sun Dogs
Sun Dogs
2017 ★ 6.6
Rose Chipley
A Happening of Monumental Proportions
A Happening of Monumental Proportions
2017 ★ 5.3
Principal Nichols
The Girl on the Train
The Girl on the Train
2016 ★ 6.4
Detective Sgt. Riley
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
2016 ★ 6.8
Dr. Golan
Finding Dory
Finding Dory
2016 ★ 7.0
Peach (voice)
Tallulah
Tallulah
2016 ★ 6.7
Margo
Binky Nelson Unpacified
Binky Nelson Unpacified
2015 ★ 6.2
Madge Nelson (voice)
Minions
Minions
2015 ★ 6.4
Madge Nelson (voice)
Spy
Spy
2015 ★ 6.8
Elaine Crocker
The DUFF
The DUFF
2015 ★ 6.8
Dottie Piper
Days and Nights
Days and Nights
2014 ★ 4.5
Elizabeth
Get on Up
Get on Up
2014 ★ 6.8
Kathy
Tammy
Tammy
2014 ★ 5.3
Deb
The Rewrite
The Rewrite
2014 ★ 6.0
Mary Weldon
Mr. Peabody & Sherman
Mr. Peabody & Sherman
2014 ★ 6.7
Ms. Grunion (voice)
Brightest Star
Brightest Star
2013 ★ 4.3
The Astronomer
Touchy Feely
Touchy Feely
2013 ★ 4.7
Bronwyn
Bad Words
Bad Words
2013 ★ 6.4
Dr. Bernice Deagan
Struck by Lightning
Struck by Lightning
2013 ★ 6.2
Sheryl Phillips
The Way Way Back
The Way Way Back
2013 ★ 7.1
Betty Thompson
Trust Me
Trust Me
2013 ★ 5.8
Meg
Celia
Celia
2012 ★ 5.2
Celia
Liberal Arts
Liberal Arts
2012 ★ 6.5
Professor Judith Fairfield
A Thousand Words
A Thousand Words
2012 ★ 6.1
Samantha Davis
Margaret
Margaret
2011 ★ 6.3
Monica Patterson
The Oranges
The Oranges
2011 ★ 5.5
Carol Ostroff
The Help
The Help
2011 ★ 8.2
Charlotte Phelan
Love and Distrust
Love and Distrust
2010 ★ 3.7
Grechen (segment "Auto Motives")
Life During Wartime
Life During Wartime
2010 ★ 5.9
Trish Maplewood
Away We Go
Away We Go
2009 ★ 6.7
Lily
It's Still Me!
It's Still Me!
2009
Narrator (voice)
Prop 8: The Musical
Prop 8: The Musical
2008 ★ 7.0
Prop 8 Leader's #1 Wife
Pretty Ugly People
Pretty Ugly People
2008 ★ 4.3
Suzanna
Juno
Juno
2007 ★ 7.1
Bren MacGuff
Hairspray
Hairspray
2007 ★ 6.7
Prudy Pringleton
Strangers with Candy
Strangers with Candy
2006 ★ 5.6
Alice
Over the Hedge
Over the Hedge
2006 ★ 6.6
Gladys (voice)
Our Very Own
Our Very Own
2005 ★ 5.9
Joan Whitfield
The Chumscrubber
The Chumscrubber
2005 ★ 6.5
Allie Stiffle
Piccadilly Jim
Piccadilly Jim
2004 ★ 6.5
Eugenia Crocker
Winter Solstice
Winter Solstice
2004 ★ 5.8
Molly Ripkin
Chicken Party
Chicken Party
2003
Barbara Strasser
How to Deal
How to Deal
2003 ★ 5.4
Lydia Martin
Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo
2003 ★ 7.8
Peach (voice)
The Hours
The Hours
2002 ★ 7.3
Sally Lester
Rooftop Kisses
Rooftop Kisses
2002 ★ 7.0
Melissa
Nurse Betty
Nurse Betty
2000 ★ 6.1
Lyla
Auto Motives
Auto Motives
2000 ★ 5.0
Grechen
American Beauty
American Beauty
1999 ★ 8.0
Barbara Fitts
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Drop Dead Gorgeous
1999 ★ 6.4
Loretta
10 Things I Hate About You
10 Things I Hate About You
1999 ★ 7.6
Ms. Perky
David and Lisa
David and Lisa
1998 ★ 5.8
Alix
The Impostors
The Impostors
1998 ★ 5.9
Maxine (Max)
Celebrity
Celebrity
1998 ★ 6.0
Evelyn Isaacs
Six Days Seven Nights
Six Days Seven Nights
1998 ★ 6.1
Marjorie
The Object of My Affection
The Object of My Affection
1998 ★ 5.8
Constance Miller
Primary Colors
Primary Colors
1998 ★ 6.3
Miss Walsh
The Ice Storm
The Ice Storm
1997 ★ 6.9
Dot Halford
Julian Po
Julian Po
1997 ★ 6.4
Lilah Leech
Path to Paradise: The Untold Story of the World Trade Center Bombing
Path to Paradise: The Untold Story of the World Trade Center Bombing
1997 ★ 6.0
Assistant D.A.
Private Parts
Private Parts
1997 ★ 6.4
Dee Dee
...First Do No Harm
...First Do No Harm
1997 ★ 6.8
Dr. Melanie Abbasac
Anita Liberty
Anita Liberty
1997 ★ 7.0
Gynecologist
The Associate
The Associate
1996 ★ 6.2
Sandy
Big Night
Big Night
1996 ★ 6.9
Ann
Walking and Talking
Walking and Talking
1996 ★ 6.1
Gum Puller
Rescuing Desire
Rescuing Desire
1996 ★ 2.9
Betsy
Faithful
Faithful
1996 ★ 5.2
Saleslady
Flux
Flux
1996
Heather
Heading Home
Heading Home
1995
Mary Polanski
Miracle on 34th Street
Miracle on 34th Street
1994 ★ 6.7
Woman in Christmas Shop
Wolf
Wolf
1994 ★ 6.1
Party Guest
The Cowboy Way
The Cowboy Way
1994 ★ 5.7
NYPD Computer Operator
Dead Funny
Dead Funny
1994 ★ 4.0
Jennifer
Blind Spot
Blind Spot
1993 ★ 6.0
Doreen
Who Shot Pat?
Who Shot Pat?
1989 ★ 4.5
Miss Penny
The Heart
The Heart
Miss You, Love You
Miss You, Love You

TV Series