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

Law & Order

Law & Order

The Simpsons

Family Guy

Family Guy

Family Guy

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

American Dad!
All Movies (109)
- Not Alone2027 · as (voice)
- The Dog Stars2026
- Minions & Monsters2026 · as Olivia (voice)
- Miss You, Love You2026 · as Diane Patterson
- The Roses2025 · as Eleanor
- Everything's Going to Be Great2025 · as Macy Smart
- Another Simple Favor2025 · as Aunt Linda McLanden
- True Love: Making The Creator2023 · as Self
- The Creator2023 · as Colonel Howell
- Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love2023 · as Self - Guest
- The People We Hate at the Wedding2022 · as Donna
- Minions & More 22022 · as Madge Nelson (voice)
- To Leslie2022 · as Nancy
- Lou2022 · as Lou
- Still Working 9 to 52022 · as Self
- Breaking News in Yuba County2021 · as Sue Buttons
- A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote2020 · as C.J. Cregg
- Lazy Susan2020 · as Velvet
- Bombshell2019 · as Susan Estrich
- Expedition Amelia2019 · as Narrator (voice)
- The Addams Family2019 · as Margaux Needler (voice)
- Bad Education2019 · as Pam Gluckin
- Ma2019 · as Doctor Brooks
- Troop Zero2019 · as Miss Massey
- Beyond Boundaries: The Harvey Weinstein Scandal2018 · as Self (archive footage)
- The Night Is Young2018 · as Wanda
- I, Tonya2017 · as LaVona
- Sun Dogs2017 · as Rose Chipley
- A Happening of Monumental Proportions2017 · as Principal Nichols
- The Girl on the Train2016 · as Detective Sgt. Riley
- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children2016 · as Dr. Golan
- Finding Dory2016 · as Peach (voice)
- Tallulah2016 · as Margo
- Binky Nelson Unpacified2015 · as Madge Nelson (voice)
- Minions2015 · as Madge Nelson (voice)
- Spy2015 · as Elaine Crocker
- The DUFF2015 · as Dottie Piper
- Days and Nights2014 · as Elizabeth
- Get On Up2014 · as Kathy
- Tammy2014 · as Deb
- The Rewrite2014 · as Professor Weldon
- Mr. Peabody & Sherman2014 · as Ms. Grunion (voice)
- Brightest Star2013 · as The Astronomer
- Touchy Feely2013 · as Bronwyn
- Bad Words2013 · as Dr. Bernice Deagan
- Struck by Lightning2013 · as Sheryl Phillips
- Letters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy2013 · as Self - Narrator (voice)
- The Way Way Back2013 · as Betty Thompson
- Trust Me2013 · as Meg
- Celia2012 · as Celia
- Liberal Arts2012 · as Professor Judith Fairfield
- A Thousand Words2012 · as Samantha Davis
- Margaret2011 · as Monica Patterson
- The Oranges2011 · as Carol Ostroff
- The Help2011 · as Charlotte Phelan
- Love and Distrust2010 · as Grechen (segment "Auto Motives")
- Life During Wartime2010 · as Trish Maplewood
- Away We Go2009 · as Lily
- It's Still Me!2009 · as Narrator (voice)
- Prop 8: The Musical2008 · as Prop 8 Leader's #1 Wife
- Pretty Ugly People2008 · as Suzanna
- Juno2007 · as Bren MacGuff
- You Can’t Stop the Beat: The Long Journey of "Hairspray"2007 · as Self
- It's 'Hairspray'!2007 · as Self
- Hairspray2007 · as Prudy Pringleton
- Strangers with Candy2006 · as Alice
- Over the Hedge2006 · as Gladys (voice)
- Our Very Own2005 · as Joan Whitfield
- The Chumscrubber2005 · as Allie Stiffle
- Piccadilly Jim2004 · as Eugenia Crocker
- Winter Solstice2004 · as Molly Ripkin
- Chicken Party2003 · as Barbara Strasser
- How to Deal2003 · as Lydia Martin
- Finding Nemo2003 · as Peach (voice)
- The Hours2002 · as Sally Lester
- Rooftop Kisses2002 · as Melissa
- Nurse Betty2000 · as Lyla
- Auto Motives2000 · as Grechen
- The Debtors1999
- American Beauty1999 · as Barbara Fitts
- Drop Dead Gorgeous1999 · as Loretta
- 10 Things I Hate About You1999 · as Ms. Perky
- David and Lisa1998 · as Alix
- The Impostors1998 · as Maxine (Max)
- Celebrity1998 · as Evelyn Isaacs
- Six Days Seven Nights1998 · as Marjorie
- The Object of My Affection1998 · as Constance Miller
- Primary Colors1998 · as Miss Walsh
- The Ice Storm1997 · as Dot Halford
- Julian Po1997 · as Lilah Leech
- Path to Paradise: The Untold Story of the World Trade Center Bombing1997 · as Assistant D.A.
- Private Parts1997 · as Dee Dee
- ...First Do No Harm1997 · as Dr. Melanie Abbasac
- Anita Liberty1997 · as Gynecologist
- The Associate1996 · as Sandy
- Big Night1996 · as Ann
- Walking and Talking1996 · as Gum Puller
- Rescuing Desire1996 · as Betsy
- Faithful1996 · as Saleslady
- Flux1996 · as Heather
- Heading Home1995 · as Mary Polanski
- Miracle on 34th Street1994 · as Woman in Christmas Shop
- Wolf1994 · as Party Guest
- The Cowboy Way1994 · as NYPD Computer Operator
- Dead Funny1994 · as Jennifer
- Blind Spot1993 · as Doreen
- Who Shot Pat?1989 · as Miss Penny
- The Heart—
- Fonda—
All TV Shows (71)
- Palm Royale2024 · as Evelyn Rollins
- The Diplomat2023 · as Vice President Grace Penn
- The Diplomat2023 · as President Grace Penn
- Be My Guest with Ina Garten2022 · as Self - Guest
- Celebrity IOU2020 · as Self
- Human Discoveries2019 · as The Mighty Karen (voice)
- The Kominsky Method2018 · as Self
- DuckTales2017 · as Goldie O'Gilt (voice)
- Chelsea2016 · as Self
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self
- Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter2015 · as Self
- The Late Late Show with James Corden2015 · as Self
- The Late Late Show with James Corden2015 · as Self - Guest
- Variety Studio: Actors on Actors2014 · as Self
- Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self
- Masters of Sex2013 · as Margaret Scully
- Mom2013 · as Bonnie Plunkett
- The Arsenio Hall Show2013 · as Self
- Hollywood Game Night2013 · as Self
- Comedy Bang! Bang!2012 · as Self
- Veep2012 · as Janet Ryland
- Web Therapy2011 · as Judith Frick
- Mr. Sunshine2011 · as Crystal Cohen
- Who Do You Think You Are?2010 · as Self
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen2009 · as Self - Guest
- Web Therapy2008 · as Judith Frick
- The Bonnie Hunt Show2008 · as Self
- In Plain Sight2008 · as Allison Pearson
- Phineas and Ferb2007 · as Charlene Doofenshmirtz (voice)
- The EcoZone Project2007
- The Graham Norton Show2007 · as Self
- Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip2006 · as Self
- The Megan Mullally Show2006 · as Self - Guest
- Weeds2005 · as Ms. Greenstein
- American Dad!2005 · as Aunt Jesse (voice)
- Lost2004 · as Mother
- The Soup2004 · as Self
- Celebrity Poker Showdown2003 · as Self
- Two and a Half Men2003 · as Beverly
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show2003 · as Self
- Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self
- Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self - Guest
- A Girl Thing2001 · as Kathy McCormack
- Curb Your Enthusiasm2000 · as Cynthia
- The West Wing1999 · as C.J. Cregg
- Family Guy1999 · as Teen People Editor (voice)
- Family Guy1999 · as Mistress Vita (voice)
- Family Guy1999 · as Crystal Quagmire (voice)
- LateLine1998
- The View1997 · as Self
- King of the Hill1997 · as Laura (voice)
- The Daily Show1996 · as Self
- Aliens in the Family1996
- The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA1995 · as Self
- New York Undercover1994 · as Vivian
- Intimate Portrait1993 · as Self
- Frasier1993 · as Susanna
- Frasier1993 · as Phyllis (voice)
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien1993 · as Self - Guest
- Law & Order1990 · as Nora
- Law & Order1990 · as Ann Madsen
- The Simpsons1989 · as Julia (voice)
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark1988 · as Self - Guest
- Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self (uncredited)
- People's Choice Awards1975 · as Self - Host
- People's Choice Awards1975 · as Self - Presenter
- Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Nominee
- Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Presenter
- Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Nominee / Performer
- The Oscars1953 · as Self
- Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Nominee