Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Encyclopedia
Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus (ˈluːiː ˈdraɪfəs; born January 13, 1961) is an American actress and comedienne, widely known for her sitcom roles in Seinfeld
and The New Adventures of Old Christine
.
She rose to prominence as one of the regular cast members of Saturday Night Live
in the early 1980s. She was later cast in the role of Elaine Benes
on the NBC
sitcom Seinfeld for which she achieved much critical and commercial success. In 2002, she and her husband developed the series Watching Ellie
, which lasted two seasons. In 2006, she was cast as Christine Campbell in the sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine, which lasted for five seasons on CBS
.
Throughout her career she has received two Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award
and five Screen Actors Guild Awards
. She has a total of twelve Emmy Award nominations — seven for supporting actress in a comedy series for Seinfeld, and five for lead actress in a comedy series for The New Adventures of Old Christine. In May 2010, Louis-Dreyfus received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
for her contribution to the broadcast television industry.
borough of New York City
. Her mother, Judith was a writer and special needs tutor, and her father, Gérard Louis-Dreyfus
(also known as William Louis-Dreyfus), was a French attorney and business executive. Her paternal grandfather was Pierre Louis-Dreyfus (1908-2011), a French Jew who fought in the French Resistance
during World War II
. Both her paternal grandmother and mother were American. Only a year after her birth, her parents divorced in 1962. After relocating to Washington, D.C.
, when Julia was eight, her mother married L. Thompson Bowles, Dean of the George Washington University Medical School.
Louis-Dreyfus has two half-sisters on her father's side, Emma and Phoebe. Through her father, a billionaire heir to the Louis Dreyfus Group
, one of the world's largest commodities trading and merchandising firms, she had a cousin, Robert Louis-Dreyfus
(1946–2009), former CEO of Adidas
and owner of the Olympique de Marseille
soccer team. Louis-Dreyfus' maternal half-sister, Lauren Bowles
, is also an actress, appearing with her on Seinfeld and The New Adventures of Old Christine, as well as on Veronica Mars
and in the film Ghost World
.
Louis-Dreyfus spent her childhood in several states and countries in connection with her stepfather's work with Project HOPE
, including Sri Lanka, Colombia and Tunisia. She graduated from the Holton-Arms School
in Bethesda, MD in 1979, and attended Northwestern University
in Evanston, Illinois
, where she studied theatre for approximately three years. In 2007 she was invited back to Northwestern to receive a honorary Doctor of Arts degree.
While at Northwestern, Louis-Dreyfus met future husband and Saturday Night Live comedian Brad Hall
. She and Hall married in 1987. They have two children together, Henry born in 1992 and Charles born in 1997.
Louis-Dreyfus has dabbled in politics throughout her life, particularly known for her support of Al Gore
's 2000 US presidential bid. Most recently she appeared in a video which urged President Obama to reject the proposal of a Keystone XL pipeline, arguing that if the pipeline was to ever leak it would cause mass pollution across America. Additionally, she has voiced her concern for several environmental issues, and has raised millions for Heal the Bay, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Trust for Public Land. She also worked for successful passage of Proposition O, which allocated $500 million for cleaning up the Los Angeles water supply.
Louis-Dreyfus subsequently became one of the cast members on NBC
's Saturday Night Live
from 1982 to 1985, tying with current cast member Abby Elliot as the youngest female cast member in the history of the program. During her time on SNL she appeared alongside several actors who would later rise to prominence, such as Eddie Murphy
, Jim Belushi, Billy Crystal
and Martin Short
. It was during her tenure on SNL, she met writer Larry David
, who would later co-create Seinfeld. More recently Louis-Dreyfus has admitted that her time at SNL was mostly tense, stating that she "didn't know how to navigate the waters of show business in general and specifically doing a live sketch-comedy show."
.jpg)
Following her departure from SNL Louis-Dreyfus appeared in several films, including Hannah and Her Sisters
which was directed by Woody Allen
, and the cult classic National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
in which she starred alongside Chevy Chase
. In 1988 she was cast in an NBC
sitcom entitled Day by Day
, but the series was cancelled after two seasons.
" on NBC's Seinfeld. She played the role for nine seasons, appearing in all but three episodes. One of the episodes that she did not appear in was the inaugural pilot episode, due to the fact that her character was not initially intended to be a part of the series. It was only after the first episode that NBC
executives felt the show was too male-centric, and demanded that creators Jerry Seinfeld
and Larry David
add a woman to the cast. It was revealed in the commentary on the DVD package that the addition of a female character was the condition of commissioning the show. Louis-Dreyfus won the role over several other actresses who would also eventually enjoy their own TV success, including Patricia Heaton
, Rosie O'Donnell
and Megan Mullally
.
On the "Notes About Nothing" featurette on the DVD
package, the series creator and star Jerry Seinfeld
says that Louis-Dreyfus' ability to eat a peanut M&M
without cracking the peanut aptly describes the actress: "She cracks you up without breaking your nuts."
Her performance on the series was met with critical acclaim, and she was a regular winner and nominee at television award shows throughout the 1990s. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe Award
, five Screen Actors Guild Awards
and five American Comedy Awards
. In 1996 she received the Emmy Award
for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, an award she was nominated for on seven occasions. After receiving the award, Louis-Dreyfus claimed the win was a "shocker", and that after being in both positions, it was "much better to win than to lose."
It was in 1998 that creator and star Jerry Seinfeld decided to end the series after nine seasons. The series finale aired on May 14 and was one of the most watched TV events, with over 76 million people tuning in.
's A Bug's Life
, Louis-Dreyfus lent her voice as Snake's girlfriend Gloria on an episodes of The Simpsons
. In 2001 she made several special guest appearances on Seinfeld co-creator Larry David's show Curb Your Enthusiasm
, playing herself fictionally trying to break the "curse" by planning to star in a show in which she would play an actress affected by a Seinfeld-like curse.
After several years away from a regular TV gig, Louis-Dreyfus began a new sitcom, Watching Ellie
which premiered on NBC in February 2002. The series was created by husband Brad Hall
, and co-starred Steve Carrell. The show debuted strongly with over 16 million viewers tuning in for the series premiere, yet it was eventually cancelled after two seasons.
From 2004 to 2005 she had a recurring guest role as the deceitful prosecutor and love interest of Michael Bluth on Arrested Development.
. The series and its concept was created by writer and producer of Will & Grace
, Kari Lizer. The series told the story of Christine Campbell, a single mother who manages to maintain a fantastic relationship with her ex-husband, while running a women's gym. The series debuted on CBS in March 2006 to an audience of 15 million and was initially a ratings winner for the network. Louis-Dreyfus also received considerable critical acclaim for her performance on the show, earning the 2006 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the first season. Referring to the curse, she stated in her acceptance speech, "I'm not somebody who really believes in curses, but curse this, baby!" Throughout the course of the series she received five Emmy Award
nominations, two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations and a nomination for a Golden Globe Award
. In 2007 she also received two nominations for a People’s Choice Award due to her return to popularity, thanks to the success of Old Christine.
In May 2006 Louis-Dreyfus hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live, becoming the first former female cast member to return to the show in the hosting role. In the episode, she appeared with former Seinfeld mates Jason Alexander
and Jerry Seinfeld
in her opening monologue, parodying the so-called "Seinfeld Curse". After a successful reception from her 2006 episode, Louis-Dreyfus returned to the SNL hosting gig on March 17, 2007 becoming the first female cast member to host more than once.
In 2007 Louis-Dreyfus reprised her role as Gloria on The Simpsons
, which she had first originated in a 2001 episode. She appeared on the series once more in 2008 for yet another episode.
In the fall of 2009, she appeared with rest of the cast of Seinfeld in four episodes of the seventh season of Larry David's sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm. The reunion shows received much media attention, and the episode received strong ratings for the HBO series.
Louis-Dreyfus received the 2,407th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
on May 4, 2010 for her remarkable contribution to the broadcast television industry as both an actress and a comedian. Originally, the star was set with Louis-Dreyfus' name being spelt incorrectly. It was missing both the 'o' and also the hyphen in her last name, Julia Luis Dreyfus. The star was corrected and the misspelt portion was removed and presented to the actress.
Old Christine was cancelled by CBS in May 2010 after five seasons. After its cancellation from CBS, there was discussions with ABC for the show to be revived on their network, yet these plans never came to fruition.
In the spring of 2010, Louis-Dreyfus guest starred several times in the third season of the web series Web Therapy
, starring Lisa Kudrow
. Louis-Dreyfus played the sister of a self-involved therapist who gives her therapy online, and her performance earned her strong reviews. In fall 2010, Louis-Dreyfus made a guest appearance on the live episode of the Emmy Award
winning comedy 30 Rock
. She played Tina Fey
’s role of Liz Lemon
in the cutaway shots. Dreyfus was among several Saturday Night Live alumni appearing in the episode, including Rachel Dratch
, Bill Hader
, Tracy Morgan
, Alec Baldwin
, and Tina Fey
herself. Louis-Dreyfus also starred in a "Women of SNL" special November 1, 2010, on NBC
.
. In April 2011, it was confirmed that HBO had picked up Veep as a series. The series will co-star Anna Chlumsky
and Tony Hale
. It begins filming fall 2011 and is projected to premiere on HBO in 2012. Following HBO's announcement Louis-Dreyfus was quoted as saying that "although everyone says it's a comedy, I don't think there is anything funny at all about me being a heartbeat away from the presidency." According to executive producer Frank Rich the series will begin airing on HBO in March 2012.
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
and The New Adventures of Old Christine
The New Adventures of Old Christine
The New Adventures of Old Christine is an American comedy series starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus which ran for five seasons on CBS from March 13, 2006, to May 12, 2010...
.
She rose to prominence as one of the regular cast members of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
in the early 1980s. She was later cast in the role of Elaine Benes
Elaine Benes
Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom Seinfeld for which she achieved much critical and commercial success. In 2002, she and her husband developed the series Watching Ellie
Watching Ellie
Watching Ellie is an American sitcom that starred Julia Louis-Dreyfus and was created by her husband, Brad Hall. It aired on NBC from February 2002 to May 2003, though only sixteen episodes were broadcast before it was canceled due to low ratings....
, which lasted two seasons. In 2006, she was cast as Christine Campbell in the sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine, which lasted for five seasons on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
.
Throughout her career she has received two Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
and five Screen Actors Guild Awards
Screen Actors Guild Awards
A Screen Actors Guild Award is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild to recognize outstanding performances by its members. The statuette given, a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, is called "The Actor"...
. She has a total of twelve Emmy Award nominations — seven for supporting actress in a comedy series for Seinfeld, and five for lead actress in a comedy series for The New Adventures of Old Christine. In May 2010, Louis-Dreyfus received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
for her contribution to the broadcast television industry.
Personal life
Louis-Dreyfus was born January 13, 1961 in the ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
borough of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Her mother, Judith was a writer and special needs tutor, and her father, Gérard Louis-Dreyfus
Gérard Louis-Dreyfus
William Louis-Dreyfus is a French-born American businessman. With his family's net worth estimated at $2.9 billion by Forbes, he is one of the richest men in the world. He is the chairman of Louis Dreyfus Energy Services and the great grandson of Léopold Louis-Dreyfus, founder of Louis Dreyfus Group...
(also known as William Louis-Dreyfus), was a French attorney and business executive. Her paternal grandfather was Pierre Louis-Dreyfus (1908-2011), a French Jew who fought in the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Both her paternal grandmother and mother were American. Only a year after her birth, her parents divorced in 1962. After relocating to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, when Julia was eight, her mother married L. Thompson Bowles, Dean of the George Washington University Medical School.
Louis-Dreyfus has two half-sisters on her father's side, Emma and Phoebe. Through her father, a billionaire heir to the Louis Dreyfus Group
Louis Dreyfus Group
Louis Dreyfus Group is a diversified French private company that is involved in agriculture and energy commodities...
, one of the world's largest commodities trading and merchandising firms, she had a cousin, Robert Louis-Dreyfus
Robert Louis-Dreyfus
Robert Louis-Dreyfus was a businessman who had major success as Chief Executive Officer of Adidas-Salomon and Saatchi & Saatchi. He was a majority shareholder of the French football team Olympique de Marseille, and during his tenure they re-emerged as a major European football club.- Early life...
(1946–2009), former CEO of Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
and owner of the Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille is a French association football club based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 and have spent most of its history in the top tier of French football. Marseille have been French champions nine times and have won the Coupe de France a record ten times. In...
soccer team. Louis-Dreyfus' maternal half-sister, Lauren Bowles
Lauren Bowles
Lauren Hannah Bowles is an American actress and a half-sister of Julia Louis-Dreyfus.She has appeared in numerous TV shows including Seinfeld, Arrested Development, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Judging Amy, The New Adventures of Old Christine , Private Practice and many more...
, is also an actress, appearing with her on Seinfeld and The New Adventures of Old Christine, as well as on Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars is an American television series created by Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during television network UPN's final two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor, The CW Television Network. Veronica Mars was produced by Warner Bros...
and in the film Ghost World
Ghost World (film)
Ghost World is a 2001 comedy-drama film directed by Terry Zwigoff, based on the comic book of the same name and screenplay by Daniel Clowes...
.
Louis-Dreyfus spent her childhood in several states and countries in connection with her stepfather's work with Project HOPE
Project HOPE (USA)
Project HOPE is an international health care organization founded in the United States in 1958. Its most visible aspect was the SS HOPE, the first peacetime hospital ship...
, including Sri Lanka, Colombia and Tunisia. She graduated from the Holton-Arms School
Holton-Arms School
Holton-Arms is an independent college-preparatory school for girls in grades 3–12, located in Bethesda, Maryland. The School's mission is to cultivate the unique potential of young women through the “education not only of the mind, but of the soul and spirit.” Holton-Arms is an independent...
in Bethesda, MD in 1979, and attended Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
, where she studied theatre for approximately three years. In 2007 she was invited back to Northwestern to receive a honorary Doctor of Arts degree.
While at Northwestern, Louis-Dreyfus met future husband and Saturday Night Live comedian Brad Hall
Brad Hall
William Brad Hall is an American writer and actor, best known as a Saturday Night Live news anchor on Saturday Night News. He was also the creator of the TV series The Single Guy and Watching Ellie...
. She and Hall married in 1987. They have two children together, Henry born in 1992 and Charles born in 1997.
Louis-Dreyfus has dabbled in politics throughout her life, particularly known for her support of Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
's 2000 US presidential bid. Most recently she appeared in a video which urged President Obama to reject the proposal of a Keystone XL pipeline, arguing that if the pipeline was to ever leak it would cause mass pollution across America. Additionally, she has voiced her concern for several environmental issues, and has raised millions for Heal the Bay, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Trust for Public Land. She also worked for successful passage of Proposition O, which allocated $500 million for cleaning up the Los Angeles water supply.
1982-1989: Early beginnings and Saturday Night Live
As part of her comedic training, Louis-Dreyfus appeared in two of Chicago's best-known improvisational theater groups — the Practical Theater Group, and the renowned Second City. It was one of her performances at the former's "Golden 50th Anniversary Jubilee" that led to her being asked to join the cast of "Saturday Night Live" at the age of just 21.Louis-Dreyfus subsequently became one of the cast members on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
from 1982 to 1985, tying with current cast member Abby Elliot as the youngest female cast member in the history of the program. During her time on SNL she appeared alongside several actors who would later rise to prominence, such as Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
, Jim Belushi, Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal
William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes...
and Martin Short
Martin Short
Martin Hayter Short, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, writer, singer and producer. He is best-known for his comedy work, particularly on the TV programs SCTV and Saturday Night Live...
. It was during her tenure on SNL, she met writer Larry David
Larry David
Lawrence Gene "Larry" David is an American actor, writer, comedian and producer. He is best known as the co-creator , head writer, and executive producer of the television series Seinfeld from 1989 to 1996, and for creating the 1999 HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, a partially improvised sitcom in...
, who would later co-create Seinfeld. More recently Louis-Dreyfus has admitted that her time at SNL was mostly tense, stating that she "didn't know how to navigate the waters of show business in general and specifically doing a live sketch-comedy show."
Hannah and Her Sisters
Hannah and Her Sisters is a 1986 American comedy-drama film which tells the intertwined stories of an extended family over two years that begin and end with a family Thanksgiving dinner...
which was directed by Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
, and the cult classic National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Christmas Vacation is a 1989 Christmas comedy film directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik. It is the third installment in National Lampoon's Vacation film series, and was written by John Hughes, based on his short story in National Lampoon Magazine, Christmas ‘59...
in which she starred alongside Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase
Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase is an American comedian, writer, and television and film actor, born into a prominent entertainment industry family. Chase worked a plethora of odd jobs before moving into comedy acting with National Lampoon...
. In 1988 she was cast in an NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom entitled Day by Day
Day by Day
-Albums:* Day by Day * Day by Day * Day by Day * Day by Day * Day by Day, by Bet.e & Stef* Day by Day, a series of Beatles bootleg recordings...
, but the series was cancelled after two seasons.
1990-1998: The Seinfeld years
In the early-1990s Louis-Dreyfus catapulted to stardom in the role of "Elaine BenesElaine Benes
Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
" on NBC's Seinfeld. She played the role for nine seasons, appearing in all but three episodes. One of the episodes that she did not appear in was the inaugural pilot episode, due to the fact that her character was not initially intended to be a part of the series. It was only after the first episode that NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
executives felt the show was too male-centric, and demanded that creators Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television and film producer, known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the situation comedy Seinfeld , which he co-created and co-wrote with Larry David, and, in the show's final two seasons,...
and Larry David
Larry David
Lawrence Gene "Larry" David is an American actor, writer, comedian and producer. He is best known as the co-creator , head writer, and executive producer of the television series Seinfeld from 1989 to 1996, and for creating the 1999 HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, a partially improvised sitcom in...
add a woman to the cast. It was revealed in the commentary on the DVD package that the addition of a female character was the condition of commissioning the show. Louis-Dreyfus won the role over several other actresses who would also eventually enjoy their own TV success, including Patricia Heaton
Patricia Heaton
Patricia Helen Heaton is an American actress, comedienne, producer and model, best known for portraying Debra Barone on the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond from 1996 to 2005, for which she won two Emmy Awards....
, Rosie O'Donnell
Rosie O'Donnell
Roseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an American stand-up comedian, actress, author and television personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family...
and Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally is an American actress and singer.After working in the theatre in Chicago, Mullally moved to Los Angeles in 1985 and began to appear in supporting roles in film and television productions. She made her Broadway debut in Grease in 1994 and she has since appeared in several Broadway...
.
On the "Notes About Nothing" featurette on the DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
package, the series creator and star Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television and film producer, known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the situation comedy Seinfeld , which he co-created and co-wrote with Larry David, and, in the show's final two seasons,...
says that Louis-Dreyfus' ability to eat a peanut M&M
M&M's
M&M's are dragée-like "colorful button-shaped candies" produced by Mars, Incorporated...
without cracking the peanut aptly describes the actress: "She cracks you up without breaking your nuts."
Her performance on the series was met with critical acclaim, and she was a regular winner and nominee at television award shows throughout the 1990s. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe Award
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
, five Screen Actors Guild Awards
Screen Actors Guild Awards
A Screen Actors Guild Award is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild to recognize outstanding performances by its members. The statuette given, a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, is called "The Actor"...
and five American Comedy Awards
American Comedy Awards
The American Comedy Awards were a group of awards presented annually in the United States from 1987 to 2001 recognizing performances and performers in the field of comedy, with an emphasis on television comedy and comedy films...
. In 1996 she received the Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, an award she was nominated for on seven occasions. After receiving the award, Louis-Dreyfus claimed the win was a "shocker", and that after being in both positions, it was "much better to win than to lose."
It was in 1998 that creator and star Jerry Seinfeld decided to end the series after nine seasons. The series finale aired on May 14 and was one of the most watched TV events, with over 76 million people tuning in.
1999-2004: Post-Seinfeld
Following a voice role in the hugely successful Disney PixarPixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
's A Bug's Life
A Bug's Life
A Bug's Life is a 1998 American computer animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures in the United States on November 25, 1998. A Bug's Life was the second Disney·Pixar feature film after Toy Story, and the third American computer-animated film after Toy...
, Louis-Dreyfus lent her voice as Snake's girlfriend Gloria on an episodes of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. In 2001 she made several special guest appearances on Seinfeld co-creator Larry David's show Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
, playing herself fictionally trying to break the "curse" by planning to star in a show in which she would play an actress affected by a Seinfeld-like curse.
After several years away from a regular TV gig, Louis-Dreyfus began a new sitcom, Watching Ellie
Watching Ellie
Watching Ellie is an American sitcom that starred Julia Louis-Dreyfus and was created by her husband, Brad Hall. It aired on NBC from February 2002 to May 2003, though only sixteen episodes were broadcast before it was canceled due to low ratings....
which premiered on NBC in February 2002. The series was created by husband Brad Hall
Brad Hall
William Brad Hall is an American writer and actor, best known as a Saturday Night Live news anchor on Saturday Night News. He was also the creator of the TV series The Single Guy and Watching Ellie...
, and co-starred Steve Carrell. The show debuted strongly with over 16 million viewers tuning in for the series premiere, yet it was eventually cancelled after two seasons.
From 2004 to 2005 she had a recurring guest role as the deceitful prosecutor and love interest of Michael Bluth on Arrested Development.
2005-2010: Old Christine and renewed success
In 2005, it was announced that Louis-Dreyfus had been cast in the title role of a new CBS sitcom The New Adventures of Old ChristineThe New Adventures of Old Christine
The New Adventures of Old Christine is an American comedy series starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus which ran for five seasons on CBS from March 13, 2006, to May 12, 2010...
. The series and its concept was created by writer and producer of Will & Grace
Will & Grace
Will & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters...
, Kari Lizer. The series told the story of Christine Campbell, a single mother who manages to maintain a fantastic relationship with her ex-husband, while running a women's gym. The series debuted on CBS in March 2006 to an audience of 15 million and was initially a ratings winner for the network. Louis-Dreyfus also received considerable critical acclaim for her performance on the show, earning the 2006 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the first season. Referring to the curse, she stated in her acceptance speech, "I'm not somebody who really believes in curses, but curse this, baby!" Throughout the course of the series she received five Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
nominations, two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations and a nomination for a Golden Globe Award
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
. In 2007 she also received two nominations for a People’s Choice Award due to her return to popularity, thanks to the success of Old Christine.
In May 2006 Louis-Dreyfus hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live, becoming the first former female cast member to return to the show in the hosting role. In the episode, she appeared with former Seinfeld mates Jason Alexander
Jason Alexander
Jay Scott Greenspan , better known by his professional name of Jason Alexander, is an American actor, writer, comedian, television director, producer, and singer. He is best known for his role as George Costanza on the television series Seinfeld, appearing in the sitcom from 1989 to 1998...
and Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television and film producer, known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the situation comedy Seinfeld , which he co-created and co-wrote with Larry David, and, in the show's final two seasons,...
in her opening monologue, parodying the so-called "Seinfeld Curse". After a successful reception from her 2006 episode, Louis-Dreyfus returned to the SNL hosting gig on March 17, 2007 becoming the first female cast member to host more than once.
In 2007 Louis-Dreyfus reprised her role as Gloria on The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, which she had first originated in a 2001 episode. She appeared on the series once more in 2008 for yet another episode.
In the fall of 2009, she appeared with rest of the cast of Seinfeld in four episodes of the seventh season of Larry David's sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm. The reunion shows received much media attention, and the episode received strong ratings for the HBO series.
Louis-Dreyfus received the 2,407th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
on May 4, 2010 for her remarkable contribution to the broadcast television industry as both an actress and a comedian. Originally, the star was set with Louis-Dreyfus' name being spelt incorrectly. It was missing both the 'o' and also the hyphen in her last name, Julia Luis Dreyfus. The star was corrected and the misspelt portion was removed and presented to the actress.
Old Christine was cancelled by CBS in May 2010 after five seasons. After its cancellation from CBS, there was discussions with ABC for the show to be revived on their network, yet these plans never came to fruition.
In the spring of 2010, Louis-Dreyfus guest starred several times in the third season of the web series Web Therapy
Web Therapy
Web Therapy is an improvised online television series starring Emmy award winning actress Lisa Kudrow as Fiona Wallice, a therapist who has conceived of a new form of therapy: the titular "web therapy".-Synopsis:...
, starring Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Valerie Kudrow is an American actress, best known for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the television sitcom Friends, for which she received many accolades including an Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards...
. Louis-Dreyfus played the sister of a self-involved therapist who gives her therapy online, and her performance earned her strong reviews. In fall 2010, Louis-Dreyfus made a guest appearance on the live episode of the Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
winning comedy 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
. She played Tina Fey
Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer, known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live , the NBC comedy series 30 Rock, and films such as Mean Girls and Baby Mama .Fey first broke into comedy as a featured player in the...
’s role of Liz Lemon
Liz Lemon
Elizabeth Miervaldis "Liz" Lemon is the main character of the American television series 30 Rock. She is portrayed by Tina Fey, who is also the creator of the series and its showrunner.-Personal history:...
in the cutaway shots. Dreyfus was among several Saturday Night Live alumni appearing in the episode, including Rachel Dratch
Rachel Dratch
Rachel Susan Dratch is an American comic actress best known for her roles as a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1999 to 2006.-Early life:...
, Bill Hader
Bill Hader
William "Bill" Hader is an American actor, comedian, producer and writer. He is best known for his work as a creative consultant on the hit show South Park and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for his supporting roles in comedy films such as Superbad, Hot Rod, Tropic Thunder,...
, Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan is an American comedian who is best known for his eight seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and currently known for playing the role of Tracy Jordan on the NBC series 30 Rock.-Early life:...
, Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...
, and Tina Fey
Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer, known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live , the NBC comedy series 30 Rock, and films such as Mean Girls and Baby Mama .Fey first broke into comedy as a featured player in the...
herself. Louis-Dreyfus also starred in a "Women of SNL" special November 1, 2010, on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
.
2011-present: Veep
Most recently, Louis-Dreyfus played U.S. Vice President Selina Meyers in a HBO satirical comedy pilot entitled Veep, written by Academy Award nominated screenwriter Armando IannucciArmando Iannucci
Armando Giovanni Iannucci is a Scottish comedian, satirist, writer, director, performer and radio producer. Born in Glasgow, he studied at Oxford University and left graduate work on a PhD about John Milton to pursue a career in comedy....
. In April 2011, it was confirmed that HBO had picked up Veep as a series. The series will co-star Anna Chlumsky
Anna Chlumsky
Anna Chlumsky is an American actress best known for playing Vada Sultenfuss in the 1991 movie My Girl and the 1994 sequel My Girl 2. Her father, Frank Chlumsky, is an instructor in the culinary program at Kendall College in Chicago...
and Tony Hale
Tony Hale
Tony Hale is an American actor, best known for his role in the Fox comedy series Arrested Development as the neurotic Byron "Buster" Bluth.-Early life:...
. It begins filming fall 2011 and is projected to premiere on HBO in 2012. Following HBO's announcement Louis-Dreyfus was quoted as saying that "although everyone says it's a comedy, I don't think there is anything funny at all about me being a heartbeat away from the presidency." According to executive producer Frank Rich the series will begin airing on HBO in March 2012.
Recurring characters on Saturday Night Live
- April May June, a televangelist
- Becky, El Dorko's (Gary KroegerGary KroegerGary Kroeger is an American actor best known for his work on Saturday Night Live from 1982 to 1985.Born in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Kroeger attended Northern University High School and graduated from Northwestern University in 1981. He joined the cast of Saturday Night Live during Lorne Michaels' hiatus...
) date - Consuela, Chi Chi's friend and co-host of Let's Watch TV
- Darla in SNLs parody of The Little Rascals
- Weather Woman, a superhero who controls the weather
- Patti Lynn Hunnsucker, a teenage correspondent on Weekend Update
Film
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Troll Troll A troll is a supernatural being in Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. In origin, the term troll was a generally negative synonym for a jötunn , a being in Norse mythology... |
Jeanette Cooper |
| Hannah and Her Sisters Hannah and Her Sisters Hannah and Her Sisters is a 1986 American comedy-drama film which tells the intertwined stories of an extended family over two years that begin and end with a family Thanksgiving dinner... |
Mary | |
| Soul Man Soul Man Soul Man may refer to:*"Soul Man" , a hit song by Sam & Dave from 1967*Soul Man , a 1986 film starring C. Thomas Howell*Soul Man , a 2006 album by X Factor runner-up Andy Abraham... |
Lisa Stimson | |
| 1989 | National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Christmas Vacation is a 1989 Christmas comedy film directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik. It is the third installment in National Lampoon's Vacation film series, and was written by John Hughes, based on his short story in National Lampoon Magazine, Christmas ‘59... |
Margo Chester |
| 1993 | Jack the Bear Jack the Bear Jack the Bear is a 1993 American drama film directed by Marshall Herskovitz, written by Steven Zaillian based on the novel by Dan McCall, and starring Danny DeVito.-Plot:... |
Peggy Etinger |
| 1994 | North North North is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.North is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west.By convention, the top side of a map is north.... |
North's mom |
| 1997 | Father's Day Father's Day Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June but it is also celebrated widely on other days... |
Carrie Lawrence |
| Deconstructing Harry Deconstructing Harry Deconstructing Harry is a black comedy film by Woody Allen released in 1997. This film tells the story of a successful writer called Harry Block, played by Allen himself, who draws inspiration from people he knows in real-life, and from events that happened to him, sometimes causing these people to... |
Leslie | |
| 1998 | A Bug's Life A Bug's Life A Bug's Life is a 1998 American computer animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures in the United States on November 25, 1998. A Bug's Life was the second Disney·Pixar feature film after Toy Story, and the third American computer-animated film after Toy... |
Atta |
| 1999 | Animal Farm Animal Farm Animal Farm is an allegorical novella by George Orwell published in England on 17 August 1945. According to Orwell, the book reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II... |
Mollie |
Television
| Year | Series | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982–1985, 2006, 2007 | Saturday Night Live Saturday Night Live Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture... |
Various characters | 59 episodes |
| 1986 | The Art of Being Nick The Art of Being Nick The Art of Being Nick is an American sitcom pilot created by Bruce Helford, that aired on NBC on August 27, 1987. The pilot stars Scott Valentine as artist/environmentalist Nick Moore, who appeared as Mallory's boyfriend in Family Ties... |
Rachel | 1 episode |
| 1988 | Family Ties Family Ties Family Ties is an American sitcom that aired on NBC for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989. The sitcom reflected the move in the United States from the cultural liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s to the conservatism of the 1980s. This was particularly expressed through the relationship between young... |
Susan White | 1 episode |
| 1988–1989 | Day by Day Day by Day -Albums:* Day by Day * Day by Day * Day by Day * Day by Day * Day by Day, by Bet.e & Stef* Day by Day, a series of Beatles bootleg recordings... |
Eileen Swift | 33 episodes |
| 1989–1998 | Seinfeld Seinfeld Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself... |
Elaine Benes | 175 episodes |
| 1992 | Dinosaurs | Heather Worthington | 1 episode |
| 1994 | All Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Streets Forever! | Kathy Lee Kathy | TV special |
| 1995 | The Single Guy The Single Guy The Single Guy is an American television sitcom that ran for two seasons on NBC, from September 1995 to April 1997. It starred Jonathan Silverman as struggling New York City writer Jonathan Eliot, and followed several of his close friends The series also starred Joey Slotnick as Eliot's best... |
Tina | 1 episode |
| 1996 | London Suite London Suite London Suite is a play by Neil Simon, later made into a 1996 Made-for-TV movie. It is in a similar style to Simon's earlier works: Plaza Suite and California Suite.... |
Debra Dolby | TV movie |
| 1997 | Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist | Julia | 1 episode |
| Hey Arnold! Hey Arnold! Hey Arnold! is an American animated television series created by Craig Bartlett for Nickelodeon. The show's premise focuses on a fourth grader named Arnold who lives with his grandparents. Episodes center on his experiences navigating big city life while dealing with the problems he and his friends... |
Miss Felter | 1 episode | |
| 1999 | Blue's Clues Blue's Clues Blue's Clues is an American children's television show airing on the Nickelodeon family of channels. The show premiered on September 8, 1996 and airs on Nick Jr. and other channels, although production of new episodes ceased by 2006. Versions of the show have been produced in other countries,... |
Julia | 1 episode |
| 2000 | Gepetto | Blue Fairy | TV movie |
| 2000, 2001, 2009 | Curb Your Enthusiasm Curb Your Enthusiasm Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself... |
Herself | 8 episodes |
| 2001, 2007, 2008 | The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie... |
Gloria | 3 episodes |
| 2002-2003 | Watching Ellie Watching Ellie Watching Ellie is an American sitcom that starred Julia Louis-Dreyfus and was created by her husband, Brad Hall. It aired on NBC from February 2002 to May 2003, though only sixteen episodes were broadcast before it was canceled due to low ratings.... |
Ellie Riggs | 17 episodes |
| 2004, 2005 | Arrested Development Arrested Development Arrested Development is an American television sitcom created by Mitchell Hurwitz for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show's storyline centers on the Bluth family, a formerly wealthy, habitually dysfunctional family and is presented in a continuous format, incorporating hand-held camera work,... |
Maggie Lizer | 4 episodes |
| 2006–2010 | The New Adventures of Old Christine The New Adventures of Old Christine The New Adventures of Old Christine is an American comedy series starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus which ran for five seasons on CBS from March 13, 2006, to May 12, 2010... |
Christine Campbell | 88 episodes |
| 2010 | 30 Rock 30 Rock 30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live... |
Liz Lemon | 1 episode |
| Saturday Night Live: Women of SNL | Various characters | TV special | |
| TBA | Veep Veep Veep can refer to:*The village of St Veep in Cornwall.*Saint Veep, after whom the village is named.* A colloquialism for vice president.*Veep, a forthcoming TV pilot for HBO set in the office of the U.S. Vice President.... |
Selina Meyer | TBA |
Web series
| Year | Series | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Web Therapy Web Therapy Web Therapy is an improvised online television series starring Emmy award winning actress Lisa Kudrow as Fiona Wallice, a therapist who has conceived of a new form of therapy: the titular "web therapy".-Synopsis:... |
Shevaun Haig | 3 episodes |
Music
- "Nightshift" on Unexpected Dreams – Songs From the StarsUnexpected DreamsUnexpected Dreams – Songs From the Stars is a 2006 compilation album featuring various actors singing lullabies and other songs.-Album information:...
(2006) - "Wale – "The Vacation from Ourselves [Shout-Out]" on The Mixtape About NothingThe Mixtape About NothingThe Mixtape About Nothing is a mixtape released on May 30, 2008 by Washington, D.C. rapper Wale and mixed by Nick Catchdubs in collaboration with New York streetwear brand 10.Deep Clothing as a free download.- Theme :...
(2008)
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Seinfeld | |
| Viewers for Quality Television Award | Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Comedy Series | |||
| 1993 | American Comedy Award | Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series | ||
| Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| Viewers for Quality Television Award | Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Comedy Series | |||
| 1994 | American Comedy Award | Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series | ||
| Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| Golden Globe Award | Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series or TV Film | |||
| Viewers for Quality Television Award | Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Comedy Series | |||
| 1995 | American Comedy Award | Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series | ||
| Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| Golden Globe Award | Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series or TV Film | |||
| Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series | |||
| Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | ||||
| 1996 | American Comedy Award | Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series | ||
| Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| People's Choice Award | Favorite Female TV Performer | |||
| Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series | |||
| Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | ||||
| 1997 | American Comedy Award | Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series | ||
| Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series | |||
| Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | ||||
| 1998 | American Comedy Award | Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series | ||
| Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| People's Choice Award | Favorite Female TV Performer | |||
| Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series | |||
| Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | ||||
| 1999 | American Comedy Award | Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series | ||
| Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series | |||
| 2001 | American Comedy Award | Funniest Female Guest Appearance in a TV Series | Curb Your Enthusiasm | |
| 2004 | Gold Derby TV Award | Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | Arrested Development | |
| 2005 | Gold Derby TV Award | Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2006 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | The New Adventures of Old Christine | |
| Satellite Award | Best Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical | |||
| 2007 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| Gold Derby TV Award | Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| Golden Globe Award | Best Actress in a TV Series — Musical or Comedy | |||
| People's Choice Award | Favorite Female TV Performer | |||
| Favorite Funny Female Star | ||||
| Satellite Award | Best Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical | |||
| Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series | |||
| 2008 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| Gold Derby TV Award | Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| Satellite Award | Best Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical | |||
| 2009 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| Gold Derby TV Award | Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| 2010 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series | ||
| Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series |