Jane Krakowski

Jane Krakowski

Krakowski at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 21, 2008
Born Jane Krajkowski
(1968-10-11) October 11, 1968
Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey, United States
Occupation Actress, singer
Years active 1983–present
Partner(s) Robert Godley (2009–2013)
Children 1

Jane Krakowski (/krəˈkaʊski/; born Jane Krajkowski;[1] October 11, 1968) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Jenna Maroney on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, for which she received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Other notable television credits include her Golden Globe nominated performance as Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal and her Emmy nominated role Jacqueline White in the Netflix original comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

She also performs regularly on stage and won a Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway revival of Nine, as well as Tony nominations for Grand Hotel and She Loves Me, and a Laurence Olivier Award for her performance as Miss Adelaide in the West End revival of Guys and Dolls.

Early life

Krakowski was born in Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey. Her father, Ed, is a chemical engineer, and her mother, Barbara Krajkowski (née Benoit), is a college theater instructor and producing artistic director for the Women's Theater Company.[2][3][4] She has an older brother.[5] Her father's family is entirely Polish,[6] and although she knows only a few words in Polish, her father and grandparents are fluent.[7] Her mother is of half Polish and half French Canadian and Scottish descent.[8]

Krakowski grew up immersed in the local theater scene as a result of her parents' activities, saying in one interview: "Instead of hiring baby sitters, they brought me along with them."[2] She took ballet lessons from age four, but later stopped because she had the wrong body shape, instead moving more towards Broadway dancing.[5] She attended the Professional Children's School in New York City and Rutgers University, New Brunswick.[9][10]

Career

Television

Krakowski in the 2007 Red Dress Collection for the Heart Truth

Her first major television role was as Theresa Rebecca (T.R.) Kendall on the soap opera Search for Tomorrow, which she played from 1984[11] until the show ended in 1986. She was nominated for two consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards for the role in 1986 and 1987.

From 1997 to 2002, Krakowski played office assistant Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal; her role earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 1999.[12]

In 2006, Krakowski was cast in the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, where she played Jenna Maroney, a cast member of the fictional late night sketch show TGS with Tracy Jordan. In 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2013, she received nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in 30 Rock.[13][14]

Krakowski was cast in the 2015 Netflix original sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt as Jacqueline White, for which she received her fifth Primetime Emmy Award nomination.[15]

Her guest appearances include a 1981 TV commercial for the video game Solar Fox; a 1996 appearance on Early Edition as Dr. Handleman (season one, episode three: "Baby"); 2003 appearances on Everwood as psychologist Dr. Gretchen Trott, a love interest for Treat Williams' Dr. Andrew Brown and on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Emma Spevak, a serial killer of elderly women; and a 2013 spot on The Simpsons episode "The Fabulous Faker Boy".

Film

After her film debut, National Lampoon's Vacation in 1983,[12] Krakowski appeared in Fatal Attraction, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (where she played Betty Rubble), Marci X, Alfie, Go, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, Dance with Me, Stepping Out, Pretty Persuasion, Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, and Mom at Sixteen. Krakowski was originally cast in the horror film Sleepaway Camp, but dropped out just before filming began because she felt her character's death scene with a curling iron was too violent. She appeared in When Zachary Beaver Came to Town as a mother who wants to become a singer. In 2004, she starred in Alan Menken's TV movie version of A Christmas Carol, featured as The Ghost of Christmas Past. In 2006, she provided the voice of the deer Giselle in the Sony animated film, Open Season.

Stage

Krakowski at the Sundance Film Festival, 2005

A trained singer, Krakowski has made numerous appearances on stage. At age 18, she originated the role of Dinah the Dining Car in the 1987 Broadway production of Starlight Express. She appeared in the 1989 Broadway musical Grand Hotel as the typist and would-be film star Flaemmchen, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award.[11] Her solo number, "I Want to Go to Hollywood", is included on the original cast recording. At the 2000 American Comedy Awards, Krakowski won rave reviews when she performed a sexually charged musical tribute and love letter to Microsoft chairman, Bill Gates.

In 1995, she played the ditzy flight attendant April in The Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of Company. In 1996, she starred alongside Sarah Jessica Parker in the Broadway revival of Once Upon a Mattress.

In January 2002, Windham Hill Records released an album that Jim Brickman had recorded, titled Love Songs & Lullabies; this album featured Krakowski as a vocalist for the song "You",[12] which became a hit on adult contemporary radio stations. Brickman and Krakowski also recorded an alternate Christmas version of the song. She also appeared on the album Broadway Cares: Home for the Holidays, singing the song "Santa Baby". In 2003, she starred in the Broadway revival of Nine playing Carla,[16] for which she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.[12] Krakowski is known for her famous antigravity stunt during the number "A Call from the Vatican". Krakowski and the director struggled finding a company that would let her do air stunts without a harness; Krakowski came up with the idea of using the method previously portrayed in Broadway Bares. Krakowski recalled that the material took a long time to arrive, and the second time she ever did it was on the first performance.[17]

In 2005, she starred as Miss Adelaide in Michael Grandage's West End revival of Guys and Dolls[18] at London's Piccadilly Theatre. She starred alongside Jenna Russell, Ewan McGregor and Douglas Hodge. Krakowski received the 2006 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance[12] and performed a cabaret show called Better When It's Banned, which featured various songs from the 1920s and '30s[19] that were all deemed racy at the times of their original popularity.

Krakowski performed in a January 2007 workshop production and backers' audition for a Broadway musical adaption of the 1980 film, Xanadu, with music from the film's soundtrack and a book by Douglas Carter Beane.[20] Xanadu premiered on Broadway summer 2007, although Krakowski's role is played by Kerry Butler.

In 2008, Krakowski starred as Lola in New York City Center's production of Damn Yankees opposite Sean Hayes and Cheyenne Jackson.[21]

On July 30 and 31, 2009, Krakowski played the title character in a reading of Mrs. Sharp, with music and lyrics by Ryan Scott Oliver and book by Kirsten A. Guenther, at Playwrights Horizons.

She plays the role of Ilona Ritter in the Roundabout Theatre Company's Broadway revival of Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's She Loves Me, starring Laura Benanti and Zachary Levi.[22] The musical opened on March 17, 2016 at Studio 54. Krakowski won the 2016 Fred and Adele Astaire Award as Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show, the Outer Critics Circle Award, Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, and the Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical. She was also nominated for the Tony Award, Featured Actress in a Musical.[23]

Other works

Krakowski played Wanda in the music video for the Dixie Chicks' song "Goodbye Earl" in 2000, alongside Dennis Franz and Lauren Holly.[24] She guest starred in an episode of Due South, and in a season 5 episode of Modern Family.

Personal life

In 2007, Krakowski reportedly was in a relationship with English documentarian Marc Singer, whom she met at a screening for Children of Men in 2006.[11] Before that, she dated Julian Ovenden.[5]

She became engaged to Robert Godley in 2009; they separated in 2013. On April 13, 2011, their son, Bennett Robert Godley, was born in New York City.[25]

Discography

Krakowski released her debut solo album on July 15, 2010 — an album of cover versions called Laziest Gal in Town — on DRG Records.[26]

Selected recordings include:

Filmography

Theater

Year Title Role Notes
1981 A Little Night Music Fredrika York Theater off off Broadway [27]
1987 Starlight Express Dinah the Dining Car Broadway
1989 Grand Hotel Flaemmchen Broadway
1995 Company April Broadway
1996 Once Upon a Mattress Lady Larken Broadway
2003 Nine Carla Broadway
2005 Guys and Dolls Adelaide West End
2007 Xanadu Clio / Kira Workshop
2008 Damn Yankees Lola Encores!
2009 Mrs. Sharp Mrs. Sharp Reading
2016 She Loves Me Ilona Ritter Broadway

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1983 National Lampoon's Vacation Cousin Vicki
1987 Fatal Attraction Christine
1991 Stepping Out Lynne
1996 Mrs. Winterbourne Christine
1997 Hudson River Blues Diane
1998 Dance With Me Patricia Black
1999 Go Irene
2000 Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, TheThe Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas Betty O'Shale
2002 Ice Age Female Sloth Voice
2002 Just a Walk in the Park Rachel Morgan
2003 Marci X Lauren Farb
2003 When Zachary Beaver Came to Town Heather Wilson
2004 Alfie Dorie
2004 Christmas Carol, AA Christmas Carol Ghost of Christmas Past / Lamplighter
2005 Pretty Persuasion Emily Klein
2005 Mom at Sixteen Donna Cooper
2006 Open Season Giselle Voice
2007 Surf's Up Sheila Limberfin Deleted scenes
2008 Rocker, TheThe Rocker Rennett
2008 Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Miss May Dooley
2008 Open Season 2 Giselle Direct-to-DVD
Voice
2008 A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa Claire's Mom
2009 Bygone Days: An Ally McBeal Retrospective Elaine
2009 Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant Corma Limbs
2014 Adult Beginners Miss Jenn
2014 Big Stone Gap Sweet Sue Tinsley
2015 Pixels Carolyn Cooper
2016 Henchmen Jane (voice) Filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1984-1986 Search for Tomorrow Theresa Rebecca (T.R.) Kendall Main cast; nominated twice for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series
1993 Alex Haley's Queen Jane Jackson Miniseries
1994 Due South Catherine Burns Episode: "An Invitation to Romance"
1996 Early Edition Dr. Handleman Episode: "Baby"
1997–2002 Ally McBeal Elaine Vassal Main cast; 110 episodes; nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film and Satellite Award for Best Actress – Musical or Comedy Series
2000 CatDog CatDog's Mother, Pussy Cat Catfield Voice
2 episodes
2004 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Emma Spevak Episode: "Bound"
2004 Taste Samantha Neal Television film
2006–2013 30 Rock Jenna Maroney Main cast; 128 episodes; nominated four times for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
2006 Sex, Love, Power, and Politics Sloan Television film
2013 The Simpsons Zhenya Voice
Episode: "The Fabulous Faker Boy"
2014 Modern Family Dr. Donna Duncan Episode: "Under Pressure"
2014 American Dad! Charlotte Voice
Episode: "Roger Passes the Bar"
2015–present Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Jacqueline White Main cast; nominated for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
2015 Younger Annabelle Bancroft Episode: "Shedonism"[28][29]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated Work Result
1986 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series Search for Tomorrow Nominated
1987 Nominated
1990 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical Grand Hotel Nominated
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Nominated
1998 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Ally McBeal Nominated
1999 Golden Globe Award Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Mini Series or TV Movie Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Won
2000 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
2001 Satellite Award Best Actress in a TV Series: Comedy or Musical Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
2003 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical Nine Won
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Won
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Won
2006 Laurence Olivier Award Best Leading Actress in a Musical Guys and Dolls Won
2008 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series 30 Rock Nominated
2009 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Won
2010 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
2011 Comedy Award Best Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
Critics Choice TV Award Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated
2012 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
2013 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated
2015 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Nominated
Gold Derby TV Awards Best Comedy Supporting Actress Nominated
2016 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical She Loves Me Nominated
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Won
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Won
Fred and Adele Astaire Award Best Female Dancer Won

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ Filichia, Peter (October 17, 2008). "Jane Krakowski to appear at theater fund-raiser". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
    2. 1 2 Nash, Margo (March 19, 2006). "Jersey Footlights". The New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
    3. ↑ "Jane Krakowski Biography (1968-)". Filmreference.com.
    4. ↑ "Obituaries - Beulah U. Dudley" Newsbank
    5. 1 2 3 Tyrrel, Rebecca (September 5, 2009). "The secretary's star turn". London: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
    6. ↑ Polish Cała rodzina po stronie mojego ojca jest polska (En All my family from my father's side is Polish) 5 January 2006, Mojawyspa
    7. ↑ Jane Krakowski: Z Krakowa do "Ally McBeal" Polish (...) mój tata rozmawiał po polsku. Moi dziadkowi rozmawiali na co dzień po angielsku, ale kłócili się tylko po polsku, żebyśmy ich nie zrozumieli! (En (...) my dad spoke Polish, and my grandparents spoke English at home, but they argued only in Polish, because they didn't want to be understood by us.) 5 January 2006, Mojayspa
    8. ↑ "Jane Krakowski".
    9. ↑ "Taking a Bough". People. July 20, 1998. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
    10. ↑ "Ask a Star: Jane Krakowski". Broadway.com. c. 2001. Archived from the original on May 19, 2009. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
    11. 1 2 3 Syme, Rachel (June 22, 2008). "Jane Krakowski is Poetry in Motion". New York Post. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
    12. 1 2 3 4 5 "30 Rock Cast Biographies: Jane Krakowski". NBC. Archived from the original on May 10, 2008. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
    13. ↑ "Emmy nominee reactions rundown". The Hollywood Reporter. July 16, 2009. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
    14. ↑ Hibberd, James (July 9, 2010). "'Glee,' 'The Pacific' top Emmy noms". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 11, 2010. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
    15. ↑ "Jane Krakowski on Emmy Nomination No. 5 -- Vulture". Vulture.
    16. ↑ Hernandez, Ernio (May 20, 2003). "Nine Nominee Jane Krakowski "Calls" in a Showstopping Performance". Playbill. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
    17. ↑ "Jane Krakowski Takes Manhattan" June 24, 2003, Theater Mania
    18. ↑ "Account Suspended".
    19. ↑ Holden, Stephen (February 5, 2005). "Sorry, Santa, but Naughty Is More Fun Than Nice". The New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
    20. ↑ "Krakowski takes off skates". Daily Variety. February 2, 2007. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
    21. ↑ Gans, Andrew (July 27, 2008). "Diva Talk: Chatting with Damn Yankees' Jane Krakowski". Playbill. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
    22. ↑ "Zachary Levi Will Replace Josh Radnor in She Loves Me, Starring Laura Benanti, on Broadway". Broadway.com.
    23. ↑ "She Loves Me Broadway Revival". Playbill. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
    24. ↑ "Dixie Chicks - Goodbye Earl". YouTube. October 2, 2009.
    25. ↑ Derschowitz, Jessica (April 22, 2011). "Jane Krakowski and Robert Godley welcome a son". CBS News.
    26. ↑ "Jane Krakowski Releases 'The Laziest Gal in Town' Solo Album 7/15; Cover Art Revealed". Broadwayworld.com. June 10, 2010. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
    27. ↑ Hutchins, Michael H. "Sondheim Guide / A Little Night Music".
    28. ↑ "Video: TV Land Releases New Behind-the-Scenes Featurette from Upcoming Darren Star Series "Younger" - TheFutonCritic.com".
    29. ↑ Bentley, Jean (March 17, 2015). "TV Land's Younger Adds TV Favorites Jane Krakowski, Ana Gasteyer, and More -- Plus, Watch a New Scene!". Us Weekly.

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