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Jennifer Jason Leigh

Jennifer Jason Leigh

Department: Acting

Biography

Jennifer Jason Leigh (born Jennifer Leigh Morrow; February 5, 1962) is an American actress. She began her career on television during the 1970s before making her film breakthrough in the teen film Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). She received critical praise for her performances in Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989), Miami Blues (1990), Backdraft (1991), Single White Female (1992), and The Hudsucker Proxy (1994). She was nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Dorothy Parker in Mrs Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994). Leigh starred in a 1995 film written by her mother, screenwriter Barbara Turner, titled Georgia. She co-wrote and co-directed a film with Alan Cumming titled The Anniversary Party (2001). Leigh starred in the crime drama Road to Perdition (2002) and the family drama Margot at the Wedding (2007). She had a recurring role on the Showtime comedy-drama series Weeds (2009–2012). She received critical acclaim for her voice work in Charlie Kaufman's Anomalisa (2015). For her role as fugitive Daisy Domergue in The Hateful Eight (2015), she was nominated for the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. From 2017 to 2021, she starred in the Netflix comedy-drama series Atypical while featuring in the science fiction films Annihilation (2018) and Possessor (2020). She has since starred in the fifth season of the crime drama series Fargo (2023). For her stage work, Leigh was nominated for a Drama Desk award for her off-Broadway performance as Beverly Moss in Mike Leigh's Abigail's Party. Her Broadway debut occurred in 1998 when she became the replacement for the role of Sally Bowles in the musical Cabaret.

Known For

Short Cuts

Short Cuts

1993

The King Is Alive

The King Is Alive

2000

eXistenZ

eXistenZ

1999

Road to Perdition

Road to Perdition

2002

Backdraft

Backdraft

1991

The Machinist

The Machinist

2004

In the Cut

In the Cut

2003

Rush

Rush

1991

Synecdoche, New York

Synecdoche, New York

2008

Kansas City

Kansas City

1996

Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle

Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle

1994

Dolores Claiborne

Dolores Claiborne

1995

The Hudsucker Proxy

The Hudsucker Proxy

1994

Wrong Is Right

Wrong Is Right

1982

Last Exit to Brooklyn

Last Exit to Brooklyn

1989

Flesh + Blood

Flesh + Blood

1985

The Anniversary Party

The Anniversary Party

2001

The Hitcher

The Hitcher

1986

Single White Female

Single White Female

1992

Greenberg

Greenberg

2010

The Jacket

The Jacket

2005

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

1982

Skipped Parts

Skipped Parts

2000

Margot at the Wedding

Margot at the Wedding

2007

The Man Who Wasn't There

The Man Who Wasn't There

2001

Childstar

Childstar

2004

Der Regisseur Uli Edel - Fakten und Fiktion

Der Regisseur Uli Edel - Fakten und Fiktion

2009

Miami Blues

Miami Blues

1990

Searching for Debra Winger

Searching for Debra Winger

2002

Buried Alive

Buried Alive

1990

The Big Picture

The Big Picture

1989

Washington Square

Washington Square

1997

Heart of Midnight

Heart of Midnight

1988

A Thousand Acres

A Thousand Acres

1997

The Quickie

The Quickie

2001

Easy Money

Easy Money

1983

Sharp Stick

Sharp Stick

2022

Thanks of a Grateful Nation

Thanks of a Grateful Nation

1998

Grandview, U.S.A.

Grandview, U.S.A.

1984

Crooked Hearts

Crooked Hearts

1991

The Men's Club

The Men's Club

1986

The Love Letter

The Love Letter

1998

Rag Tale

Rag Tale

2005

Under Cover

Under Cover

1987

Eyes of a Stranger

Eyes of a Stranger

1981

Georgia

Georgia

1995

Sister, Sister

Sister, Sister

1987

Would You Kindly Direct Me to Hell?: The Infamous Dorothy Parker

Would You Kindly Direct Me to Hell?: The Infamous Dorothy Parker

1994

Girls of the White Orchid

Girls of the White Orchid

1983

The Killing of Randy Webster

The Killing of Randy Webster

1981

The Best Little Girl in the World

The Best Little Girl in the World

1981

Kill Your Darlings

Kill Your Darlings

2013

The Spectacular Now

The Spectacular Now

2013

Crossed Over

Crossed Over

2002

The Prom

The Prom

1992

The Moment

The Moment

2013

Hateship Loveship

Hateship Loveship

2014

Poolman

Poolman

2024

The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies

The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies

1995

The First Time

The First Time

1982

Jake Squared

Jake Squared

2014

Welcome to Me

Welcome to Me

2015

Amityville: The Awakening

Amityville: The Awakening

2017

Me

Me

2014

Palindromes

Palindromes

2005

The Hateful Eight

The Hateful Eight

2015

Have You Ever Been Ashamed Of Your Parents?

Have You Ever Been Ashamed Of Your Parents?

1983

Partners in Life

Partners in Life

1990

LBJ

LBJ

2017

Night Always Comes

Night Always Comes

2025

Annihilation

Annihilation

2018

Angel City

Angel City

1980

Morgan

Morgan

2016

Good Time

Good Time

2017

White Boy Rick

White Boy Rick

2018

Hey Arnold! The Movie

Hey Arnold! The Movie

2002

Open

Open

2014

I Think I'm Having A Baby

I Think I'm Having A Baby

1981

Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver Country

Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver Country

1993

Possessor

Possessor

2020

The Making of 'Last Exit to Brooklyn'

The Making of 'Last Exit to Brooklyn'

2006

Frame by Frame: The Invisible Art of Production Designer Carol Spier

Frame by Frame: The Invisible Art of Production Designer Carol Spier

2000

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday

2005

Sid & Judy

Sid & Judy

2019

The Woman in the Window

The Woman in the Window

2021

Awake

Awake

2021

Alex of Venice

Alex of Venice

2015

The Young Runaways

The Young Runaways

1978

Picnic

Picnic

1986

The Spy Who Never Was

The Spy Who Never Was

1976

Anomalisa

Anomalisa

2015

None of Them Are You: Crafting Anomalisa

None of Them Are You: Crafting Anomalisa

2016

QT8: The First Eight

QT8: The First Eight

2019

Bastard Out of Carolina

Bastard Out of Carolina

1996

Cinema Cinema

Cinema Cinema

1997

Crime 101

Crime 101

2026

Celebrity Naked Ambition

Celebrity Naked Ambition

2003

New England Toys

New England Toys

Deep Cuts

Deep Cuts

Inside the Actors Studio

Inside the Actors Studio

1994

Mission Hill

Mission Hill

1999

King of the Hill

King of the Hill

1997

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

1988

Baretta

Baretta

1975

Hercules

Hercules

1998

Superman: The Animated Series

Superman: The Animated Series

1996

Hallmark Hall of Fame

Hallmark Hall of Fame

1951

The Waltons

The Waltons

1972

Spawn

Spawn

1997

Where Are They Now?

Where Are They Now?

1999

Weeds

Weeds

2005

Revenge

Revenge

2011

Family

Family

1976

The Wonderful World of Disney

The Wonderful World of Disney

1954

Trapper John, M.D.

Trapper John, M.D.

1979

Tracey Takes On...

Tracey Takes On...

1996

Fargo

Fargo

2014

Frasier

Frasier

1993

Atypical

Atypical

2017

Hunters

Hunters

2020

Patrick Melrose

Patrick Melrose

2018

Twitch City

Twitch City

1998

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

2009

Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks

1990

Lisey's Story

Lisey's Story

2021

HBO First Look

HBO First Look

1992

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

2014

All's Fair

All's Fair

2025

Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen

Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen

2026

The Affair

The Affair

2014

Bishop

Bishop

High Potential

High Potential

2024