Jennifer Jason Leigh

Born: 1962-02-05 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Known For: 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.

Filmography

2026

Crime 101

2025

All's Fair as Cheryl Goodfader
Night Always Comes as Doreen

2024

Poolman as Susan Kerkovish

2022

Sharp Stick as Marilyn

2021

Awake as Dr. Murphy
The Woman in the Window as Jane Russell 2
Lisey's Story as Darla Debusher

2020

Possessor as Girder
Hunters as Chava Apfelbaum

2019

Sid & Judy as Judy Garland (voice)
QT8: The First Eight as Self

2018

Annihilation as Dr Ventress
White Boy Rick as Alex Snyder
Patrick Melrose as Eleanor Melrose

2017

Atypical as Elsa Gardner
LBJ as Lady Bird Johnson
Amityville: The Awakening as Joan Walker
Good Time as Corey Ellman

2016

None of Them Are You: Crafting Anomalisa as Self
Morgan as Dr. Kathy Grieff

2015

The Hateful Eight as Daisy Domergue
Anomalisa as Lisa Hesselman (voice)
Alex of Venice as Maureen
Welcome to Me as Deb Moseley

2014

Fargo as Lorraine Lyon
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors as Self
Open as Holly
Me as Kelly
Hateship Loveship as Chloe
Jake Squared as Sheryl

2013

The Spectacular Now as Sara Keely
The Moment as Lee
Kill Your Darlings as Naomi Ginsberg

2011

Revenge as Kara Wallace Clarke

2010

Greenberg as Beth (Beller's Party)

2005

Weeds as Jill Price-Grey
The Jacket as Dr. Beth Lorenson
Palindromes as 'Mark' Aviva
Rag Tale as Mary Josephine 'MJ' Morton
Easter Sunday as Mother

2004

The Machinist as Stevie
Childstar as Suzanne

2003

In the Cut as Pauline

2002

Crossed Over as Karla Faye Tucker
Road to Perdition as Annie Sullivan
Hey Arnold! The Movie as Bridget (voice)
Searching for Debra Winger as Self (uncredited)

2001

The Quickie as Lisa
The Man Who Wasn't There as Female Inmate (voice) (uncredited)
The Anniversary Party as Sally Nash Therrian

2000

O Brother, Where Art Thou? ... (Thanks)
Skipped Parts as Lydia Callahan
The King Is Alive as Gina
Frame by Frame: The Invisible Art of Production Designer Carol Spier as Self

1999

eXistenZ as Allegra Geller
Where Are They Now? as Self
Mission Hill as Eunice 'Weirdie' Eulmeyer (voice)

1998

Hercules as Tempest (voice)
Thanks of a Grateful Nation as Teri Small
The Love Letter as Lizzie Whitcomb
Twitch City as Faith

1997

King of the Hill as Amy (voice)
Washington Square as Catherine Sloper
Spawn
A Thousand Acres as Caroline Cook
Cinema Cinema as Herself

1996

Superman: The Animated Series as Cetea (voice)
Kansas City as Blondie O'Hara
Tracey Takes On... as Paige Garland
Bastard Out of Carolina as Anney Boatwright

1995

Georgia as Sadie Flood
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies as Self
Dolores Claiborne as Selena St. George

1994

Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle as Dorothy Parker
The Hudsucker Proxy as Amy Archer
Would You Kindly Direct Me to Hell?: The Infamous Dorothy Parker as Self
Inside the Actors Studio as Self

1993

Frasier as Estelle (voice)
Short Cuts as Lois Kaiser
Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver Country as Self

1992

HBO First Look
The Prom as Lana
Single White Female as Hedra 'Hedy' Carlson

1991

Backdraft as Jennifer Vaitkus
Rush as Kristen Cates
Crooked Hearts as Marriet Hoffman

1990

Twin Peaks as Chantal Hutchens
Buried Alive as Joanna Goodman
Miami Blues as Susie Waggoner
Partners in Life as Blossom

1989

The Big Picture as Lydia Johnson
Last Exit to Brooklyn as Tralala

1988

LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Heart of Midnight as Carol

1987

Under Cover as Tanille Laroux
Sister, Sister as Lucy Bonnard

1986

Picnic as Madge Owens
The Men's Club as Teensy
The Hitcher as Nash

1985

Flesh + Blood as Agnes

1984

Grandview, U.S.A. as Candy Webster

1983

Easy Money as Allison Capuletti
Girls of the White Orchid as Carol Heath
Have You Ever Been Ashamed Of Your Parents? as Andrea Fairchild

1982

Fast Times at Ridgemont High as Stacy Hamilton
The First Time as Bonnie Dillon
Wrong Is Right as Young Girl

1981

Eyes of a Stranger as Tracy Harris
I Think I'm Having A Baby as Laurie Mcintyre
The Killing of Randy Webster as Amy Wheeler
The Best Little Girl in the World as Casey Powell

1980

Angel City as Kristy Teeter

1979

Trapper John, M.D. as Karen McCall

1978

The Young Runaways as Heather

1976

Family as Jenny Blair
The Spy Who Never Was as Girl Playing with Ball (uncredited)

1975

Baretta as Marcie (as Jennifer Leigh)

1972

The Waltons as Kathy Seals

1954

The Wonderful World of Disney as Heather

1951

Hallmark Hall of Fame as Elizabeth Whitcomb