Allison Janney

Nominated for a 2009 Tony Award® for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical in the role of Violet Newstead in 9 to 5 The Musical, Allison Janney has appeared in a number of films with roles of various sizes, including the 1990s films American Beauty, The Object of My Affection, Big Night, The Impostors, Drop Dead Gorgeous, The Ice Storm, Primary Colors, 10 Things I Hate about You, and Private Parts, and the 2000s films Nurse Betty, The Hours, The Chumscrubber, How to Deal, Winter Solstice and a considerable role in the animated movie, Finding Nemo, voicing Peach, the starfish. In 2006, Janney had carried notable roles in the movies, Margaret and Over the Hedge, an animated comedy. Also, she took the role of Prudence Pingleton in the 2007 film Hairspray.

In 1999, she was cast in the role of presidential press secretary C.J. Cregg on the television drama The West Wing, for which she has won four Emmy Awards. Two of the Emmys were for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Drama Series in 2000 and 2001, and two were for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress - Drama Series in the years 2002 and 2004. She was also nominated in 2003 and 2006 for the Best Actress. She is one of six cast members from The West Wing to have won an Emmy for their work, the others being Richard Schiff, Bradley Whitford, John Spencer, Stockard Channing and Alan Alda - however, Janney is the only one who has won more than once.