Jane Krakowski

Jane Krakowski (/krəˈkaʊski/; née Krajkowski;[1] born October 11, 1968)[2] is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her starring role as Jenna Maroney in the NBC satirical comedy series 30 Rock (2006–2013, 2020), for which she received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Her other notable television roles include Elaine Vassal in the Fox legal comedy-drama series Ally McBeal (1997–2002) and Jacqueline White in the Netflix comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2020).

Jane Krakowski
Krakowski at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards in September 2008
Born	Jane Krajkowski October 11, 1968 Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey, U.S.
Education	Rutgers University, New Brunswick (BFA)
Occupation	Actress singer
Years active	1981–present
Partner(s)	Robert Godley (2009–2013)
Children	1

Krakowski made her feature film debut as Cousin Vicki Johnson in the road comedy National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), which was followed by roles in The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000), Ice Age (2002), Alfie (2004), Open Season (2006), Pixels (2015), and The Willoughbys (2020).

Krakowski regularly performs on stage, winning the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in the Broadway revival of Nine (2003), as well as receiving Tony Award nominations for Grand Hotel (1989) and She Loves Me (2016). She received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in the West End revival of Guys and Dolls (2005).

Early life

Krakowski was born and raised in Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey,[3] the daughter of Ed Krajkowski, a chemical engineer, and Barbara (née Benoit), a college theater instructor and producing artistic director for the Women's Theater Company.[4][5][6] She has an older brother.[7] Her father's family is Polish,[8] and while she speaks very little Polish, her father and grandparents are fluent.[9]

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."[4] She took ballet lessons at age four, but later stopped because she had the wrong body shape, instead moving more towards Broadway dancing.[7] She attended Parsippany High School[10] and then the Professional Children's School in New York City and Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, New Brunswick.[11][12]

Career

Television

Krakowski at the 2007 Red Dress Collection for The Heart Truth

Her first major television role was as Theresa Rebecca "T.R." Kendall in the NBC soap opera Search for Tomorrow for the NBC Daytime programming block, which she played from 1984[13] until the show ended on December 26, 1986. She was nominated for two consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards for her role in 1986 and 1987.

From 1997 to 2002, Krakowski played office assistant Elaine Vassal in the Fox comedy-drama series Ally McBeal; her role earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 1999.[14]

In 2006, Krakowski was cast in the NBC comedy series 30 Rock, where she played Jenna Maroney, a cast member of the fictional late night sketch comedy 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.[15][16]

In 2015, Krakowski was cast in the Netflix comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt as Jacqueline White, for which she received her fifth Primetime Emmy Award nomination.[17]

Her guest appearances include a 1981 television commercial for the video game Solar Fox; a 1996 guest 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' character Dr. Andrew Brown; and on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Emma Spevak, a serial killer of elderly women; and a 2013 guest appearance on The Simpsons episode "The Fabulous Faker Boy" as Zhenya. She guest starred in an episode of Due South, and in multiple episodes of Modern Family.

Film

After her film debut, National Lampoon's Vacation in 1983,[14] 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 (1983), 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 television 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 animated film, Open Season.

Stage

Krakowski at the Sundance Film Festival in January 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.[13] 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 Theater 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",[14] which became a hit on adult contemporary radio stations. Brickman and Krakowski recorded an alternate Christmas version of the song. She appeared on the album Broadway Cares: Home for the Holidays, singing the song "Santa Baby". In 2003, she starred as Carla in the Broadway revival of Nine,[18] for which she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.[14] Krakowski is known for an anti-gravity 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 did it was on the first performance.[19]

In 2005, she starred as Miss Adelaide in Michael Grandage's West End revival of Guys and Dolls at London's Piccadilly Theatre. Krakowski received the 2006 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance[14] and performed a cabaret show called Better When It's Banned, which featured various songs from the 1920s and '30s[20] 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.[21] Xanadu premiered on Broadway in 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 alongside Sean Hayes and Cheyenne Jackson.[22]

On July 30 and 31, 2009, Krakowski performed the title character in a reading of Mrs. Sharp, whose music was composed and whose lyrics were written by Ryan Scott Oliver, and whose book was written by Kirsten A. Guenther, at Playwrights Horizons.

She performed the role of Ilona Ritter in the Roundabout Theatre Company's Broadway revival of Jerry Bock's and Sheldon Harnick's She Loves Me.[23] 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.[24]

Other works

Krakowski played Wanda in the music video for the Dixie Chicks' song "Goodbye Earl" in 2000.[25]

Personal life

Krakowski became engaged to Robert Godley in 2009. They have a son, Bennett Robert Godley,[26] born in April 2011.[27] The couple separated in 2013.[28]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1983	National Lampoon's Vacation	Cousin Vicki Johnson
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 Halverson
2000	The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas	Betty O'Shale
2002	Ice Age	Rachel the Sloth (voice)
2003	Marci X	Lauren Farb
2003	When Zachary Beaver Came to Town	Heather Wilson
2004	Alfie	Dorie
2005	Pretty Persuasion	Emily Klein
2006	Open Season	Giselle (voice)
2007	Surf's Up	Sheila Limberfin (voice)	Deleted scenes
2008	The Rocker	Carol
2008	Kit Kittredge: An American Girl	Miss May Dooley
2008	Open Season 2	Giselle (voice)
2009	Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant	Corma Limbs
2014	Adult Beginners	Miss Jenn
2014	Big Stone Gap	Sweet Sue Tinsley
2015	Pixels	First Lady Jane Cooper
2015	Mildred & The Dying Parlor	Tutti	Short film
2018	Henchmen	Jane (voice)
2020	The Willoughbys	Mother Willoughby (voice)

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1983	No Big Deal	Margaret	Television film
1984–1986	Search for Tomorrow	Theresa Rebecca "T.R." Kendall	107 episodes
1989	Another World	Tonya	9 episodes
1989	When We Were Young	Linda Rosen	Television special
1993	Alex Haley's Queen	Jane Jackson	2 episodes
1993	The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles	Dale Winter	Episode: "Young Indiana Jones and the Mystery of the Blues"
1994	Due South	Catherine Burns	Episode: "An Invitation to Romance"
1996	Early Edition	Dr. Handleman	Episode: "Baby"
1997–2002	Ally McBeal	Elaine Vassal	110 episodes
2000	CatDog	CatDog's Mother / Pussycat Catfield (voice)	2 episodes
2002	Just a Walk in the Park	Rachel Morgan	Television film
2002–2003	Everwood	Dr. Gretchen Trott	2 episodes
2002, 2004	Rocket Power	Breezy (voice)	2 episodes
2004	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Emma Spevak	Episode: "Bound"
2004	Taste	Samantha Neal	Pilot
2004	Hack	Mrs. Smith	Episode: "One for My Baby"
2004	A Christmas Carol	Ghost of Christmas Past / Lamplighter	Television film
2005	Mom at Sixteen	Donna Cooper	Television film
2006	Sex, Love, Power, and Politics	Sloan	Pilot
2006–2013, 2020	30 Rock	Jenna Maroney	129 episodes
2008	A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa	Claire's Mom	Television film
2013	The Simpsons	Zhenya (voice)	Episode: "The Fabulous Faker Boy"
2014, 2017	Modern Family	Dr. Donna Duncan	3 episodes: Under Pressure, Basketball! and Clash Of Swords
2014	American Dad!	Charlotte (voice)	Episode: "Roger Passes the Bar"
2015–2020	Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt	Jacqueline White	52 episodes
2015	Younger	Annabelle Bancroft	Episode: "Shedonism"[29][30]
2015	Saturday Night Live	Jenna Maroney	Episode: "Tracy Morgan/Demi Lovato"
2016	Dead Boss	Helen Stephens	Pilot
2016	Robot Chicken	Various voices	Episode: "Yogurt in a Bag"
2017	Sofia the First	Sizzle (voice)	Episode: "The Royal Dragon"
2017	Difficult People	Lizzie McCormick	Episode: "Cindarestylox"
2017	BoJack Horseman	Honey Sugarman (voice)	Episode: "The Old Sugarman Place"
2017	Tangled: The Series	Willow (voice)	Episode: "The Way of the Willow"
2017–2020	At Home with Amy Sedaris	Herself / Beverly	2 episodes
2017	A Christmas Story Live!	Miss Shields	Television special
2017–2020	Match Game	Herself (panelist)	Multiple episodes[31]
2018	Drunk History	Sheralee	Episode: "Sex"
2019	Last Week Tonight with John Oliver	Spokesperson	Episode: "June 2, 2019"
2019–present	Dickinson	Emily Norcross Dickinson	10 episodes
2020	AJ and the Queen	Beth Barnes Beagle	Episode: "Fort Worth"
2020	Curb Your Enthusiasm	Veronica	Episode: "The Ugly Section"
2020	RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars	Guest judge	Episode: "Stand-Up Smackdown"
2021–present	Name That Tune	Host	10 episodes[32]
TBA	Schmigadoon!	The Countess	Main role, upcoming series[33]

Stage

Year	Title	Role	Venue	Notes
1981	A Little Night Music	Fredrika Armfeldt	Theatre at St. Peter's Church	Off-Off-Broadway[34]
1987	Starlight Express	Dinah the Dining Car	Gershwin Theatre	Broadway
1989	Grand Hotel	Frieda "Flaemmchen" Flamm	Gershwin Theatre	Broadway
1993	Face Value	Jessica Ryan	Cort Theatre	Broadway
1995	Company	April	Criterion Center Stage Right	Broadway
1996	One Touch of Venus	Gloria Kramer	New York City Center	Off-Broadway
1996	Tartuffe	Mariane	Circle in the Square Theatre	Broadway
1996	Once Upon a Mattress	Lady Larken	Broadhurst Theatre	Broadway
2002	Funny Girl	Fanny Brice	New Amsterdam Theatre	Broadway
2003	Nine	Carla Albanese	Eugene O'Neill Theatre	Broadway
2005	Guys and Dolls	Adelaide	Piccadilly Theatre	West End
2007	Xanadu	Clio / Kira	Workshop	Reading
2008	Damn Yankees	Lola	New York City Center	Encores!
2009	Mrs. Sharp	Mrs. Sharp	Workshop	Reading
2016	She Loves Me	Ilona Ritter	Studio 54	Broadway
2018	Beauty and the Beast	Mrs. Potts	Hollywood Bowl	Los Angeles

Music video

Year	Song	Artist	Role
2000	"Goodbye Earl"	The Chicks	Wanda

Discography

Krakowski released her debut solo album on July 15, 2010. It is an album of cover versions called Laziest Gal in Town. It released on DRG Records.[35]

Selected recordings include:

• 1992: Grand Hotel, Studio Cast Recording (mostly original Broadway cast)
• 1995: Company, Broadway revival cast recording
• 1997: Once Upon a Mattress, Broadway revival cast recording
• 1997: Sondheim at the Movies (singing the Academy Award-winning song "Sooner or Later" from Dick Tracy)
• 1998: The Burt Bacharach Album
• 2002: A Broadway Valentine
• 2003: Nine, Broadway revival cast recording
• 2004: A Christmas Carol, television cast recording
• 2010: The Laziest Gal in Town, solo album
• 2016: She Loves Me, Broadway revival cast recording

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Work	Result
1986	13th Daytime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Ingenue in a Daytime Drama Series	Search for Tomorrow	Nominated
1987	14th Daytime Emmy Awards			Nominated
1990	36th Drama Desk Awards	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical	Grand Hotel	Nominated
	44th Tony Awards	Best Featured Actress in a Musical		Nominated
1998	4th Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	Ally McBeal	Nominated
1999	5th Screen Actors Guild Awards			Won
	56th Golden Globe Awards	Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film		Nominated
2000	6th Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series		Nominated
2001	7th Screen Actors Guild Awards			Nominated
	5th Golden Satellite Awards	Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy		Nominated
2003	48th Drama Desk Awards	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical	Nine	Won
	57th Tony Awards	Best Featured Actress in a Musical		Won
2006	30th Laurence Olivier Awards	Best Actress in a Musical	Guys and Dolls	Won
2008	14th Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	30 Rock	Nominated
2009	15th Screen Actors Guild Awards			Won
	61st Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series		Nominated
2010	16th Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series		Nominated
	62nd Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series		Nominated
2011	17th Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series		Nominated
	63rd Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series		Nominated
	1st Critics' Choice Television Awards	Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series		Nominated
2012	18th Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series		Nominated
2013	19th Screen Actors Guild Awards			Nominated
	65th Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series		Nominated
2014	20th Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series		Nominated
2015	67th Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series	Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt	Nominated
2016	7th Critics' Choice Television Awards	Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series		Won
	61st Drama Desk Awards	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical	She Loves Me	Won
	70th Tony Awards	Best Featured Actress in a Musical		Nominated
2021	1st Critics' Choice Super Awards	Best Villain in a Movie	The Willoughbys	Nominated

References

1. Filichia, Peter (October 17, 2008). "Jane Krakowski to appear at theater fund-raiser". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
2. "Famous birthdays for Oct. 11: Jane Krakowski, Cardi B". United Press International. October 11, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2020. Actor Jane Krakowski in 1968 (age 50)
3. Roncace, Kelly (July 13, 2016). "The most famous person from each of N.J.'s 21 counties". NJ.com. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
4. Nash, Margo (March 19, 2006). "Jersey Footlights". The New York Times. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
5. "Jane Krakowski Biography (1968-)". Filmreference.com.
6. "Obituaries - Beulah U. Dudley" Newsbank
7. Tyrrel, Rebecca (September 5, 2005). "The secretary's star turn". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
8. Cała rodzina po stronie mojego ojca jest polska ("All my family from my father's side is Polish") (Polish) January 5, 2006, Mojawyspa
9. 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! ("(...) 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.") January 5, 2006, Mojayspa
10. Filichia, Peter. "Leave It to Jane Jane Krakowski claims that, when she was a child, some people thought she looked like a boy!", TheaterMania, March 9, 2006. Accessed January 4, 2021. "She never did a show at Parsippany High School in New Jersey 'because I was working professionally on [the soap opera] Search for Tomorrow,' says the blonde honeybunch."
11. Lipton, Michael A. (July 20, 1998). "Taking a Bough". People. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
12. "Ask a Star: Jane Krakowski". Broadway.com. September 15, 2008. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
13. Syme, Rachel (June 22, 2008). "Jane Krakowski is Poetry in Motion". New York Post. Archived from the original on May 2, 2010. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
14. "30 Rock Cast Biographies: Jane Krakowski". NBC. Archived from the original on May 10, 2008. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
15. Hibberd, James (July 16, 2009). "Emmy nominee reactions rundown". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
16. Hibberd, James (July 8, 2010). "'Glee,' 'The Pacific' top Emmy noms". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
17. Jung, E. Alex (July 16, 2015). "Jane Krakowski on Emmy Nomination No. 5 -- Vulture". Vulture.com. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
18. Hernandez, Ernio (May 20, 2003). "Nine Nominee Jane Krakowski "Calls" in a Showstopping Performance". Playbill. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
19. Portantiere, Michael (June 24, 2003). "Jane Krakowski Takes Manhattan". Theater Mania. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
20. Holden, Stephen (February 5, 2005). "Sorry, Santa, but Naughty Is More Fun Than Nice". The New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
21. "Krakowski takes off skates". Variety. February 2, 2007. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
22. Gans, Andrew (July 27, 2008). "Diva Talk: Chatting with Damn Yankees' Jane Krakowski". Playbill. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved November 9, 2008.
23. Lloyd Webber, Imogen (September 1, 2015). "Zachary Levi Will Replace Josh Radnor in She Loves Me, Starring Laura Benanti, on Broadway". Broadway.com. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
24. "She Loves Me Broadway @ Studio 54". Playbill. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
25. "Dixie Chicks - Goodbye Earl". YouTube. October 2, 2009.
26. "Jane Krakowski Interviewed About TV/Website Interactive Show". ContactMusic.com. May 22, 2012. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
27. Derschowitz, Jessica (April 22, 2011). "Jane Krakowski and Robert Godley welcome a son". CBS News. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
28. "50 facts you didn't know about Jane Krakowski". Booms Beat. August 4, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
29. "Video: TV Land Releases New Behind-the-Scenes Featurette from Upcoming Darren Star Series "Younger"". The Futon Critic. March 17, 2015.
30. 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. Archived from the original on April 17, 2015. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
31. Russell, John. "'Match Game' Guest Jane Krakowski Reveals What the Show Is Really Like". TV Insider. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
32. White, Peter (November 18, 2020). "Fox Brings Back 'Name That Tune' With Jane Krakowski Hosting & Randy Jackson As Band Leader". Deadline. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
33. Petski, Denise (October 1, 2020). "Keegan-Michael Key, Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen, Kristin Chenoweth Among 10 Cast For Apple Musical Comedy Project Starring Cecily Strong". Deadline. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
34. Hutchins, Michael H. "Sondheim Guide / A Little Night Music". SondheimGuide.com.
35. "Jane Krakowski Releases 'The Laziest Gal in Town' Solo Album 7/15; Cover Art Revealed". BroadwayWorld.com. June 10, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2019.

External links

• Jane Krakowski at IMDb
• Jane Krakowski at the Internet Broadway Database
• Jane Krakowski at AllMovie