Kathryn Marie Hahn was born on July 23, 1973, in Westchester, Illinois, and raised in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. She is of German, Irish, and English descent. Hahn graduated from Beaumont School, an all-girls Catholic school, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre from Northwestern University. She later attended Yale School of Drama, where she received a Master of Fine Arts degree.
Hahn began her acting career on the stage, appearing in regional theater productions. Her television debut came in 1999 with a recurring role as Lily Lebowski in the NBC drama Crossing Jordan, which she held until 2007.
Hahn has established herself as a versatile actress, known for both comedic and dramatic roles. She has appeared in numerous films, often playing supporting characters, before taking on leading roles later in her career.
In addition to Crossing Jordan, Hahn has had significant television roles. She starred in the HBO comedy series Hung (2009-2011) and the Amazon Studios series Transparent (2014-2019), for which she received