Allison Brooks Janney was born on November 19, 1959, in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised in Dayton, Ohio. Her mother, Macy Brooks (née Putnam), was a former actress, and her father, Jervis Spencer Janney Jr., was a jazz musician and real estate developer. She attended Kenyon College, where she majored in drama and was mentored by actor Paul Newman. She also studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City.
Janney began her acting career in the late 1980s with minor roles in television and film. She appeared in television shows such as “As the World Turns” and “Law & Order,” and films like “Who Shot Patakango?” (1989) and “Dead Funny” (1994).
Janney’s breakthrough role came in 1999 with the NBC political drama “The West Wing,” where she played White House Press Secretary C.J. Cregg. She won four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in the show (2000, 2001, 2002, and 2004). “The West Wing” ran for seven seasons, concluding in 2006.
Janney has also had a successful stage career. She made her Broadway debut in the 1996 revival of “Present Laughter.” She received Tony Award nominations for her roles in “A View from the Bridge” (1997) and “9 to 5” (2009). She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in “Six Degrees of Separation” (2017).
Janney has appeared in numerous films, often playing supporting roles. Her film credits include: