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Jane Krakowski

 
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Jane Krakowski
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Jane Krakowski had been working for years in theatre and on TV before she burst into everyone's homes in the role of "Elaine," the busybody secretary, in the hit TV series, Ally McBeal.

Krakowski was born in Parsippany, NJ, on October 11, 1968, and began taking dancing lessons when she was three years old. She won her first film role in 1983, when she played a teenager in National Lampoon's Vacation. The following year she began a stint on the television soap opera, Search for Tomorrow, which brought her two Emmy nominations.

She made her way to Broadway in the early 1990's, garnering a Tony nomination for her performance in the musical, Grand Hotel, and going on to appear in the revival of Once Upon a Mattress. She took on the role of "Elaine" in 1997, a part which also allowed her to showcase some of her song-and-dance talents. This helped to earn her a supporting role in the dance romance Dance With Me and in the film, Go. She later starred as Betty Rubble in The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, and voiced one of the female sloths in the animated movie, Ice Age.

Krakowski won the Tony award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in Nine, the musical version of Federico Fellini's 8 1/2.

In 2006, Krakowski was tapped to play Jenna Maroney on the new Tina Fey sitcom, 30 Rock. The show was an immediate critical success, and has garnished many Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.

Last updated: January 20, 2009.

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Actor: Jane Krakowski
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Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Actors
  • Born: Oct 11, 1968 in Parsippany, New Jersey
  • Occupation: Actor
  • Active: '90s-2000s
  • Major Genres: Comedy
  • Career Highlights: Ally McBeal, Dance with Me, Christmas Carol: The Musical
  • First Major Screen Credit: Due South: Invitation to Romance (1995)

Biography

A musical theater veteran, Jane Krakowski is best known for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of scheming law secretary Elaine on the Fox TV hit Ally McBeal. Raised in Parsippany, NJ, Krakowski began taking dance lessons at age three. After making her movie debut as an orally skilled teenager in National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), she garnered two Emmy nominations during her 1984-1986 stint on the serial Search for Tomorrow. Though she acted in several TV productions, including Men and Women II (1991) and Queen (1993), and had small feature film parts in Fatal Attraction (1987) and Stepping Out (1991), Krakowski found more success on Broadway in the first half of the 1990s. After she earned a Tony nomination for her work in the 1990 musical Grand Hotel, the actress was featured in several shows, including the revival of Once Upon a Mattress starring Sarah Jessica Parker. Krakowski became a TV star, however, when she was cast in Ally McBeal in 1997. As ambitious busybody Elaine, Krakowski became a bombshell comic foil to Calista Flockhart's neurotic Ally, asserting her power over the series' law office with her well-honed observational skills. The actress also displayed her versatile talents in the show's whimsical song-and-dance interludes. Bolstered by her TV success, Krakowski played a supporting role in the dance romance Dance With Me (1998), appeared as the seemingly lascivious wife of William Fichtner's bizarre narc in Go (1999), and starred as Betty in the sequel The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000). After Ally McBeal went off the air in 2002, Krakowski continued to divide her time between TV, features and the stage. Along with voicing one of the female sloths in the hit animated movie Ice Age (2002), Krakowski starred in the made for TV romantic comedy Just a Walk in the Park (2002) and played a supporting role in the Lisa Kudrow comic vehicle Marci X (2003). As in the early 1990s, though, Krakowski wound up attracting more attention on Broadway. Drawing positive notice for her acrobatic entrance via a bed sheet as well as her musical gifts, Krakowski earned another Tony nomination for her sexy supporting performance as Antonio Banderas's mistress in the acclaimed revival of Nine, the musical version of Federico Fellini's 8 1/2 (1963). ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
Wikipedia: Jane Krakowski
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
Jane Krakowski

In the 2007 Red Dress Collection for The Heart Truth
Born Jane Krajkowski[1]
October 11, 1968 (1968-10-11) (age 41)
Parsippany, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation Actress/Singer
Years active 1983–present

Jane Krakowski (born October 11, 1968) is an American actress and singer. She is known in television for her roles as Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal and Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock, and in the theatre for her role in Nine.

Contents

Early life

Krakowski was born Jane Krajkowski in Parsippany, New Jersey, the daughter of Barbara, a college theater instructor and producing artistic director for the Women's Theater Company,[2] and Ed Krajkowski, a chemical engineer.[3] She has an older brother.[4] Krakowski's father's family is entirely Polish and comes from Kraków,[5] and although she knows few words in Polish, her father and grandparents are fluent.[6] The Krakowski family celebrate Christmas in the traditional Polish manner and her grandmother makes special dishes, like gołąbki. Krakowski often attends the Twelve Chairs restaurant in SoHo, where they serve Polish meals.[7] Krakowski grew up very much 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."[2] She took ballet lessons from age four, but later stopped because she was the wrong body shape, instead moving more towards Broadway dancing.[4] She attended the Professional Children's School in New York City[8][9]

She dropped the "j" from the family last name when she began working as an actress[1] as people kept trying to pronounce the letter even though it was silent.[2]

Television

In her first major television role, Krakowski joined the soap opera Search for Tomorrow in 1984, playing the role of Theresa Rebecca (T.R.) Kendall,[10] a role she played until the show ended in 1986. She was nominated for two consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards for the role in 1986 and 1987.

In 1997, she landed what would become her biggest role, playing office assistant Elaine Vassal on the television series Ally McBeal for five seasons until 2002; her role earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 1999.[11] In 2004, she guest starred on Law and Order: SVU as Emma Spevak, a serial killer of elderly women. In 2006, Krakowski joined the cast of the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, where she plays Jenna Maroney, a cast member of the fictional late night sketch show TGS with Tracy Jordan. In 2009, she received an Emmy nomination for her role in 30 Rock.

Film

Krakowski made her film debut in National Lampoon's Vacation;[11] she has also appeared in Fatal Attraction, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (where she played Betty Rubble), Marci X, Alfie, Go, Dance with Me, Stepping Out, Pretty Persuasion, Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Mystery, and Mom at Sixteen. Krakowski was also originally cast in the horror film Sleepaway Camp, but dropped out just before filming began because she felt her character's death scene with a curling iron was too violent. She also appeared in When Zachary Beaver Came to Town as the mother who wants to become a singer. In 2004, she starred in the TV-musical-movie version of Alan Menken's A Christmas Carol (2004 film), featured as a ghost from Christmas Past, with a solo-song.

Stage

Krakowski at the Sundance Film festival, 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.[10] 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 Theatre 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 a Jim Brickman album titled Love Songs & Lullabies featuring Krakowski as a vocalist for the song "You",[11] which became a hit on adult contemporary radio stations. Brickman and Krakowski also recorded an alternate Christmas version of the song. She also appeared on the album Broadway Cares: Home For The Holidays, singing the song "Santa Baby".

In 2003, she starred in the Broadway revival of Nine playing Carla,[12] for which she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress.[11] Krakowski is known for her infamous 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 ever did it was on the first performance.[13]

In 2005, she starred as Miss Adelaide alongside Ewan McGregor in the new production of Guys and Dolls[14] in London (Piccadilly Theatre) a role for which she won the 2006 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.[11]

In 2005, she performed a cabaret show called Better When It's Banned, which featured various songs deemed racy from the 1920s and '30s.[15]

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.[16] Xanadu premiered on Broadway 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 opposite Sean Hayes and Cheyenne Jackson.[17]

Other works

Personal life

Krakowski is in a relationship with British documentarian Marc Singer, whom she met at a screening for Children of Men in 2006.[10] Before that, she dated Julian Ovenden.[4]

Recordings

Select Recordings include:

  • 2004: A Christmas Carol, Television Cast Recording
  • 2003: Nine, Broadway Revival Cast Recording
  • 2002: A Broadway Valentine
  • 1998: The Burt Bacharach Album
  • 1997: Once Upon This Matress, Broadway Revival Cast Recording
  • 1997: Sondheim at the Movies (singing the Academy Award-winning song "Sooner or Later" from Dick Tracy)
  • 1995: Company, Broadway Revival Cast Recording
  • 1992: Grand Hotel, Studio Cast Recording (Mostly Original Broadway Cast)

Awards

Wins

Drama Desk Awards

  • 2003: Best Featured Actress in a Musical: Nine

Laurence Olivier Awards

  • 2006: Best Leading Actress in a Musical: Guys and Dolls

Screen Actors Guild Awards

  • 1999: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series: Ally McBeal
  • 2008: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series: 30 Rock

Tony Awards

  • 2003: Best Featured Actress in a Musical: Nine

Nominations

Drama Desk Awards

  • 1990: Best Featured Actress in a Musical: Grand Hotel

Emmy Awards

  • 2009: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: 30 Rock

Golden Globe Awards

  • 1999: Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture: Ally McBeal

Tony Awards

  • 1990: Best Featured Actress in a Musical: Grand Hotel

References

  1. ^ a b Peter Filichia (2008-10-17). "Jane Krakowski to appear at theater fund-raiser". The Star-Ledger. http://www.nj.com/entertainment/arts/index.ssf/2008/10/jane_krakowski_to_appear_at_th.html. Retrieved 2008-11-09. 
  2. ^ a b c Margo Nash (2006-03-19). "Jersey Footlights". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F01EFDE1F31F93AA25750C0A9609C8B63. Retrieved 2008-11-09. 
  3. ^ Jane Krakowski Biography (1968-)
  4. ^ a b c Rebecca Tyrrel (2009-09-05). "The secretary's star turn". The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2005/05/09/btjane09.xml&page=1. Retrieved 2008-11-09. 
  5. ^ http://www.mojawyspa.co.uk/artykuly/14671/Jane-Krakowski-Z-Krakowa-do-Ally-McBeal Pol. Cała rodzina po stronie mojego ojca jest polska (En All my family from my father's side is Polish).
  6. ^ http://www.mojawyspa.co.uk/artykuly/14671/Jane-Krakowski-Z-Krakowa-do-Ally-McBeal Pol. (...) mój tata rozmawiał po polsku. Moi dziadkowi rozmawiali na co dzień po angielsku, ale kłócili się tylko po polsku, żebyśmy ich nie zrozumieli! (En (...) 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).
  7. ^ http://www.mojawyspa.co.uk/artykuly/14671/Jane-Krakowski-Z-Krakowa-do-Ally-McBeal
  8. ^ "Taking a Bough". People. 1998-07-20. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20125812,00.html. Retrieved 2008-11-09. 
  9. ^ "Ask a Star: Jane Krakowski". broadway.com. circa 2001 (based on the reference to Mack & Mabel). http://www.broadway.com/Jane-Krakowski/broadway_interview/4525. Retrieved 2008-11-09. 
  10. ^ a b c Rachel Syme (2008-06-22). "Jane Krakowski is Poetry in Motion". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/pagesixmag/issues/20080622/Jane+Krakowski+Poetry+Motion. Retrieved 2008-11-09. 
  11. ^ a b c d e "30 Rock Cast Biographies: Jane Krakowski". NBC. http://www.nbc.com/30_Rock/bios/jane.shtml. Retrieved 2008-11-09. 
  12. ^ Ernio Hernandez (2003-05-20). "Nine Nominee Jane Krakowski "Calls" in a Showstopping Performance". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/79628.html. Retrieved 2008-11-09. 
  13. ^ http://www.theatermania.com/broadway/news/06-2003/jane-krakowski-takes-manhattan_3664.html
  14. ^ Guys and Dolls The Tour
  15. ^ Stephen Holden (2005-02-03). "Sorry, Santa, but Naughty Is More Fun Than Nice". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/03/arts/music/03krak.html?pagewanted=print&position=. Retrieved 2008-11-09. 
  16. ^ "[http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-29971650_ITM Krakowski like the dick takes off skates]". Daily Variety. 2007-02-02. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-29971650_ITM. Retrieved 2008-11-09. 
  17. ^ Andrew Gans (2008-07-27). "Diva Talk: Chatting with Damn Yankees' Jane Krakowski". Playbill. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/119012.html. Retrieved 2008-11-09. 

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