Allison Janney

Allison Janney hasn’t married till now. She is reported to be in a relationship with Philip Joncas, an IATSE production coordinator, a man 20 years her junior.

She had a brother who committed suicide after a long fight with addiction. She talked about this during several interviews related to her show ‘Mom.’

Allison Brooks Janney was born on November 19, 1959 in Boston, Massachusetts, to Jevis Spencer Janney, a real estate developer and a jazz musician, and Macy Brooks, a former actress and a homemaker. She had two siblings.

She attended The Miami Valley School in Dayton and later the Hotchkiss School in Connecticut. After competing her schooling, she studied at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio.

It was during her college days that she met the renowned actor Paul Newman and developed a passion for acting. Paul and his wife Joanne used to teach and encourage Allison and soon she started attending the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City for further training.

Allison Janney started her career on television in 1991 with a role in the short-lived comedy ‘Morton & Hayes.’ Following this, she did minor roles in several other TV programs such as ‘As the World Turns’ and ‘Guiding Light.’

Her film appearances started with a minor role in the 1989 movie ‘Who Shot Patakango?’ The story focuses on a small group of high school teens in the late 1950s, and events related to their lives.

She appeared in several films in the 1990s, including ‘The Cowboy Way’, (1994), ‘Big Night’ (1996), and ‘Primary Colors’ (1998).

In 1999, she started appearing in the popular award winning American political drama TV series ‘The West Wing.’ The story was about a fictitious president Josiah Bartlet and his administration. Allison’s role as the President’s Press Secretary was appreciated and gained her much recognition. She also won several awards for her amazing skills.

While she found both success and fame on TV, she also continued with her film career. She gave an amazing performance in ‘The Hours’, a British-American 2002 drama film which was directed by Stephen Daldry.

Allison’s Janney’s role as the Press Secretary of the President in ‘The West Wing’ was undoubtedly the first significant role in her career. It was an American political drama TV series, which was started broadcasting from 22 September 1999 on NBC. The show ran till May 14, 2006.

The show was a huge success, receiving not only positive reviews from critics, but also three Golden Globe Awards, as well as 26 Emmy Awards. It was also ranked by The Writers Guild of America at No. 10 in its list of ‘101 Best Written TV series.’ This show gained Janney not only a lot of fame and recognition, but also several significant awards.

Janney did a significant role in the 2011 American drama film named ‘The Help.’ The film was based on a 2009 novel of the same name. The film was a success, and received mostly positive reviews. It grossed $216 million worldwide. It won the ‘Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture’ as well.

In 2014, she appeared in ‘The Rewrite’, a romantic comedy. It was written and directed by Marc Lawrence, the American film producer and director. It premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival on June 15, 2014. It received mostly positive to mixed reviews.

She started appearing in a lead role in ‘Mom,’ an American TV series which started running from 2013. Janney appears as Bonnie Plunkett, a mother who desperately tries to win back the love and trust of her daughter, whom she couldn’t provide with a proper upbringing. The show was a huge hit, receiving mostly positive reviews. For her amazing performance, Janney won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. The show has gained multiple nominations as well.