The quick-witted Louis-Dreyfus sharpened her comedic chops while at Northwestern University, where she performed as the only female member of an improvisational comedy troupe under the direction of Brad Hall, who later became her husband as well as her
Saturday Night Live costar. After her three-year stint on
SNL---during which she played a memorably loopy female televangelist, among other colorful characters---Louis-Dreyfus appeared in a handful of features before landing her breakout role on the lauded sitcom
Seinfeld. Her eight-year run as Jerry Seinfeld's neurotic buddy, Elaine Benes, earned her seven Emmy nods and one statuette. After the series ended, the actress attempted to headline her own show,
Watching Ellie. But the sitcom went bust, despite being specifically created for her by Hall. She fared much better in her second star outing,
The New Adventures of Old Christine. Her effective turn as daffy divorced mom Christine Campbell awarded her no less than three Emmy nominations and her second career Emmy in 2006. This effectively broke the so-called "
Seinfeld curse," coined when
Seinfeld stars flopped in their various follow-up projects. Curse or no curse, the comedienne reunited with her
Seinfeld colleagues in 2009 when they appeared together in Season 7 episodes of Larry David's
Curb Your Enthusiasm. In 2010, she received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but the honor didn't come without a stumble: Officials misspelled her name, imprinting it "Julia Luis Dreyfus." True to her strong sense of humor, she laughed off the typo.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus Fast Facts:
- Born to a wealthy family and raised in Washington, D.C.
- While at Northwestern University, was the only female member of an improv comedy troupe under the direction of Brad Hall (whom she later married).
- Performed as a member of Chicago's Second City improv troupe.
- Met Seinfeld co-creator Larry David when the two worked for Saturday Night Live.
- Her character was not included in the original Seinfeld pilot; NBC executives felt that a female perspective was needed.
- Concealed two real-life pregnancies, usually with a roomy overcoat, while filming Seinfeld.
- Lent her voice to the character Princess Atta in the 1998 computer-animated film A Bug's Life.
- "From a comedic point of view, it's great to be a needy, insecure, maybe slightly angry person," she told TV GUIDE. "It lends itself to a lot of humor."
- Honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May 2010.
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus Relationships:
- Brad Hall - Husband
- Charles Hall - Son
- Henry Hall - Son
- Judith Bowles - Mother
- L. Thompson Bowles - Stepfather
- Lauren Bowles - Half Sister
- Phoebe Louis-Dreyfus Eavis - Half Sister
- Phyllis Louis-Dreyfus - Stepmother
- William Louis-Dreyfus - Father
- Amy - Half Sister
- Emma - Half Sister
- Pierre Louis-Dreyfus - Grandfather
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus Awards:
- 1992 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1993 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1994 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1995 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1996 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actress for a Comedy Series - Winner
- 1997 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1998 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2007 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
- 2006 Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Winner
- 1994 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television - Winner
- 1995 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television - Nominee
- 2008 Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2009 Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2007 Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2010 Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2009 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1998 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1997 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Winner
- 1997 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series - Winner
- 1996 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Winner
- 1996 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series - Winner
- 1995 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1995 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1994 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Winner
- 1994 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- College:
- Attended Northwestern University, Evanston, IL