Although this petite brunette is undeniably pretty, Louis-Dreyfus is better known for eliciting laughs than looking good. While at Northwestern University, she was 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, 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 earned her seven Emmy nods and one statuette. After the series ended, the loopy actress attempted to headline her own show,
Watching Ellie. But the sitcom went bust, despite being specifically created for her by Hall. Her second star outing,
The New Adventures of Old Christine, in which she played a daffy divorced mom, was more successful and in 2006, Louis-Dreyfus snagged her second career Emmy, effectively breaking the post-
Seinfeld "curse."
Julia Louis-Dreyfus Fast Facts:
- Met Seinfeld co-creater Larry David when the two worked for Saturday Night Live.
- Her character was not included in the original Seinfeld pilot. She was added after NBC executives decided that a female perspective was needed.
- Concealed two real-life pregnancies, usually with a roomy overcoat, while filming Seinfeld.
- "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."
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus Relationships:
- Phoebe Louis-Dreyfus Eavis - Half Sister
- Phyllis Louis-Dreyfus - Stepmother
- William Louis-Dreyfus - Father
- Amy - Half Sister
- Emma - Half Sister
- Pierre Louis-Dreyfus - Grandfather
- Charles Hall - Son
- Henry Hall - Son
- Judith Bowles - Mother
- L. Thompson Bowles - Stepfather
- Brad Hall - Husband
- Lauren Bowles - Half Sister
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus Awards:
- 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
- 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
- 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 in 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 Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2008 Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- College:
- Attended Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
