Full Name
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Title
Emmy Award-Winning Actress Known For "Seinfeld" & "Veep"
Speaker Bio
Julia Louis-Dreyfus was born Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus on January 13, 1961, in New York City. Louis-Dreyfus is best known for her roles on the sitcoms "Seinfeld" and "The New Adventures of Old Christine," and HBO series "Veep." Louis-Dreyfus is the great-great-granddaughter of businessman Leopold Louis-Dreyfus, who founded the international Louis Dreyfus Group.
After studying drama at Northwestern University, Louis-Dreyfus began her acting career at Chicago's Practical Theatre Company, and performed with the prestigious Second City comedy troupe. After moving to New York, she was cast as a regular on "Saturday Night Live" in 1982, where she showcased her comedic talents for the next two seasons.
In 1986, Louis-Dreyfus launched her film career, appearing in Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters" and "Soul Man," but it was her portrayal of the fabulously flawed and cynical Elaine Benes on NBC's hit sitcom "Seinfeld" that launched her to stardom. The New York-centric comedy, also starring Jason Alexander and Michael Richards, was created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, and ran for nine seasons. Though the role of Elaine was not part of the show's original concept, NBC producers insisted that "Seinfeld" needed a feminine perspective. For her performance on the series, she earned a Golden Globe Award in 1993 and an Emmy Award in 1996.
During breaks from "Seinfeld," Louis-Dreyfus continued to make films, including: "Jack the Bear," "North," "Father's Day," "Deconstructing Harry" and "A Bug's Life." Following 2002's "Watching Ellie," Louis-Dreyfus returned to television in 2006 with a new sitcom, "New Adventures of Old Christine," in 2006. She starred as Christine, a divorced mother of one, navigating the ups and downs of parenting and dating while running a business. Louis-Dreyfus won an Emmy Award for her work on the show in 2006. The show ran for five seasons.
In 2012, Louis-Dreyfus debuted on the HBO TV series "Veep," playing fabricated U.S. Vice President Selina Meyer. Following the show's first season, in September 2012, she received her third Emmy Award. In 2013, the actress made Emmy history when she received her second nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, which garnered her 14th Emmy nomination overall in the category of actress in a comedy series, surpassing the record long-held by Lucille Ball.
Louis-Dreyfus co-starred in the romantic comedy "Enough Said" opposite the late James Gandolfini, which was released in September 2013. On April 16, 2016, she hosted "Saturday Night Live" for the third time with musical guest Nick Jonas. During the episode's cold open, she reprised her role of Elaine Benes from "Seinfeld." In 2020, Louis-Dreyfus headlined the comedy-drama Downhill, opposite Will Ferrell. The film premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was theatrically released on February 14. Next, she voiced a character in the Pixar film "Onward" opposite Tom Holland and Chris Pratt. The film was released on March 6, 2020.
After studying drama at Northwestern University, Louis-Dreyfus began her acting career at Chicago's Practical Theatre Company, and performed with the prestigious Second City comedy troupe. After moving to New York, she was cast as a regular on "Saturday Night Live" in 1982, where she showcased her comedic talents for the next two seasons.
In 1986, Louis-Dreyfus launched her film career, appearing in Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters" and "Soul Man," but it was her portrayal of the fabulously flawed and cynical Elaine Benes on NBC's hit sitcom "Seinfeld" that launched her to stardom. The New York-centric comedy, also starring Jason Alexander and Michael Richards, was created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, and ran for nine seasons. Though the role of Elaine was not part of the show's original concept, NBC producers insisted that "Seinfeld" needed a feminine perspective. For her performance on the series, she earned a Golden Globe Award in 1993 and an Emmy Award in 1996.
During breaks from "Seinfeld," Louis-Dreyfus continued to make films, including: "Jack the Bear," "North," "Father's Day," "Deconstructing Harry" and "A Bug's Life." Following 2002's "Watching Ellie," Louis-Dreyfus returned to television in 2006 with a new sitcom, "New Adventures of Old Christine," in 2006. She starred as Christine, a divorced mother of one, navigating the ups and downs of parenting and dating while running a business. Louis-Dreyfus won an Emmy Award for her work on the show in 2006. The show ran for five seasons.
In 2012, Louis-Dreyfus debuted on the HBO TV series "Veep," playing fabricated U.S. Vice President Selina Meyer. Following the show's first season, in September 2012, she received her third Emmy Award. In 2013, the actress made Emmy history when she received her second nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, which garnered her 14th Emmy nomination overall in the category of actress in a comedy series, surpassing the record long-held by Lucille Ball.
Louis-Dreyfus co-starred in the romantic comedy "Enough Said" opposite the late James Gandolfini, which was released in September 2013. On April 16, 2016, she hosted "Saturday Night Live" for the third time with musical guest Nick Jonas. During the episode's cold open, she reprised her role of Elaine Benes from "Seinfeld." In 2020, Louis-Dreyfus headlined the comedy-drama Downhill, opposite Will Ferrell. The film premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was theatrically released on February 14. Next, she voiced a character in the Pixar film "Onward" opposite Tom Holland and Chris Pratt. The film was released on March 6, 2020.
Speaking At
