Jane Krakowski

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Biography

Recent Role:
Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock
Gender:
Female
Born:
10-11-1968
Birthplace:
Parsippany, New Jersey, USA
Birth Name:
Jane Krajkowski
AKA:
Jane Krajkowski
Award-winning actress Jane Krakowski has enthralled and entertained television audiences worldwide with her brilliant portrayals of the dim-witted yet ambitious blonde actress Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock and the attention-starved snoopy secretary Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal. She is also recognized for her exceptional vocal talent, which she has exhibited with the characters she has played on stage and in television. Exposed to the local theater atMore an early age and encouraged by her parents to become a performer, Jane took ballet lessons when she was four and attended the prestigious Professional Children's School in New York City. At age 15, she made her small screen debut in the made-for-TV movie No Big Deal and appeared in her first feature film as the oversexed cousin Vicki in National Lampoon's Vacation.

Over the next decade and a half, Krakowski was involved in several film and television projects, most notable of which are her Daytime Emmy award-nominated appearance on the long-running CBS soap Search for Tomorrow (1986) and her roles in the Glenn Close stalker thriller Fatal Attraction (1987) and the 1996 romantic dramedy Mrs. Winterbourne, starring alongside Shirley MacLaine and Brendan Fraser. During that period, Jane was also active in the New York City and Los Angeles theater circuits, performing in various stage productions such as Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express from 1987-1989 and Grand Hotel (1989) which earned her critical praise and Tony Award and Drama Desk nominations for Outstanding Featured Actress. Her love for the theater never faded even as her television career flourished beginning in the mid-'90s. In 2005, she starred opposite Ewan McGregor in the musical revival Guys and Dolls in London, a performance which won her the Laurence Olivier Best Actress Award in 2006.

In 1996, Jane landed the television role of her career as she was hired to play Elaine, the energetic and vivacious personal assistant of Ally McBeal (Calista Flockhart) on the popular FOX legal comedy-drama by David E. Kelley. In the series, she often showcased her versatility as a singer/performer during the show's numerous musical productions. She portrayed the character for five full seasons, during which she received a Golden Globe Best Actress award nomination and consecutive Screen Actors Guild nominations as part of the ensemble cast. Ten years after her breakthrough TV role, Krakowski once again found herself portraying a fascinating and colorful character in Jenna -- putting her own spin to the dumb blonde stereotype on Tina Fey's 30 Rock, an award-winning sitcom which has wittily parodied the making of a live sketch-comedy show.

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  •  
    10 Perfect
    Jane is a luminous talent. She should become a major star if she can get the right kind of role in a good TV series. She did a great job in the movie, "Dance With Me," which would have been much more successful had she been cast in the lead. hide show

    I love the movie "Dance With Me" partly because Jane K. does such excellent work in it as an actress and gorgeous dancer. She would have been better cast in the lead opposite Chayanne because she is much more lovable than is Vanessa (a clear prerequisite for such a role) and is likely a better dancer. It is nice to read that she is still working although it appears that she is not being cast in the type of roles she was born to play. When that happens, she will become an "A List" actress to be sure. Best wishes from a fellow professional actor who also dances a bit.

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    6 Fair
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    Jane Krakowski is really a talented actress, especially when it comes to comedy. Her revival on television's "30 Rock" is really refreshing. In every role she really makes you believe that she actually is the character she's portraying. This sense of realism is what makes her really stand out above the masses of the rest of actresses today. My favorite movie of her's is "Alfie."

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    10 Perfect
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    She is quite good. "30 Rock" was certainly the role during which she had a longer time on screen. On "Ally Mcbeal" she wasn't really asked to do some big scenes so we didn't saw her real talent until now.

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    10 Perfect
    May I say, Jane Krakowski is SUCH a talented and accomplished woman. She has won tony's, golden globes, datime emmys! She is my favorite actress and I will explain why! hide show

    Jane Krakowski is my favorite actress! I first saw her in theatre in London, playing Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls. She immeadiately stood out. With her thin figure, long blonde hair, and amazing talent! When she sang the whole crowd stopped, and then thunderous applause filled the room! I saw Guys and Dolls seven times, and she was amazing, more than that! Due to this, I saw Ally McBeal, a smart, witty and CLEVER show! Jane plays the slutty secretary, Elaine! She brings so much bubliness, slutiness and nosiness to the character. I love her in that show. She upstages Calista for SURE (sorry if you are a Calista fan!!! Calista is great) and Lucy Liu (but Ling is my 2nd fave!) Anyway, she was great in each episode, and really makes you believe she is Elaine. When you can't tell they're acting, then you know they are talented. Some may not like Jane, your problem! She does not just act her way through Ally, she sings her way through too! Every birthday/christmas episode, expect a mind blowing perfomance, overall, my persnally favorite!!!

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    8.3 Great
    Gave her character a lot of life hide show

    I think Jane Krakowski's portrayal of Elaine on Ally McBeal was wonderful. We all know that person who tries so hard to be well-liked and nice to everyone (even going so far as to be a little slutty), yet seems to be the one everyone ignores or mistreats, as if that person were not important. Elaine was that character and I think an actress that is well-liked would have a harder time playing a role where her character is not. She pulled it off and really made you believe it, which is the main goal of acting. I wouldn't say she was underrated, as she did win a Golden Globe in 2002. I hope to see her in more television shows as more than just a guest star.

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