Janel Moloney

Janel Moloney
Moloney in 2014
Born (1969-10-03) October 3, 1969 (age 55)[1][2][3]
Woodland Hills, California, U.S.[1]
OccupationActress
Years active1987–present
SpouseMarcelo Zarvos
Children2

Janel Moloney (born October 3, 1969) is an American actress, best known for her role as Donna Moss on the television series The West Wing, a role for which she received nominations for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2002 and 2004. From 2014 to 2017, she starred on the HBO drama The Leftovers.

Career

Television

Her early work included television guest roles on ER, Sports Night, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., and Murder, She Wrote. Starting in 1999, Moloney had a main role on The West Wing as Donna Moss, beginning as an assistant to Deputy White House Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) before pursuing further ambitions in the next election.[4] Moloney was originally credited only as a guest star, but she appeared in every episode of the first season. From the second season onward, Moloney was listed in the main credits. She has received two Emmy Award nominations, one in 2002 and one in 2004, for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama.[5][6]

Moloney appeared in the television film Bang Bang You're Dead with Thomas Cavanagh and Randy Harrison, which was first broadcast on October 13, 2002, on Showtime.[7] She played the part of Amber Frey in the made-for-TV movie Amber Frey: Witness for the Prosecution, broadcast May 25, 2005 on CBS.[8] In 2007, Moloney played Dana Chase, who has a relationship with Tommy Caffee (Jason Clarke) in six episodes of the second season of Brotherhood. [9]

In 2008, Moloney appeared in one episode ("It's a Wonderful Lie") of House M.D.[10] In 2008, she guest-starred in an episode of 30 Rock. Moloney appeared in the 3rd installment of the Lstudio.com web series Puppy Love.

In 2009, she appeared in the US series Life on Mars as Professor Pat Olsen in the episode "Revenge of the Broken Jaw". She also appeared in the episode "Faithfully" of Law & Order: Criminal Intent as Allison Wyler.

Moloney had a recurring role in the first season of HBO drama The Leftovers, and was bumped up to a main role for the following two seasons (2014-2017).

Theatre

In 2007, Moloney made her Off-Broadway stage debut as Theresa in the Playwrights Horizons production 100 Saints You Should Know, written by Kate Fodor and directed by Ethan McSweeny.[11] She appeared in the Off-Broadway play Love, Loss, and What I Wore in September through October 2, 2011.[12]

Film

Moloney starred in the 2010 feature film Armless, as Anna.[13] She made a brief appearance as Earlene in the 1995 Walter Hill directed western Wild Bill, and appears in the 2013 film Concussion.

Personal life

Moloney has a son, Julius, with composer Marcelo Zarvos.[14]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1993 Dream Lover Alice Keller
1995 Safe Hairdresser
Wild Bill Earlene
1997 ''Til There Was You Beebee Moss, Age 25
1998 Desperate Measures Sarah Davis
The Souler Opposite Thea Douglas
2002 Bang Bang You're Dead Ellie Milford
2005 Just Pray Cheryl Lawson Short
2010 Armless Anna
2013 Concussion Pru
2014 Stay Then Go Marion Baird
2016 Half the Perfect World Gina
2017 The Leisure Seeker Jane

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1987 Roomies Punk Co-Ed Episode: "The One That Got Away"
1991 To Save a Child Janelle Lowry TV movie
...And Then She Was Gone Mary TV movie
1992 Double Edge Jen TV movie
1993 The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. Mary Sims Episode: "Pirates!"
Bakersfield P.D. Sarah Episode: "Lucky 13"
1995 ER Mrs. Nancy Larson Episode: "The Birthday Party"
Murder, She Wrote Maria Corbin Episode: "Unwilling Witness"
1996 High Incident Bridesmaid McManus Episode: "Till Death Do Us Part"
1998 Sports Night Monica Brazelton Episode: "The Six Southern Gentlemen of Tennessee"
1999–2006 The West Wing Donna Moss 149 episodes
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2001, 2002)
Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (2002, 2004)
Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2003–2006)
2005 Amber Frey: Witness for the Prosecution Amber Frey TV movie
2007 Brotherhood Dana Chase 5 episodes
2008 House Maggie Episode: "It's a Wonderful Lie"
Puppy Love Allegra
30 Rock Jessica Speyer Episode: "Reunion"
2009 Life on Mars Pat Olsen Episode: "Revenge of Broken Jaw"
Law & Order: Criminal Intent Allison Wyler Episode: "Faithfully"
Captain Cook's Extraordinary Atlas Marion Malloy TV movie
2012 Walk and Talk the Vote: West Wing Reunion - Bridget Mary McCormack Donna Moss Video short
2013 The Good Wife Kathy Eisenstadt Episode: "A Precious Commodity"
2014–2017 The Leftovers Mary Jamison Recurring (season 1), main role (season 2–3)
2014 Alpha House Senator Peg Stanchion 4 episodes
2015 The Blacklist Kat Goodson 2 episodes
2017 American Crime Raelyn 5 episodes
2018 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Dr. Lorraine Franchella Episode: "Dare"
2018–2019 The Affair Ariel 2 episodes
2020 A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote Donna Moss TV special
The Undoing Sally Morrison 2 episodes
2021 Bull ADA Sutherland Episode: "Fallen Idols"
2021 FBI Hannah Thompson Episode: "Fire and Rain"
2022 Law & Order: Organized Crime Deputy Inspector Lillian Goldfarb 5 episodes

References

  1. ^ a b Chase's editors (2022). Chase's Calendar of Events 2023: The Ultimate Go-to Guide for Special Days. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 494. ISBN 978-1-63671-068-6.
  2. ^ "Almanac: On This Date; Today's Birthdays". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 3, 2002. p. 2. ProQuest 1871709775. Rock musician Tommy Lee is 40. Actress Janel Moloney ("The West Wing") is 33. Singer Gwen Stefani ("No Doubt") is 33.
  3. ^ "Today in History: October 3; Today's Birthdays". Telegraph Herald. October 3, 2022. pp. A3. ProQuest 721065571. Rock musician Tommy Lee is 60. Actor Clive Owen is 58. Actor Janel Moloney is 53. Singer Gwen Stefani (No Doubt) is 53.
  4. ^ "'The West Wing' Overview" Archived 2012-07-23 at archive.today allrovi.com, accessed November 28, 2011
  5. ^ "Emmy Awards and Nominations". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Accessed November 28, 2011
  6. ^ "2004 Emmy Nominated" Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Accessed November 28, 2011
  7. ^ Erickson, Hal."'Bang, Bang, You're Dead' Cast and Crew" Archived 2012-07-22 at archive.today allrovi.com, accessed November 28, 2011
  8. ^ Kelleher, Terry, Lipton, Mike, and Sanz, Cynthia."Review: 'Amber Frey: Witness for the Prosecution' " people.com, May 30, 2005
  9. ^ Mitovich, Matt (2007-05-04). "It's Showtime for West Winger, Princess Leia". TV Guide. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01.
  10. ^ Frette, Bruce."Cheers: From the White House to House'". TV Guide, January 30, 2008
  11. ^ Brantley, Ben."Theater Review: '100 Saints You Should Know'" The New York Times, September 19, 2007
  12. ^ Broadway.com Staff."Janel Moloney, Adriane Lenox and Joyce Van Patten Join 'Love, Loss and What I Wore'" broadway.com, August 31, 2011
  13. ^ Nelson, Rob."'Armless' Film Review" Variety, January 24, 2010
  14. ^ "Births and Hitched", Variety, May 3, 2010. Archived from the original