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Allison Janney’s film and television career has spanned several decades. While she may be best known for her time on television, playing Emmy-winning roles in shows like The West Wing and Mom, she has proven time and again that she is an artist of many talents.
Janney’s movies include everything from romance to drama and everything in between. Each film showcases her incredible talent and versatility. Janney has played lead and supporting roles in numerous movies, many of which have received critical acclaim and high rankings in the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
10 ‘American Beauty’ (1999)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
American Beauty tells the story of a midlevel advertising executive having a midlife crisis. Within his world of a typical American suburb, a Marine colonel and his wife live out a tense existence. Janney plays the colonel’s wife, Barbara Fitts, opposite a haunting Chris Cooper.
Janney’s character encapsulates the trapped American suburban housewife. She is a character study of how stifling and claustrophobic this life can be. Janney captures the emotional emptiness of suburban life, disconnected from family and community and barely finding the strength to exist.
9 ‘I, Tonya’ (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
I, Tonya is a biographical look at Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie), an American figure skater and infamous figure in sports history. Janney plays Harding’s abusive mother, LaVona. While this movie contains one of Robbie’s best performances, it is also a chance for Janney to showcase her range.
Janney’s performance is so magnetic because she plays such a deeply flawed woman with so much nuance. She never makes LaVona into a sympathetic figure. Instead, she illustrates that underneath all the bravado, there is a woman who is deeply unhappy and who looks to her daughter to achieve her own unfulfilled dreams. Janney won the 2018 Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, meaning she’s one Tony away from the Tripple Crown of Acting.
8 ‘Hairspray’ (2007)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
Hairspray, the iconic musical set in the 1960s, has a lot to love. Its fun musical numbers add to a poignant message of tolerance and acceptance. Janney plays a minor antagonist, Prudy Pingleton, a racist fundamentalist Christian who wants to keep her daughter Penny (Amanda Bynes) from experiencing any kind of social life.
This character is so delightfully easy to despise; her commitment to being a bigot makes her a hateable villain. Like many characters in the film, Prudy is a caricature of this era’s right-wing ideology. The dark humor behind this character highlights an important message about intolerance, and Janney expertly fits the film’s heightened tone.
7 ‘To Leslie’ (2022)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
To Leslie is possibly best remembered for Andrea Riseborough‘s controversial Oscar-nominated performance as Leslie, a woman living with alcohol use disorder. The story is a meditation on the human condition and the realities of addiction. Janney co-stars as Nancy, an important mother figure in Leslie’s life.
Nancy is as complicated as Leslie, and Janney captures her challenging persona beautifully. In many ways, she is a mirror to the titular character, compelling Leslie to examine her own flaws. Nancy’s journey is captivating, even if the film remains firmly grounded on Leslie’s character.
6 ‘A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote’ (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
Janney reprised her iconic role as White House Press Secretary C.J. Cregg in this special episode of The West Wing. This staged version of “Hartsfield’s Landing” was a public service announcement encouraging voter turnout in the 2020 election. While time may have passed, it’s clear from this special that these characters will always be beloved.
Any chance to see C.J. Cregg back on-screen is always thrilling. Janney brings everything that makes this character so charming to life in a new way. This new context of a staged TV episode is a chance to appreciate Janney’s dominance over this iconic figure in modern television history.
5 ‘Juno’ (2007)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
Juno tells the story of a young teenager who has to navigate being pregnant. Written by Diablo Cody, who won an Oscar for her screenplay, Juno is an iconic indie movie of the 2000s with a controversial but ultimately poignant approach to teen pregnancy. Janney plays Brenda, Juno’s no-nonsense but caring stepmother.
As a mother figure, Janney embodied so much compassion and grace. The character’s unconditional support of her stepdaughter and sassy humor makes her easy to root for. Janney makes an excellent pairing with J.K. Simmons, creating two of the most memorable parents in modern teen movies.
4 ‘Bad Education’ (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
Bad Education is based on the true story of a superintendent and his deputy, who stole millions of dollars from their public school. Hugh Jackman stars in this true crime drama as Superintendent Frank Tassone, with Janney as Assistant Superintendent Pam Gluckin. The character is a key part of this scheme, which has far-reaching consequences.
This role is yet another example of Janney being able to embody a villain who’s so easy to cheer against. The fact that this character is based on a real person who committed real crimes makes her much more grounded. The character’s dark humor highlights important themes about the nature of corruption, with Janney creating a wicked but fascinating amoral figure.
3 ‘Spy’ (2015)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
Spy taps into the comedy that’s baked into the spy-thriller genre. While the story revolves around CIA desk jockey Susan (Melissa McCarthy), she’s surrounded by many equally chaotic characters. The ensemble includes Janney, who plays Susan’s CIA boss, Elaine.
While Janney’s role may be in the background, she makes the most of it. This role proves that Janney does exceptionally well in stories that feature an ensemble. Elaine’s straightforwardness goes well against the absolute anarchy of the rest of the story, and Janney is a master at delivering biting, sharp-razor humor.
2 ‘Big Night’ (1996)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Big Night offers a humorous and poignant look at the Italian-American experience. It follows a family finding love and maintaining their bonds in the face of a new, ever-changing world. Along the way, the family encounters Ann Travis, played by Janney.
While this may be a smaller role, this character is so delightfully sweet and just a little bit unhinged in the best possible way. The fact that she works in a flower shop makes her that much more charming. Janney makes the most of her limited screen time to deliver a memorable performance.
1 ‘Finding Nemo’
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%
Finding Nemo is a classic Pixar combination of beautiful colors and emotional punches, still regarded as one of the best animated features of all time. It follows Marlin, an overly protective clownfish who ventures into the ocean to rescue his young son, Nemo. Janney lends her voice to Peach, the aquarium’s starfish and resident narrator of everything happening at the dental office.
Janney’s character in this story is so charming because of how comforting and understanding she is to Nemo. She is the eyes and ears of everything happening in the dental office and uses this position to benefit her fellow aquarium residents. Peach plays an integral role in reuniting Nemo with Marlin, making her all the more endearing.
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