Allison Janney won three Emmy awards for her portrayal of press secretary C. J. Cregg on the television series The West Wing (1999-2006, starring Martin Sheen). In addition to her TV role, Janney has appeared in several feature films, including The Ice Storm (1997, starring Sigourney Weaver), American Beauty (1999, starring Annette Bening) and 10 Things I Hate About You (1999, starring Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger). An accomplished character actor, she has done voice work for TV and appeared on Broadway, earning a 1998 Tony nomination for her role in A View From the Bridge. To younger audiences she's known as Amanda Bynes's strict mom in Hairspray (2007, based on the John Waters movie) and as Ellen Page's not-so-strict step-mom in Juno (2007). She returned to series television in 2011, as Matthew Perry's co-star in Mr. Sunshine.

Early in her career, Janney appeared on the daytime drama The Guiding Light (1993-95)... She claims she is "five feet, twelve inches" tall.