Holland Taylor - wikipedia Holland Taylor Holland Taylor Taylor circa 1994 Holland Virginia Taylor ( 1943 - 01 - 14 ) January 14, 1943 ( age 74 ) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Occupation Actress Years active 1965 -- present Partner ( s ) Sarah Paulson ( 2015 -- present ) Holland Virginia Taylor ( born January 14, 1943 ) is an American actress and playwright. She won the 1999 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Judge Roberta Kittleson on the ABC drama The Practice ( 1998 -- 2003 ). She is also known for her role as Evelyn Harper on the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men ( 2003 -- 2015 ). Taylor 's other notable television roles include the sitcoms Bosom Buddies ( 1980 -- 1982 ) and The Powers That Be ( 1992 -- 1993 ). Her film appearances include One Fine Day ( 1996 ), George of the Jungle ( 1997 ), The Truman Show ( 1998 ), and Legally Blonde ( 2001 ). She also wrote and starred in the solo play Ann, based on the life and work of Ann Richards, for which she was nominated for the 2013 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Awards and nominations 5 Filmography 5.1 Film 5.2 Television 5.3 Theater 6 References 7 External links Early life Taylor was born in 1943 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Virginia ( née Davis ), a painter, and C. Tracy Taylor, an attorney. She is the youngest of three girls in the family ; her sisters are Patricia and Pamela, and through Pamela, she is the aunt of director Brad Anderson. She attended high school at Westtown School, a Quaker boarding school in West Chester, Pennsylvania. She majored in drama at Bennington College graduating in 1964, before moving to New York City to become an actress. Career Taylor began in the theater. Throughout the 1960s, ' 70s, and ' 80s, she appeared in numerous Broadway and off - Broadway productions, including starring roles in Simon Gray 's Butley and A.R. Gurney 's The Cocktail Hour ; for the latter, she was nominated for a Drama Desk award. In 1983, Taylor appeared in Breakfast with Les and Bess, which prompted the New York magazine theatre critic John Simon to sing, ``... Miss Taylor is one of the few utterly graceful, attractive, elegant and technically accomplished actresses in our theatre... seeing her may turn you, like me, into a Taylor freak... '' Taylor took the role of Denise Cavanaugh on the soap opera, The Edge of Night, who killed herself just to frame her husband. Then encouraged by her acting coach, Stella Adler, Taylor took a role that would make her well known : Tom Hanks ' sexy, demanding boss in the 1980s sitcom Bosom Buddies. She proved herself to be equally adept at both comedy and drama. In 1985, she co-starred with Lisa Eilbacher in the ABC detective series Me and Mom. Two years later, she played opposite Alan Arkin in the short - lived ABC sitcom Harry, in which she received `` starring '' billing. In 1990, Taylor reunited with former Bosom Buddies executive producers Thomas L. Miller and Robert L. Boyett for a role on their ABC sitcom Going Places, playing grand dame television producer Dawn St. Claire for the show 's first 13 episodes. From 1992 - 93, she starred in Norman Lear 's The Powers That Be with John Forsythe and David Hyde Pierce, playing the wife of Forsythe 's character, a U.S. senator. In early 1994, she joined the cast of Saved by the Bell : The College Years as Dean Susan McMann, just episodes before its cancellation. Following this was her role as high - powered newspaper editor Camilla Dane on the ABC / NBC sitcom The Naked Truth ; Taylor was one of the few cast members to last all the way through the show 's run, from 1995 - 98. She played the part of Judge Roberta Kittleson on The Practice. Originally intended to be a one - time appearance, the role lasted from 1998 to 2003. She won the Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in 1999 ; in her acceptance speech, she is remembered for claiming the statue and exclaiming, `` Overnight ! '' Taylor thanked David E. Kelley, The Practice 's producer / writer and creator, for `` giving me a chariot to ride up here on : A woman who puts a flag on the moon for women over 40 -- who can think, who can work, who are successes, who can cook, and who can COOK ! '' Taylor was also nominated for an Emmy for her recurring role on AMC 's The Lot, and has been nominated four times since 2003, for Best Supporting Actress for her role on the TV series Two and a Half Men, playing Evelyn Harper, the snobbish, overbearing mother of Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer 's characters. Taylor 's television movie and series guest roles have been extensive and include appearances on ER and Veronica 's Closet, and recurring roles on Ally McBeal and Monk, and as billionaire Peggy Peabody on The L Word. Taylor 's movie roles have included Reese Witherspoon 's character 's tough Harvard law professor in the 2001 comedy Legally Blonde, Tina Fey 's character 's mother in Baby Mama, The Truman Show, Happy Accidents, Next Stop Wonderland, George of the Jungle, The Wedding Date, How to Make an American Quilt, Romancing the Stone, D.E.B.S., Cop and a Half, and One Fine Day. Taylor 's animated roles include that of Prudence, the castle 's majordomo and love interest of the Grand Duke, in Disney 's Cinderella II and Cinderella III : A Twist in Time. She also played a role in the animated show American Dad ! as Francine 's biological mother. Holland Taylor in 2008. Taylor began researching, writing, and producing a one - woman play about the late Texas Governor Ann Richards in 2009. The two - act play, originally titled Money, Marbles, and Chalk, starring Taylor as Richards, was first workshopped in May 2010 at The Grand 1894 Opera House in Galveston, Texas. It was later retitled Ann : An Affectionate Portrait of Ann Richards and opened in Chicago November 16, 2011, and was billed as a `` pre-Broadway '' engagement. It played at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, from December 17, 2011, through January 15, 2012. The show next opened on Broadway at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre on March 7, 2013. For this role, Taylor was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Play. Personal life On November 30, 2015, while answering a question about marriage in a radio interview with WNYC, Taylor revealed that she was in a relationship with a younger woman, and that most of her relationships have been with women. Her partner was later reported to be the actress Sarah Paulson. In March 2016, Taylor and Paulson 's relationship was confirmed when Paulson stated during an interview that they had been dating since early 2015. Taylor has been a supporter of Aid For AIDS in Los Angeles, serving on their Honorary Board and as an ongoing participant in their largest annual fundraiser, Best In Drag Show, among other fundraising efforts. Awards and nominations Emmy Awards Year Category Title of Work Result 1999 Outstanding Supporting Actress - Drama Series The Practice Won 2000 Outstanding Supporting Actress - Drama Series The Practice Nominated 2000 Outstanding Guest Actress - Comedy Series The Lot Nominated 2005 Outstanding Supporting Actress - Comedy Series Two and a Half Men Nominated 2007 Outstanding Supporting Actress - Comedy Series Two and a Half Men Nominated 2008 Outstanding Supporting Actress - Comedy Series Two and a Half Men Nominated Outstanding Supporting Actress - Comedy Series Two and a Half Men Nominated Tony Awards Year Category Title of Work Result 2013 Best Actress in a Play Ann Nominated Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1976 The Next Man TV Interviewer 1979 3 by Cheever : O Youth and Beauty ! Beverly 1980 Fame Claudia Van Doren Uncredited Reuben, Reuben Uncredited 1984 Concealed Enemies Mrs. Marbury 1984 Romancing the Stone Gloria Hart 1985 Key Exchange Mrs. Fanshaw 1985 The Jewel of the Nile Gloria Hart Tales from the Hollywood Hills : Natica Jackson Ernestine King She 's Having a Baby Sarah Briggs 1990 Alice Helen 1993 Cop and a Half Captain Rubio 1994 The Favor Maggie Sand 1995 To Die For Carol Stone 1995 How to Make an American Quilt Mrs. Rubens 1995 Last Summer in the Hamptons Davis 1995 Steal Big Steal Little Mona Rowland - Downey One Fine Day Rita 1997 George of the Jungle Beatrice Stanhope 1997 Just Write Emma Jeffreys 1997 Betty Crystal Ball 1998 The Unknown Cyclist Celia Uncredited 1998 The Truman Show Truman 's Mother 1998 Next Stop Wonderland Piper Castleton 1999 The Sex Monster Muriel 2000 Happy Accidents Maggie Ann `` Meg '' Ford 2000 Mail to the Chief Katherine Horner 2000 Keeping the Faith Bonnie Rose 2001 Town & Country Mistress of Ceremonies 2001 Legally Blonde Professor Stromwell 2002 Fits and Starts 2002 Cinderella II : Dreams Come True Prudence ( voice ) 2002 Home Room Dr. Hollander 2002 Spy Kids 2 : The Island of Lost Dreams Grandma Helga Avellan 2003 Spy Kids 3 - D : Game Over Grandma Helga Avellan 2003 Intent Judge Cavallo D.E.B.S. Mrs. Petrie 2005 The Wedding Date Bunny 2007 Cinderella III : A Twist in Time Prudence ( voice ) 2008 Baby Mama Rose The Chosen One Ruth 2018 Gloria Filming Television Year Title Role Notes 1969 J.T. Mrs. Arnold Television film 1971 Love Is a Many Splendored Thing Trish Wanamaker Unknown episodes 1973 Somerset Sgt. Ruth Winter Unknown episodes Beacon Hill Marilyn Gardiner Unknown episodes 1977 Kojak Elizabeth 1 episode 1977 -- 1980 The Edge of Night Denise Norwood Cavanaugh, R.N. Unknown episodes 1980 -- 1981 Bosom Buddies Ruth Dunbar 21 episodes 1981 ABC Afterschool Special Felicia Martin Episode : `` My Mother Was Never a Kid '' 1981 -- 1983 All My Children Jill Ollinger Unknown episodes 1982 The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana Frances Shand Kydd Television film 1982 I Was a Mail Order Bride Dottie Birmington Television film The Love Boat Kathy Brighton 1 episode 1984 Kate & Allie Linda Cabot 1 episode 1985 Me and Mom Zena Hunnicutt Unknown episodes 1985 Perry Mason Returns Paula Gordon Television film Harry Ina Duckett, R.N. Unknown episodes Perfect Strangers Olivia Crawford 1 episode 1987 -- 1989 CBS Summer Playhouse Fran Grogan 2 episodes Murder, She Wrote Winifred Thayer 1 episode 1990 Wiseguy Allison Royce 1 episode 1990 People Like Us Dolly Television film 1990 Big Deals Television film 1990 -- 1991 Going Places Dawn St. Clare 3 episodes 1991 The Rape of Doctor Willis Dr. Greenway Television film 1992 -- 1993 The Powers That Be Margaret Powers 20 episodes 1993 With Hostile Intent Lois Baxter Television film 1993 -- 1994 Saved by the Bell : The College Years Dean Susan McMann 7 episodes 1994 Betrayal of Trust Mary Shelton Television film 1994 In the Best of Families : Marriage, Pride & Madness Florence Newsom Television film 1994 The Counterfeit Contessa Wallace Everett Television film 1994 -- 1995 Diagnosis : Murder Agent Gretchen McCord 2 episodes 1995 A Walton Wedding Aunt Flo Television film 1995 Awake to Danger Dr. Joyce Lindley Television film 1995 -- 1998 The Naked Truth Camilla Dane 23 episodes Something So Right Abigail 1 episode 1998 -- 2003 The Practice Judge Roberta Kittleson 29 episodes 1998 Veronica 's Closet Millicent 2 episodes 1998 Buddy Faro Olivia Vandermeer 1 episode 1999 ER Phyllis Farr 1 episode 1999 The Lot Letitia DeVine Unknown episodes 1999 My Last Love Marnie Morton Television film 1999 -- 2000 Ally McBeal 2nd Woman in Face Bra Infomercial / Judge Roberta Kittleson 2 episodes 2000 Strong Medicine Lillian Pynchon 1 episode 2000 DAG Katherine Twigg 1 episode 2000 The Living Edens Narrator 1 episode 2000 The Spiral Staircase Emma Warren Television film 2000 The Deadly Look of Love Evelyn McGinnis Television film 2001 Strange Frequency Marge Crowley Television film ; segment : `` Room Service '' 2001 The Fighting Fitzgeralds Rose 1 episode 2001 The Day Reagan Was Shot Nancy Reagan Television film 2002 Fillmore ! Mrs. Cornwall ( voice ) 1 episode 2003 -- 2015 Two and a Half Men Evelyn Harper 101 episodes 2004 -- 2008 The L Word Peggy Peabody 8 episodes 2005 -- 2007 Monk Peggy Davenport 2 episodes 2007 American Dad ! Mrs. Dawson ( voice ) Episode : `` Big Trouble in Little Langley '' 2012 Electric City Ruth Orwell ( voice ) 20 episodes 2012 McDonald 's Thanksgiving Parade Grand Marshal Television special 2017 Mr. Mercedes Ida Silver 9 episodes 2017 The Orville Jeannie Mercer Episode : `` Command Performance '' 2017 Speechless Andrea Episode : `` B-R-I -- BRITISH I-N-V -- INVASION '' 2017 Good Behavior Alice Episode : `` It 's No Fun If It 's Easy '' Theater Broadway The Devils, 1965 / 66 Butley, 1972 / 73 We Interrupt This Program..., 1975 Murder Among Friends, 1975 / 76 Something Old, Something New, 1977 Moose Murders, 1983 Ann, 2013 The Front Page, 2016 Off - Broadway The Poker Session, 1967 The David Show, 1968 Tonight in Living Color, 1969 Colette, 1970 Fashion, 1974 Children, 1976 Drinks Before Dinner, 1979 Breakfast with Les and Bess, 1982 / 83 The Perfect Party, 1986 The Cocktail Hour, 1988 / 89 Love Letters, 1989 The Vagina Monologues, 1999 Ann : An Affectionate Portrait of Ann Richards, 2011 Ripcord, 2015 Regional The Philanthropist, 1971 Passion Play, 1988 Kindertransport, 1996 A Delicate Balance Black Comedy Ann : An Affectionate Portrait of Ann Richards, 2016 Los Angeles The Unexpected Man in The Geffen Playhouse, 2001 Kindertransport in The Tiffany Theatre Narrator -- LA Philharmonic `` Persephone, Stravinsky, Essa - Pekka Salonen, Conductor '' Narrator -- LA Philharmonic `` Ahknaten, Philip Glass, John Adams, Conductor '' References Jump up ^ Bobbin, Jay ( 2005 - 08 - 21 ). `` Checking in with Holland Taylor ''. The Free Lance - Star. Retrieved June 7, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Holland Taylor profile ''. FilmReference.com. Retrieved 2011 - 11 - 16. Jump up ^ C. Tracy Taylor, 77, Ex-allentown Lawyer obituary, mcall.com, May 2, 1989. Jump up ^ Brad Anderson profile, filmreference.com ; accessed June 12, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Holland Taylor returns to role in ' Naked Truth ' ''. The Vindicator. 1997 - 08 - 11. Retrieved June 7, 2011. ^ Jump up to : Rhodes, Joe ( October 5, 2008 ). `` Growing From Too Young to Grande Dame ''. The New York Times. Retrieved May 4, 2010. Jump up ^ Simons, John ( August 8, 1983 ). `` Uppie with Auntie ''. New York. Retrieved February 17, 2011. Jump up ^ Byrne, Bridget ( November 8, 2004 ). `` Stirring Things Up ''. Toledo Blade. Google.com. Retrieved June 7, 2011. Jump up ^ Ron Oliveira ( April 28, 2010 ). `` A Play About Ann Richards ''. KEYE - TV. Jump up ^ `` A Letter from Holland Taylor ''. The North Hollywood Arts Center. Retrieved June 12, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Holland Taylor to Lead Pre-Broadway Run of ANN at Kennedy Center, 12 / 17 - 1 / 15 ''. BroadwayWorld.com. November 10, 2011. Retrieved June 12, 2016. Jump up ^ Hernandez, Greg ( November 30, 2015 ). `` Two and a Half Men mom Holland Taylor : ' My relationship is with a woman ' ''. www.gaystarnews.com. Retrieved November 30, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Holland Taylor Steps Off Her Island ''. www.wnyc.org. WNYC. November 30, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2015. Jump up ^ Riedlinger, Megan. `` Rumors swirl that Holland Taylor, 72, is dating Sarah Paulson, 40 ''. Jump up ^ `` Holland Taylor says she has n't ' come out ' because she ' lives out ' ''. Jump up ^ `` Holland Taylor Confirms She Is in a Relationship with a Much Younger Woman ''. Jump up ^ Schulman, Michael ( 2 March 2016 ). `` Sarah Paulson Opens Up About Acting, Marcia Clark and Dating Older Women ''. New York Times. Retrieved 7 March 2016. Jump up ^ Taylor and Paulson in relationship since early 2015, ABC News, March 2016 Jump up ^ `` Partners / Celebrity Support ''. Aid For AIDS. Archived from the original on October 9, 2011. Retrieved 2011 - 11 - 16. Jump up ^ `` ANN -- The Ann Richards Play -- Official Site -- Starring Holland Taylor ''. Jump up ^ `` ANN - ZACH Theatre ''. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Holland Taylor. Holland Taylor on IMDb Holland Taylor at the Internet Broadway Database Holland Taylor at the Internet Off - Broadway Database Holland Taylor on Twitter Holland Taylor Bio at CBS - Two and a Half Men Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Barbara Hale ( 1959 ) Pamela Brown ( 1962 ) Glenda Farrell ( 1963 ) Ruth White ( 1964 ) Lee Grant ( 1966 ) Agnes Moorehead ( 1967 ) Barbara Anderson ( 1968 ) Susan Saint James ( 1969 ) Gail Fisher ( 1970 ) Margaret Leighton ( 1971 ) Jenny Agutter ( 1972 ) Ellen Corby ( 1973 ) Joanna Miles ( 1974 ) Ellen Corby ( 1975 ) Ellen Corby ( 1976 ) Kristy McNichol ( 1977 ) Nancy Marchand ( 1978 ) Kristy McNichol ( 1979 ) Nancy Marchand ( 1980 ) Nancy Marchand ( 1981 ) Nancy Marchand ( 1982 ) Doris Roberts ( 1983 ) Alfre Woodard ( 1984 ) Betty Thomas ( 1985 ) Bonnie Bartlett ( 1986 ) Bonnie Bartlett ( 1987 ) Patricia Wettig ( 1988 ) Melanie Mayron ( 1989 ) Marg Helgenberger ( 1990 ) Madge Sinclair ( 1991 ) Valerie Mahaffey ( 1992 ) Mary Alice ( 1993 ) Leigh Taylor - Young ( 1994 ) Julianna Margulies ( 1995 ) Tyne Daly ( 1996 ) Kim Delaney ( 1997 ) Camryn Manheim ( 1998 ) Holland Taylor ( 1999 ) Allison Janney ( 2000 ) Allison Janney ( 2001 ) Stockard Channing ( 2002 ) Tyne Daly ( 2003 ) Drea de Matteo ( 2004 ) Blythe Danner ( 2005 ) Blythe Danner ( 2006 ) Katherine Heigl ( 2007 ) Dianne Wiest ( 2008 ) Cherry Jones ( 2009 ) Archie Panjabi ( 2010 ) Margo Martindale ( 2011 ) Maggie Smith ( 2012 ) Anna Gunn ( 2013 ) Anna Gunn ( 2014 ) Uzo Aduba ( 2015 ) Maggie Smith ( 2016 ) Ann Dowd ( 2017 ) VIAF : 56151338 LCCN : no00018522 GND : 142111619 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Holland_Taylor&oldid=815426987 '' Categories : 1943 births Living people American film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses Bennington College alumni Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Primetime Emmy Award winners Actresses from Philadelphia 20th - century American actresses 21st - century American actresses HIV / AIDS activists Westtown School alumni LGBT actresses LGBT entertainers from the United States LGBT people from Pennsylvania Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from May 2015 Articles with hCards All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from June 2016 Articles with IBDb links Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Asturianu Български Čeština Deutsch Eesti Español فارسی Français 한국어 Italiano Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Português Română Русский Simple English Slovenčina Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Svenska Tagalog اردو Edit links This page was last edited on 14 December 2017, at 19 : 44. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who plays the mother on two and a half
Answer: Holland Virginia Taylor