Jenna Elfman

Jennifer Mary "Jenna" Elfman (née Butala; born September 30, 1971) is an American actress, best known for her performances in television comedies. Her first leading role was in the short-lived ABC sitcom Townies in 1996, before making her film debut in the 1997 comedy Grosse Pointe Blank.
Elfman is best known for her leading role as Dharma on the ABC sitcom Dharma & Greg (1997–2002), for which she won Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy in 1999, and was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Later, she went to star in films inclued Krippendorf's Tribe (1998), Can't Hardly Wait (1998), Dr. Dolittle (1998), EDtv(1999), Keeping the Faith (2000), Town & Country (2001), Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003), Clifford's Really Big Movie (2004) and Big Stone Gap (2014).
Elfman made her return to series television with a leading role in the CBS sitcom Courting Alex in 2006, it was cancelled after one season. She went on to star in sitcoms Accidentally on Purpose (2009–10), 1600 Penn (2012–13), Growing Up Fisher (2014), and Imaginary Mary (2017), all were cancelled after single seasons. She had a recurring role in the FX legal drama Damages in 2012, and in 2018 is a series regular on the AMC horror drama Fear the Walking Dead.[1]
== Early life ==
Elfman was born Jennifer Mary Butala in Los Angeles, California. She was the youngest of three children born to homemaker Sue (Grace) Butala and Richard Butala, a Hughes Aircraft executive.[2] Her father's younger brother is Tony Butala, lead singer since 1958 of the American vocal trio The Lettermen. She is of Croatian ancestry on her father's side[3] and was raised Roman Catholic.[4]
Elfman attended high school at the Los Angeles County High School for the Artsand then attended college at California State University, Northridge (CSUN).[5]She trained in ballet from age five, but later when the tendon came off her bone, she gave it up.[citation needed] She studied at the Westside School of Ballet, receiving a full scholarship.
== Career ==
Elfman began her professional career as a dancer, appearing in the music videos for Depeche Mode ("Halo" in 1990), Anthrax (1993's song "Black Lodge"), Chris Isaak (1995's "Somebody's Crying") and toured with the rock band ZZ Topon their 1994 tour as a "Legs Girl". After appearing in television commercials, Elfman was cast in the short-lived 1996 American sitcom entitled Townies on ABC. In 1997 Elfman was cast in Dharma & Greg on ABC, as Dharma Freedom Finkelstein Montgomery. The show ran for five seasons until its cancellation in 2002.
In 2012, Elfman and her husband Bodhi started their podcast, Kicking and Screaming by Jenna and Bodhi Elfman.[6]
In 2013, Elfman appeared in two NBC comedy series (1600 Penn, and Growing Up Fisher) which were cancelled after a single season.[7]
In 2016, Elfman was cast in the ABC comedy series Imaginary Mary. Like 1600 Penn and Growing Up Fisher, the series was cancelled after its first season.[8]
== Personal life ==
Elfman met her husband, actor Bodhi Elfman, at a Sprite commercial audition in February 1991. They married on February 18, 1995. Their first son, Story Elias, was born in Los Angeles on July 23, 2007.[9] Their second son, Easton Quinn Monroe, arrived on March 2, 2010.[10]
=== Scientology ===
Elfman is a member of the Church of Scientology.[11][12]
In 2005, Elfman appeared at the Scientology-backed Citizens Commission on Human Rights' "Psychiatry: An Industry of Death"[13] museum grand opening and she and husband Bodhi are listed on the organization's website as members of the board of advisers from the arts, entertainment and media community.[14]
On May 24, 2006, she was the keynote speaker at the Human Rights Hero Award event in participation with the Scientology-affiliated groups Youth for Human Rights International and Artists for Human Rights (AFHR), an organization formed with the purpose of bringing artists together with the common cause of raising awareness of human rights around the world.
On March 27, 2008, Elfman and Charlie Sheen co-hosted the Scientology-affiliated New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project Charity Event at Geisha House in Hollywood.[15]
=== Fundraising activities ===
Elfman has participated in a number of fundraising activities, including: donating an hour of her time for auction;[16] donating a print of her lips;[17]participating in a telethon fundraiser;[18] hosting a comedy show;[19] and, asking for charity donations instead of birthday presents.[20]
Elfman has also participated in awareness-raising initiatives including: modelling for a fashion show;[21] reading to schoolchildren as part of the National Education Association Read Across America program; and, hosting a party at her house to raise awareness for a number of causes headed by the Environmental Working Group.
Elfman is on the Board of Directors of the Dizzy Feet Foundation.[22]
== Filmography ==
=== Film ===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
1997	Grosse Pointe Blank 	Tanya 	
1998	Dr. Dolittle 	Owl 	Voice
1998	Can't Hardly Wait 	The Angel 	Uncredited
1998	Krippendorf's Tribe 	Prof. Veronica Micelli	
1999	EDtv 	Shari 	
1999	Venus 	Venus 	
2000	The Tangerine Bear 	Lorelei 	Voice
2000	CyberWorld 	Phig 	Voice
2000	Keeping the Faith 	Anna Riley 	Nominated—Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress – Comedy/Romance
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
2001	Town & Country 	Auburn 	
2003	Looney Tunes: Back in Action	Kate 	
2004	Clifford's Really Big Movie 	Dorothy 	Voice
2005	Touched 	Angela Martin 	Executive producer
2005	What's Hip, Doc? 	Supermodel 	Voice
2008	Struck 	Pregnant date 	Short film
2009	The Six Wives of Henry Lefay	Ophelia 	
2009	Love Hurts 	Darlene 	
2011	Friends with Benefits 	Annie 	
2014	Big Stone Gap 	Miss Iva Lou Wade 	
2016	Barry 	Kathy Baughman 	
=== Television ===
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
1992 	Murder, She Wrote 	Ballet Dancer in background 	Uncredited; Episode: "Dance Diabolique"
1994 	The George Carlin Show 	Psychedelic girl 	As Jenna Butala; Episode: "George Does A Bad Thing"
1995 	The Monroes 	Lily 	Episode: "Bottoms, Up"
1995 	Roseanne 	Garland 	Episode: "The Getaway, Almost"
1996 	Townies 	Shannon Canotis 	Main cast; 15 episodes
1996 	Murder One 	Angela Scalese 	Episode: "Chapter Seventeen"
1996 	Almost Perfect 	Becky Toll 	Episode: "Being Fired Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry"
1996 	NYPD Blue 	Patty Snow 	Episode: "The Nutty Confessor"
1997 	The Single Guy 	Jordan 	Episode: "Just Friends?"
1997–2002 	Dharma & Greg 	Dharma Freedom Finkelstein Montgomery	Main cast; 119 episodes
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy(1999)
TV Guide Award for Favorite Actress in a Comedy (1999, 2000)
Nominated—American Comedy Award for Funniest Female Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) Network, Cable or Syndication (1999)
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (1998, 1999, 2000)
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (1998, 2000)
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (2000, 2001, 2002)
Nominated—TV Guide Award for Favorite Actress in a Comedy (2001)
2002 	Obsessed 	Ellena Roberts 	Television film
2004 	Two and a Half Men 	Frankie 	2 episodes
2006 	Courting Alex 	Alex Rose 	Main cast; 13 episodes
2007 	Brothers & Sisters 	Lizzie Jones-Baker 	Episode: "Game Night"
2008 	My Name Is Earl 	Kimmi Himmler 	Episode: "We've Got Spirit"
2009–2010 	Accidentally on Purpose 	Billie 	Main cast; 18 episodes
2011 	Two and a Half Men 	Dharma Montgomery 	Episode: "Nice to Meet You, Walden Schmidt"
2012 	Shameless 	Jill 	Episode: "Fiona Interrupted"
2012 	Damages 	Naomi Walling 	7 episodes
2012–2013 	1600 Penn 	Emily Nash Gilchrist 	Main cast; 13 episodes
2013 	Royal Pains 	Lacy 	Episode: "Open Invitation"
2014 	Growing Up Fisher 	Joyce Fisher 	Main cast; 13 episodes
2014 	So You Think You Can Dance	Herself 	Guest judge[23]
2015 	The Perfect Stanleys 	Ellen 	Television film
2017 	Imaginary Mary 	Alice 	Main cast; 9 episodes
2018–present	Fear the Walking Dead 	Naomi / Laura / June 	Main cast; 12 episodes