Jayne Houdyshell As pronounced by Houdyshell in "Ask a Star: Jayne Houdyshell & Reed Birney of The Humans" (born September 25, 1953) is an American actress. Known for being a prolific character actor in theatre, film, and television, Houdyshell has received numerous accolades, including a Tony Award, two Obie Awards, and a Drama Desk Award.
She made her Broadway debut in the musical A Wonderful Life (2005). She went on to receive the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for The Humans (2016). She was Tony-nominated for her roles in the Lisa Kron play Well (2006), the revival of Stephen Sondheim's musical Follies (2012), the new play by Lucas Hnath A Doll's House, Part 2 (2017), and the revival of Meredith Willson's The Music Man (2022).
She is also known for her supporting film roles in Alexander Payne's science fiction comedy Downsizing (2017) and Greta Gerwig's period piece Little Women, and for reprising her role in the 2021 film adaptation of The Humans. She has had recurring roles in various television series, including Third Watch, Law & Order, Blue Bloods, and The Good Fight. She starred as "Bunny Folger" on the hit Hulu comedy series Only Murders in the Building, for which she was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series.
Early life and education Raised in Topeka, Kansas, she is the youngest of four daughters born to Galen "Buzz" Houdyshell and Louella Taylor. She graduated from Topeka High School in 1971, and she went on to Emporia State University then on to graduate with honors from the Academy of Dramatic Art at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan in 1974."Alumna Jayne Houdyshell nominated for a Tony Award" , oakland.edu, May 4, 2016.
Career 1973–2004: Early roles Since the mid-1970s, she has appeared in more than 200 plays at regional theaters throughout the United States, including the Meadow Brook Theater, Attic Theater, Missouri Repertory Theater, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Yale Repertory Theater, McCarter Theater, Delaware Theater Company, Wilma Theater, Syracuse Stage, Studio Arena, GeVa Theater, Actors Theater of Louisville, Steppenwolf Theater, American Conservatory Theater, Timber Lake Playhouse, Old Creamery Theatre, Totem Pole Playhouse, Peterborough Players, and others.
Houdyshell reminisces that, after moving to Manhattan in 1980, “I was traveling all that 20 years...There was a community of actors who did that. We were itinerant actors who just continually moved around the country from theater to theater and job to job."Pressley, Nelson. "Jayne Houdyshell, late-blooming Broadway baby", The Washington Post, September 12, 2014 She has appeared in numerous films, including Changing Lanes (2002) with Ben Affleck, Maid in Manhattan (2002) with Jennifer Lopez, and Garden State (2004) with Zach Braff and Natalie Portman.
2005–2014: Broadway debut and other roles Houdyshell's television credits include appearances on Third Watch, Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Blue Bloods, and The Good Fight,Jayne Houdyshell Filmography" allmovie.com, retrieved September 12, 2018 and as Bunny Folger on Only Murders in the Building. During this time she acted in Trust the Man (2006) with Julianne Moore, and Everybody's Fine (2009) with Robert De Niro, Kate Beckinsale, Drew Barrymore, and Sam Rockwell. She also had a role in the 2010 film The Bounty Hunter with Jennifer Aniston and Gerard ButlerThe Bounty Hunter allmovie.com, retrieved September 12, 2018
In New York, she is known for her role as "Ann Kron" in the Broadway production of Well by Lisa Kron. It was a role that garnered her a Tony Award nomination in 2006. She won a Theater World Award and an Obie Award, Outstanding Performance, for the Off-Broadway production of Well, which ran in 2004 at the Public Theater. " 'Well' Off-Broadway", lortel.org, accessed May 25, 2016
She received the 2005 Joseph Jefferson Award, Supporting Actress, Play for her performance in The Pain and the Itch for Steppenwolf Theatre CompanyLipton, Brian Scott. "2005 Joseph Jefferson Award Winners Announced", TheaterMania, November 8, 2005 and a 2005 Barrymore Award, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play for her work in The Clean House at the Wilma Theater in Philadelphia."Barrymore Awards, 2005" theatrephiladelphia.org, accessed May 26, 2016Lipton, Brian Scott. "2005 Barrymore Award Nominations Announced" theatermania.com, August 10, 2005
Houdyshell's Broadway credits include Wicked, Well, Bye Bye Birdie,Jones, Kenneth. , Playbill.com, September 10, 2009 and The Importance of Being Earnest. In 2010, she starred as the Stage Manager in the film Morning Glory opposite Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, and Rachel McAdams. She played the role of "Hattie" in the 2011 revival of Follies, and received a 2012 Tony Award nomination, Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance.Gans, Andrew; Jones, Kenneth; and Hetrick, Adam. "2012 Tony Awards Nominations Announced; Once Earns 11 Nominations", Playbill, May 1, 2012 Houdyshell played the Nurse in the 2013 Broadway revival of Romeo and Juliet.Gordon, David. "Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow: Broadway's 'Romeo and Juliet', Starring Orlando Bloom, Will Close in December", theatermania.com, November 20, 2013
2015–2020: The Humans and acclaim She appeared in The Humans as "Deirdre Blake", first in its Off-Broadway engagement at the Roundabout Theatre Company in September 2015 to December 2015,Simoes, Monica. "First Pics of Reed Birney, Jayne Houdyshell and Sarah Steele in Roundabout's 'The Humans'", Playbill, October 1, 2015 and then the Broadway production of the play which opened at the Helen Hayes Theatre on February 18, 2016. For The Humans she won the 2016 Tony Award, Featured Actress in a Play,Viagas, Robert. " 'Hamilton' Tops Tony Awards With 11 Wins", Playbill.com, June 12, 2016. the 2016 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Ensemble Performance,"'The Humans' Broadway", Playbill.com; accessed May 25, 2016 and the Obie Award, Performance."Obie Awards Winners Announced", Variety.com, May 23, 2016. She was also nominated for the 2016 Outer Critics Circle Award, Outstanding Actress in a Play.
In 2015, she starred as Rose Offer on the NBC limited series American Odyssey opposite Anna Friel and Peter Facinelli. In 2017, she appeared in Alexander Payne's science fiction comedy feature Downsizing opposite Matt Damon. In 2017 she played Ann Marie in Lucas Hnath's A Doll's House, Part 2.
Houdyshell's other New York credits include Harrison, TX: Three Plays by Horton Foote at Primary Stages, Coraline, The New Century, at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center (2008);The New Century lortel.org, retrieved September 12, 2018 The Receptionist at the Manhattan Theater Club (2007);The Receptionist lortel.org, retrieved September 12, 2018 Much Ado About Nothing (Delacorte Theatre, 2004);Much Ado lortel.org, retrieved September 12, 2018 Fighting Words, and The Pain and the Itch at Playwrights Horizons (2009);The Pain and the Itch lortel.org, retrieved September 12, 2018 Attempts on Her Life at Soho Rep; and True Love at the Zipper Theater (2001).True Love lortel.org, retrieved September 12, 2018
In 2018, she starred on the third season of the ABC thriller Quantico as The Widow. In 2019, she appeared as the housekeeper Hannah in Greta Gerwig's critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated film adaptation of Little Women starring Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, and Meryl Streep. In April 2019, Houdyshell returned to Broadway as the Earl of Gloucester in the Sam Gold directed production of King Lear, with Glenda Jackson in the title role.
2021–present: Career expansion In 2021, she reprised her Tony-winning role of Deidre Blake in The Humans, the film adaptation of her Broadway play. The movie co-starred Richard Jenkins, Amy Schumer, Beanie Feldstein, Steven Yeun, and June Squibb. It had its world premiere at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2021. The film was released by A24 on November 24, 2021, both in theaters and on Showtime. In 2021, 2022, and 2025, she played the memorable role of Bunny Folger on seasons 1, 2, and 5 of the hit, Emmy-nominated Hulu series Only Murders in the Building, opposite Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. For her performance she received two nominations alongside the cast for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.
In 2022 Houdyshell played Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn in musical revival of Meredith Willson's The Music Man, starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster. For her performance she received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. That same year she acted in the psychological drama film Causeway directed by Lila Neugebauer and starring Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry. It had its world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2022. It was released theatrically and on Apple TV+ on November 4, 2022. She returned to Broadway in the revival of Anton Chekov Uncle Vanya at Vivian Beaumont Theater starring Steve Carell, Allison Pill, William Jackson Harper, and Alfred Molina.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes2002Changing LanesMiss Tetley 2002 Maid in ManhattanCarmen 2004 Garden StateMrs. Lubin2005Trust the ManSex Addicts Leader2005RoadPostal Clerk2006Things That Hang from TreesPam Dupont 2006The Immaculate ConceptionSister Patricia2009Everybody's FineAlice2010The Bounty HunterLandlady2010Morning GloryStage Manager2014Romeo and JulietNurse2014Lucky StiffHarry's Landlady2017DownsizingPaul's Mother2018The ChaperoneSister Delores2019Little WomenHannah2021The HumansDeirdre Blake2022CausewaySharon
Television Year Title Role Notes1999Third WatchJaneEpisode: "Welcome to Camelot"1997–2002 Law & Order Various Characters 3 episodes2002–17Law & Order: Special Victims UnitJudge Ruth Linden 10 episodes2005Law & Order: Criminal Intent Ruth Pear Episode: "The Unblinking Eye"2006ConvictionJudge Roberta Palski 2 episodes2009 Loving LeahMrs. Finkelman Television movie2009Guiding LightJudge Burslem Episode #1.156592010Running WildeGertie StellvertretterPilot 2014Blue BloodsRoseanne GaleckiEpisode: "Open Secrets"2015ElementaryCarla Episode: "Hemlock"2015American OdysseyRose Offer8 episodes2015Neon Joe, Werewolf HunterJane Cotton 2 episodes2017The Accidental WolfRachEpisode: "Kathryn"2017–18The Good FightRenée Rampling2 episodes2018QuanticoThe WidowEpisode: "The Conscience Code"2019The TickBlack Market BobEpisode: "Magic is Real"2020EvilJudge Sara Carl ShireEpisode: "Justice x 2"2021–22, 2025Only Murders in the BuildingBunny FolgerRecurring
Theatre Year Title Role Notes2005A Wonderful LifeMrs. MartiniSam S. Shubert Theatre, Broadway2006Well Ann Longacre Theatre, Broadway2006–08Wicked Madame Morrible (replacement) Gershwin Theatre, Broadway2009–10Bye Bye BirdieMae Peterson Henry Miller's Theatre, Broadway2010WickedMadame Morrible (replacement)Emerald City Tour 2011The Importance of Being EarnestMiss Prism (replacement)American Airlines Theatre, Broadway 2011–12FolliesHattie WalkerMarquis Theatre, BroadwayAhmanson Theatre, Los Angeles20118Maggie GallagherEugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway2012–13Dead AccountsBarbaraMusic Box Theatre, Broadway2013Romeo and JulietNurseRichard Rodgers Theatre, Broadway2015Fish in the DarkGloria Drexel Cort Theatre, Broadway2015–17The HumansDeirdre BlakeLaura Pels TheatreHelen Hayes TheatreGerald Schoenfeld Theatre2017A Doll's House, Part 2Anne Marie John Golden Theatre, Broadway2018The HumansDeirdre BlakeAhmanson Theatre, Los AngelesHampstead Theatre, London2019King LearEarl of Gloucester Cort Theatre, Broadway2022 The Music ManMrs. Shinn Winter Garden Theatre, Broadway2024Uncle VanyaMama VoinitskiVivian Beaumont Theatre, Broadway
Awards and nominations