Allison Janney is an American actress who has received numerous nominations and has won multiple awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, six Critics' Choice Awards, eight Screen Actors Guild Awards, eight Primetime Emmy Awards, two Drama Desk Awards and two nominations for the Tony Award.
After numerous years of minor supporting roles in films and television, Janney's breakthrough came with her portrayal of C. J. Cregg on the NBC political drama The West Wing, which earned her four Primetime Emmy Awards, four Screen Actors Guild Awards, and four nominations for the Golden Globe Award. She earned further Emmy wins for her performances on television series Masters of Sex, Mom, and The Diplomat, bringing her cumulative wins to eight. By virtue of this, she is tied for the most awarded thespian in the history of Emmy Awards (along with Cloris Leachman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Jean Smart).
For her work on Broadway, Janney has received two Drama Desk Awards, three Outer Critics Circle Awards, the Clarence Derwent Award, the Theatre World Award, four nominations for the Drama League Award and two nominations for the Tony Award.
Janney has starred in various acclaimed films including American Beauty (1999), The Hours (2002), Hairspray (2007), Juno (2007), The Help (2011) and Bombshell (2019). All these films earned her nominations at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and Critics' Choice Movie Awards for Best Ensemble, winning for the first and the penultimate films. For her portrayal of LaVona Golden in the 2017 biographical film I, Tonya, Janney won the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Critics' Choice Movie Award, Golden Globe Award, Independent Spirit Award, and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Major associations
Academy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2018 Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya
BAFTA Awards Year Category Nominated work Result British Academy Film Awards 2018 Best Actress in a Supporting Role I, Tonya
Critics' Choice Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2003Best Acting Ensemble The Hours 2008 Hairspray Juno 2012 The Help 2018 Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya 2020 Best Acting Ensemble Bombshell Critics' Choice Television Awards 2014 Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series Masters of Sex Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Mom (season 1) 2015 Mom (season 2) 2016 Mom (season 3) 2017 Mom (season 4) 2018 Best Actress in a Comedy Series Mom (season 5) 2025Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series The Diplomat 2026
Emmy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Primetime Emmy Awards 2000Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series The West Wing (episode: "Celestial Navigation" + "Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics") 2001 The West Wing (episode: "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen" (Part 2) + "Galileo") 2002 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series The West Wing (episode: "The Women of Qumar") 2003 The West Wing (episode: "The Long Goodbye") 2004 The West Wing (episode: "Access") 2006 The West Wing (episode: "Institutional Memory") 2014 Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Mom (episode: "Estrogen and a Hearty Breakfast") Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Masters of Sex (episode: "Brave New World") 2015 Masters of Sex (episode: "Parallax") Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Mom (episode: "Dropped Soap and a Big Guy on a Throne") 2016 Mom (episode: "Terrorists and Gingerbread") Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Masters of Sex (episode: "Matters of Gravity") 2017Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Mom (episode: "Tush Push and Some Radishes") 2018 Mom (episode: "Phone Confetti and a Wee Dingle") 2021 Mom (episode: "My Kinda People and the Big To-Do") 2026Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series The Diplomat (episode: "Amagansett")
Golden Globe Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2001Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film The West Wing (season 1) 2002 The West Wing (season 2) 2003Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama The West Wing (season 3) 2004 The West Wing (season 4) 2015 Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Mom (season 1) 2018 Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture I, Tonya 2025Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film The Diplomat 2026
Independent Spirit Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2005 Best Supporting Female Our Very Own 2009 Life During Wartime 2017 I, Tonya
Screen Actors Guild Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2000Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture American Beauty 2002 Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama SeriesThe West Wing (season 1) Outstanding Female Actor in a Drama Series 2003The West Wing (season 2) Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture The Hours 2004 Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama SeriesThe West Wing (season 3) Outstanding Female Actor in a Drama Series 2005The West Wing (season 4) Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series 2006 Outstanding Female Actor in a Drama SeriesThe West Wing (season 5) Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series 2007 The West Wing (season 6) 2008Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture Hairspray 2012 The Help 2018 Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role I, Tonya 2020Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture Bombshell 2025 Outstanding Female Actor in a Drama Series The Diplomat
Tony Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1998 Best Actress in a Play A View from the Bridge 2009 Best Actress in a Musical 9 to 5
Critic associations Organizations Year Category Work Result Alliance of Women Film Journalists 2011 Best Ensemble The Help 2017 Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya African American Film Critics Association 2014 Best Acting Ensemble Get on up Austin Film Critics Association 2007Best Supporting Actress Juno 2017 I, Tonya Black Film Critics Circle 2011 Best Ensemble The Help Boston Society of Film Critics 2017 Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya Central Ohio Film Critics Society 2011Best Ensemble The Help 2017Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya Chicago Film Critics Association 2017 Best Supporting Actress Chicago Indie Critics Awards 2017 Best Supporting Actress Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film Awards 1996Best Supporting Actress Big Night 2007 Juno 2013 The Way, Way Back 2017 I, Tonya Best Performance by an Ensemble Cast 2022Best Supporting Actress To Leslie Columbus Film Critics Association 2017 Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Denver Film Critics Society Awards Best Supporting Actress Detroit Film Critics Society Awards 2011Best Ensemble The Help 2017Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya Florida Film Critics Circle Awards Best Supporting Actress Best Cast Georgia Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Hawaii Film Critics Society Awards Best Supporting Actress Houston Film Critics Society Awards Best Supporting Actress Indiana Film Journalists Association Best Supporting Actress IndieWire Critics Poll Awards Best Supporting Actress Las Vegas Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actress London Film Critics Circle Supporting Actress of the Year Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actress Memphis Online Film Critics Awards Best Supporting Actress National Society of Film Critics Best Supporting Actress Nevada Film Critics Society Awards 2011 Best Ensemble The Help 2017 Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya New York Film Critics Online Awards Best Supporting Actress North Carolina Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress North Texas Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actress Online Film Critics Society Awards 2000 Best Cast American Beauty 2017 Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya Online Film & Television Association Awards 2000 Best Actress in a New Drama Series The West Wing Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series 2001 2002 Best Actress in a Drama Series Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Frasier 2003 Best Actress in a Drama Series The West Wing 2004 2007 Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip 2013 Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Veep 2014 Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series Master of Sex Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Mom 2015 Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series Master of Sex Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Mom 2016 2017 Best Actress in a Comedy Series Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya Philadelphia Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actress Phoenix Critics Circle Awards Best Supporting Actress Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards 2003Best Cast The Hours 2013 The Way Way Back 2017 Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya San Diego Film Critics Society 2011Best Ensemble Performance The Help 2013 The Way, Way Back 2017Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya San Francisco Film Critics Circle Seattle Film Critics Society Awards Southeastern Film Critics Association 2011 Best Cast The Help 2017 Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya St. Louis Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Television Critics Association Awards 2000 Individual Achievement in Drama The West Wing Toronto Film Critics Association 2017 Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya Utah Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards Best Supporting Actress Village Voice Film Poll Best Supporting Performance Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association 2011Best Ensemble The Help 2013 The Way, Way Back 2017 Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya Wisconsin Film Critics Circle Awards Best Supporting Actress Women Film Critics Circle Awards 2011 Best Ensemble The Help 2017 Best Supporting Actress I, Tonya Best Comedic Actress Mommie Dearest Worst Screen Mom of the Year Award
Theatre awards Organizations Year Category Work Result Clarence Derwent Awards 1997Most Promising Female Present Laughter Drama Desk Awards 1997Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play 1998 A View from the Bridge 2009 Outstanding Actress in a Musical 9 to 5 Drama League Awards 2009 Distinguished Performance 2017 Six Degrees of Separation Outer Critics Circle Awards 1997 Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play Present Laughter 1998 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play A View from the Bridge 2009 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical 9 to 5 2017 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play Six Degrees of Separation Ovation Awards 2009 Best Actress in a Musical 9 to 5 Theatre World Awards 1997 Theatre World Award Present Laughter
Miscellaneous awards