Jennifer Westfeldt
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Westfeldt is an American
actress and screenwriter
known for the hit 2001 independent film
Kissing Jessica Stein
, which she co-wrote with Heather Juergensen
and in which the two women starred.
to a Swedish-American father and Jewish mother, Westfeldt was raised in her mother's religion. She graduated from Guilford High School
and attended Yale University
, where she sang with the a cappella
group Redhot & Blue
. She is a member of the untitled family of Wästfelt in the nobility of Sweden
.
in Lipschtick, a series of sketches she co-wrote with Juergensen, she relocated to Hollywood, where she was cast in a recurring role in Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place during its first season on ABC
. In 2001 she was featured in three episodes of Judging Amy
. Additional television credits include appearances in Grey's Anatomy
and Numb3rs
, a regular role in Notes from the Underbelly
, and the television movie
Before You Say I Do
with David Sutcliffe
.
Westfeldt made her feature film
debut in the 2001 screen adaptation of the Joy Fielding
novel See Jane Run
. Later that year she appeared in her breakthrough role, the titular character in Kissing Jessica Stein, for which she and Juergensen were nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay
. The film was an extended version of one of the sketches they had written for Lipschtick.
In 2004, Westfeldt starred opposite Paul Schneider
in the film How to Lose Your Lover and made her Broadway
debut in a revival of Wonderful Town
. Her performance won her the Theatre World Award
and a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
. She returned to the stage as a victim of the House Un-American Activities Committee
opposite Josh Radnor
in Finks, which premiered at the Powerhouse Theater in Vassar College
in Poughkeepsie
in July 2008.
Westfeldt wrote, produced, and stars in Ira and Abby
, which premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival
in June 2006.
In 2010, she was a guest star for the show 24
for the eighth season. She first appeared in the first four episodes of the season which aired January 17, 2010 and January 18, 2010. She returned to the season in the final episodes of the series.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
known for the hit 2001 independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
Kissing Jessica Stein
Kissing Jessica Stein
Kissing Jessica Stein is a 2001 independent romantic comedy film, written and co-produced by the film's stars, Jennifer Westfeldt and Heather Juergensen. The film also stars Tovah Feldshuh and is directed by Charles Herman-Wurmfeld...
, which she co-wrote with Heather Juergensen
Heather Juergensen
Heather Julia Juergensen is an American actress and writer.-Life and career:Juergensen was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1987. Soon after, she began writing and performing for the stage in both New York and Los Angeles...
and in which the two women starred.
Early life
Born in Guilford, ConnecticutGuilford, Connecticut
Guilford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, that borders Madison, Branford, North Branford and Durham, and is situated on I-95 and the coast. The population was 21,398 at the 2000 census...
to a Swedish-American father and Jewish mother, Westfeldt was raised in her mother's religion. She graduated from Guilford High School
Guilford High School (Connecticut)
Guilford High School is a four-year public high school in Guilford, Connecticut. According to the school website,College Board Scholastic Assessment Test and Connecticut Academic Performance Tests results for GHS students are consistently above state, regional and national averages...
and attended Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, where she sang with the a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
group Redhot & Blue
Redhot & Blue
Redhot & Blue, usually called Redhot, is Yale University's oldest coeducational a cappella group. Founded in 1977, the group has released twelve albums and toured around the United States and the world. The group’s repertoire is based in the jazz genre, but has expanded to include an array of...
. She is a member of the untitled family of Wästfelt in the nobility of Sweden
Swedish nobility
The Swedish nobility were historically a legally and/or socially privileged class in Sweden, part of the so-called frälse . Today, the nobility is still very much a part of Swedish society but they do not maintain many of their former privileges...
.
Acting career
After acting off-BroadwayOff-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
in Lipschtick, a series of sketches she co-wrote with Juergensen, she relocated to Hollywood, where she was cast in a recurring role in Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place during its first season on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. In 2001 she was featured in three episodes of Judging Amy
Judging Amy
Judging Amy is an American television drama that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS-TV. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly...
. Additional television credits include appearances in Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
and Numb3rs
NUMB3RS
Numb3rs is an American television drama which premiered on CBS on January 23, 2005, and concluded on March 12, 2010. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, and follows FBI Special Agent Don Eppes and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes , who helps Don solve crimes...
, a regular role in Notes from the Underbelly
Notes from the Underbelly
Notes from the Underbelly was an American sitcom that debuted on ABC as a midseason replacement. The series is based upon the novel of the same name by Risa Green, and is produced by Eric and Kim Tannenbaum for Warner Bros. Television...
, and the television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
Before You Say I Do
Before You Say I Do
Before You Say "I Do" is an American television movie directed by Paul Fox. It premiered on Hallmark Channel on February 14, 2009.-Plot:...
with David Sutcliffe
David Sutcliffe
David Sutcliffe is a Canadian actor. He is best known for playing Christopher Hayden, Rory Gilmore's father and Lorelai Gilmore's on-and-off boyfriend, on the CW show Gilmore Girls....
.
Westfeldt made her feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
debut in the 2001 screen adaptation of the Joy Fielding
Joy Fielding
Joy Fielding is a Canadian novelist and actress. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.-Biography:Born in Toronto, Ontario, she graduated from the University of Toronto in 1966, with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature...
novel See Jane Run
See Jane Run
See Jane Run is a 1991 novel by Joy Fielding in the thriller genre. It was made into a TV movie in 1995.- Plot :The book centers on Jane Whittaker, who finds herself at a grocery store in downtown Boston with no recollection of her name, her physical features, her personality, or any of the details...
. Later that year she appeared in her breakthrough role, the titular character in Kissing Jessica Stein, for which she and Juergensen were nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay
Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay
The Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay is one of the annual awards given by Film Independent, a non-profit organization dedicated to independent film and independent filmmakers.-1990s:1994*David O...
. The film was an extended version of one of the sketches they had written for Lipschtick.
In 2004, Westfeldt starred opposite Paul Schneider
Paul Schneider (actor)
Paul Andrew Schneider is an American film actor.-Early life and career:Schneider was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. He graduated from the North Carolina School of Arts...
in the film How to Lose Your Lover and made her Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut in a revival of Wonderful Town
Wonderful Town
Wonderful Town is a musical with a book written by Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Leonard Bernstein...
. Her performance won her the Theatre World Award
Theatre World Award
The Theatre World Award, first awarded for the 1945-46 season, is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or off-Broadway.-History:...
and a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
This is a list of the winners and nominations of the Tony Award for the Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical. The award, introduced in 1950, was previously named as Best Performance by a Featured or Supporting Actress in a Musical until 1976....
. She returned to the stage as a victim of the House Un-American Activities Committee
House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities or House Un-American Activities Committee was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives. In 1969, the House changed the committee's name to "House Committee on Internal Security"...
opposite Josh Radnor
Josh Radnor
Joshua Michael "Josh" Radnor is an American actor, director, and writer, best known for portraying the main character Ted Mosby on the popular, Emmy Award-winning CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, for which he has received worldwide fame and recognitions.He made his writing and directorial debut...
in Finks, which premiered at the Powerhouse Theater in Vassar College
Vassar College
Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
in Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie (town), New York
Poughkeepsie is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 42,777 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the native term, "Uppu-qui-ipis-in," which means "reed-covered hut by the water."...
in July 2008.
Westfeldt wrote, produced, and stars in Ira and Abby
Ira and Abby
Ira and Abby is a 2006 romantic comedy film directed by Robert Cary and released in the US by Magnolia Pictures. The poignant love story stars Chris Messina and Jennifer Westfeldt in the title roles, and co-stars Fred Willard, Frances Conroy, Jason Alexander, Robert Klein and Judith...
, which premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival
Los Angeles Film Festival
The Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times is an event held annually in June in downtown Los Angeles, California. The Los Angeles Film Festival began as the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival in 1995. The first LAIFF took place over the course of five days in a single...
in June 2006.
In 2010, she was a guest star for the show 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
for the eighth season. She first appeared in the first four episodes of the season which aired January 17, 2010 and January 18, 2010. She returned to the season in the final episodes of the series.