Jane Kaczmarek

Jane Frances Kaczmarek (/kæzˈmærək/; born December 21, 1955)^[1][2][3] is an American actress. Her role as Lois on the Fox sitcom Malcolm in the Middle (2000–2006) earned her three Golden Globe nominations and seven Primetime Emmy nominations. She also appeared as Linda Bauer in Equal Justice (1990–1991), Judge Trudy Kessler in Raising the Bar (2008–2009), Ann in Falling in Love (1984), Emily in The Heavenly Kid (1985), and Gayle in 6 Balloons (2018). She had recurring roles as Holly in Cybill and as Maureen Cutler in Frasier. Kaczmarek was a replacement for the character of Bella in the Broadway production of Neil Simon's Lost In Yonkers.

Early life and education

Kaczmarek was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the daughter of Evelyn (née Gregorska), a teacher, and Edward Kaczmarek, a US Department of Defense worker.^[4][5][6] Of Polish descent,^[7] she grew up in Greendale, a village outside Milwaukee, where she was raised a Roman Catholic.^[8][9] Kaczmarek is a graduate of Greendale High School.^[10] She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1979^[11] and Yale School of Drama in 1982.^[12]

Career

Kaczmarek appeared in St. Elsewhere, and sitcoms Frasier and Cybill. She was also a regular on the first eight episodes of the Showtime run of The Paper Chase, as Connie Lehman. She also played a major role in the 1994 television film Without Warning as Dr. Caroline Jaffe.

In 1999, Kaczmarek was cast to play Lois in the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, which premiered on January 9, 2000.^[13] TV Guide dubbed her role in the series as a "true breakout; a female Homer Simpson", and critics hailed her for her comic talents.^[14] Later, Kaczmarek would credit the show for bringing out her comedic side, saying, "[Before Malcolm] I couldn't even get auditions for comedies. I played very unfunny people."^[15]

In September 2008, she appeared on stage in The House of Blue Leaves at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.^[16]

In 2011, it was confirmed that Kaczmarek would make a vocal appearance as Red Jessica in the television series Jake and the Never Land Pirates during its second season early 2012.^[17]

Kaczmarek was the narrator in the 2011 Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and PBS production of Wisconsin's Nazi Resistance: The Mildred Fish-Harnack Story, a documentary about the life of fellow Milwaukee native Mildred Fish-Harnack who, in 1943, was the only American woman to ever be personally sentenced to death by order of Adolf Hitler for her role in the German Nazi Resistance Movement.^[18]

In November 2012, she made a guest appearance on ABC's The Middle as Frankie Heck's (Patricia Heaton) dental teacher. In 2013, Kaczmarek guest starred on NBC's long-running legal drama, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as Suffolk County D.A. Pamela "Pam" James.^[19]

Kaczmarek and former Malcolm in the Middle co-star Bryan Cranston reprised their roles as Lois and Hal respectively in an "alternate ending" featurette on the Breaking Bad DVD/Blu-ray box set that was released on November 26, 2013. In it, Hal wakes up from the nightmare that was the plot of Breaking Bad, in a nod to the final scene from Newhart.^[20]

Personal life

Kaczmarek married fellow Wisconsin native and actor Bradley Whitford on August 15, 1992. They resided in Pasadena, California with their three children.^[21] Inspired by their own frequent red carpet appearances, in 2002 the couple founded the charity "Clothes off our Back", which auctioned outfits and accessories worn by celebrities at award ceremonies.^[22] They were sometimes referred to as a celebrity "power couple".^[23]

Kaczmarek underwent a hip replacement in April 2004, due to chronic arthritis.^[24] She used an X-ray of her new hip for her Emmy campaign the following summer, advertising herself as "the only Emmy nominee with an artificial hip (except for Anthony LaPaglia)".^[25]

In June 2009, the couple filed for divorce after almost 17 years of marriage.^{[26][27][28][29]} The divorce was finalized in October 2010^[30][31] and they sold their 1924 villa in San Marino, California.^[32]

In March 2026, Kaczmarek told People magazine that she had married her high school sweetheart, Rusty Long, in July 2025. The two had dated as teenagers in the early 1970s but their relationship ended after graduation. They reconnected after seeing each other again at their high school class reunion in 2024.^[33]

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

Awards and nominations