Jane Kaczmarek

Jane Frances Kaczmarek is an American actress. She played Lois on the television series “Malcolm in the Middle” from 2000 to 2006. Kaczmarek is a three-time Golden Globe and seven-time Emmy Award nominee.

Kaczmarek was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Of Polish ancestry, she grew up in Greendale, where she was raised a Roman Catholic. She majored in theater at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and later attended graduate school at the Yale School of Drama.

Kaczmarek’s first major role was in the movie “Pleasantville” in 1998. She has had several Broadway hits, including “Lost in Yonkers” and “Raised in Captivity,” where she won an L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award. Her first television role was that of Margie Spoletto on “For Lovers Only” in 1982. One of her first notable appearances was in the 1984 movie ‘Falling in Love,” starring Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro. Kaczmarek has also appeared in over 40 television roles.

In 2000, Kaczmarek was cast to play Lois Wilkerson in the sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle.” TV Guide dubbed her role in the series as a "true breakout; a female Homer Simpson", and critics hailed her for her comic talents. Later, Kaczmarek would credit the show for bringing out her comedic side. For her performance as Lois, Kaczmarek was nominated for seven Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, holding the record of receiving the most Emmy nominations in this category without ever winning. She also earned three Golden Globe Award nominations, two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, and garnered two Television Critics' Association Awards and the American Comedy Award and Family Television Award in 2001.

Since her role in Malcolm in the Middle, Kaczmarek has appeared in multiple shows, including “Reviving Ophelia,” “Lost on Purpose,” and “This is Us.”