Jane Kaczmarek

Jane Kaczmarek is an actress whose career spans television, film, and theater. Kaczmarek earned a degree in theater from the University of Wisconsin-Madison before completing her MFA at the Yale School of Drama. Early in her career, she appeared in more than 40 television series, including "St. Elsewhere," "Frasier," "Cybill," "Law & Order," and "Party of Five." On Broadway, she replaced Mercedes Ruehl in Neil Simon's "Lost in Yonkers." Her stage work includes winning the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for "Raised in Captivity" and performing in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Dinner with Friends" at South Coast Repertory.

Kaczmarek became widely recognized for her role as Lois on the Fox sitcom "Malcolm in the Middle." Her performance earned seven consecutive Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, three Golden Globe nominations, two Screen Actors Guild nominations, two Television Critics Association Awards, and an American Comedy Award for Funniest Female Performer in a TV Series.

In addition to "Malcolm in the Middle," Kaczmarek has worked across multiple platforms in the entertainment industry. She starred as Judge Trudy Kessler in the legal drama "Raising the Bar," appeared in the film "Pleasantville," voiced Judge Constance Harm on "The Simpsons," and took on roles in series including "This Is Us," "The Big Bang Theory," and "The Changeling." She also reunited with Bryan Cranston for a "Breaking Bad" alternate ending referencing the "Newhart" finale.

Kaczmarek reprised her role as Lois in "Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair," a four-episode revival series on Hulu and Disney+. Off-screen, she is the founder of the nonprofit organization Clothes Off Our Back, which auctions celebrity clothing and accessories from award ceremonies to benefit children's charities. Kaczmarek is recognized for her work in comedy and drama, as well as her contributions to philanthropy and the American entertainment industry.