Jean Louisa Kelly

Infobox actor


name = Jean Louisa Kelly
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birthname = Jean Louisa Kelly
birthdate = birth date and age|1972|3|9
location = Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.
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notable role = "Uncle Buck" (1989)
"Mr. Holland's Opus" (1995)
"Yes, Dear" (2000)
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Jean Louisa Kelly (born March 9 1972) is an American actress and singer. She was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S..

Her father was a high school English teacher and her mother taught piano. [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/record/archives/vol21/vol21_iss19/record2119.19.html] Kelly graduated in 1994 from Columbia University's Columbia College with a B.A. in English.

Career

Before attending college she already had roles in the original Broadway cast of Sondheim's "Into the Woods" and in the film "Uncle Buck" with John Candy. She also took roles in college productions, including with the Barnard Gilbert and Sullivan Society. After graduation, she starred in the musical film "The Fantasticks" with Joey McIntyre and Joel Grey, although the film was shelved until 2000. After "The Fantasticks", she appeared in her most prominent role as Rowena Morgan, the muse for the title character of "Mr. Holland's Opus". She also became well known in the mid-1990s for a series of television commercials she did for MCI long distance, in which she played a telephone operator who challenged AT&T.

Kelly appeared Off-Broadway at the York Theatre as the title role in Paul McKibbins and B.T. McNicholl's "The It Girl", based on the 1927 movie "It". She also appeared in the York's "Mufti" series as Lois Lane in "It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman".

Her broadest exposure comes from her recent roles in situation comedies, first guest starring in such shows as "Mad About You", and then as a cast member of the short-lived NBC version of "Cold Feet" and as Kim Warner on the more successful "Yes, Dear". On April 30, 2006, she guest starred in the ABC drama "Grey's Anatomy".

As of 2008, Kelly resides in Los Angeles. She is close friends with Jennifer Garner and was the host of her baby shower for daughter Violet Anne Affleck. She also interviewed Garner for "Self" magazine in 2005.

External links

* [http://www.jeanlouisakelly.com/ Official website]
* [http://jen-garner.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1200 "Self" magazine interview transcript] (June 2005)
* [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/record/archives/vol21/vol21_iss19/record2119.19.html March 1996 article] in the "Columbia University Record"
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