Today we celebrate the birth of actor Jane Lynch. Her breakthrough role came in the TV series Glee where she played cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester for six seasons, but this talented actor was getting acclaimed reviews long before this.
Lynch was born in Illinois in 1960, grew up in the town of Dalton. She attended Illinois State University, graduating in 1982 with a theatre degree. She later continued her studies gaining a master of fine arts at Cornell University.
Lynch joined the prestigious Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, spending 15 years with the company where she honed her skills.
In 1988 she made her film debut with a small role in Vice Versa which starred Judge Reinhold and Fred Savage. Over the next few years she appeared in several films, she’s a doctor alongside Harrison Ford in The Fugitive and also appeared in the spoof Fatal Instinct.
Her big break through came when she worked on a television commercial with director Christopher Guest. He went on to cast her in Best in Show, A Mighty Wind and For Your Consideration.
Along the way Lynch has appeared in many TV series, she pops up in The X-Files, LA Law, Judging Amy, The West Wing, Desperate Housewives, Friends, NewsRadio, Married with Children, Third Rock from the Sun, Dawson’s Creek, Felicity and many, many more shows.
It’s as Sue Sylvester through she made her mark and moved from being a regular guest actor in small parts to a recognisable name. The role won her a Primetime Emmy, A Golden Globe and many other accolades.
Since Glee wrapped she’s appeared in The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, The Only Murders in the Building and had a recurring role in The Good Fight.
She also made her Broadway debut in 2013 when she played the character of Miss Hannigan in a revival of the musical Annie. She returned to the Great White Way in 2022 to play Rosie Brice in Funny Girl.
On US TV she also hosted the game show Hollywood Game Night for many years and since 2020 has been the host of the US version of The Weakest Link.
Lynch was married to Laura Embry from 2010 until 2014. In 2021 she married her second wife Jennifer Cheyne.
