Statuesque Boston native Allison Janney -- born Nov. 19, 1960 -- grew up dreaming of becoming an Olympic skater until a serious accident derailed her plans and steered her to acting.Janney's first career break came after landing a role in a play helmed by Paul Newman and receiving encouragement from Joanne Woodward. But Janney hit her stride in the 1990s with a breakout role in the 1996 film Big Night, followed by quirky parts in The Ice Storm (1997) and American Beauty (1999) -- all the while continuing to stretch herself on stage.
It was Janney's turn as press secretary C.J. Gregg on the hit political drama "The West Wing," however, that ultimately made Janney a household name and earned her multiple Emmy Awards along with other industry honors. Her later big-screen efforts of note include Nurse Betty (2000), The Hours (with Meryl Streep, 2002) and Finding Nemo (2003).