Jane Lynch does it all: she’s an actress, a comedian, game show host and a singer. The 63-year-old Illinois native has an impressive 236 acting credits! From the famed musical comedy series Glee, to hilarious supporting characters in iconic movies like 40-Year-Old Virgin, Lynch has the comedic chops to keep you in stitches. Lynch was born and raised in Illinois, graduating from Illinois State University in 1982 with a theater degree, and earned a master of fine arts degree from Cornell University in 1984. Though she is also a singer, Lynch is deaf in her right ear. She told Craig Ferguson in a 2013 appearance on The Late Late Show that the deafness was most likely caused by having had a high fever as an infant. She was in a comedy troupe before she got her start in films in 1988 with a small role in the film Vice Versa. A few years later in 1993, she had a supporting role as a doctor alongside Harrison Ford in The Fugitive, appearing that same year as a reporter in Fatal Instinct.
Besides film and television, Lynch has also been in notable works in theater. She starred in Nora Ephron’s off-Broadway play Love, Loss, and What I Wore in 2009. Then, she made her Broadway debut as Miss Hannigan in the revival of Annie in 2013. Nine years later, Lynch returned to Broadway as Mrs. Brice in another revival, Funny Girl, in 2022.
Take a look below at our top 5 picks of Jane Lynch’s funniest roles:
