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Cherry Jones

Acting

Born November 21, 1956 · Paris, Tennessee, USA

Biography

Cherry Jones (born November 21, 1956) is an American actress. Having started her career in theatre as a founding member of the American Repertory Theatre in 1980, she then transitioned into film and television. Celebrated for her dynamic roles on stage and screen, she has received various accolades, including three Primetime Emmy Awards and two Tony Awards, as well as nominations for an Olivier Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Jones made her Broadway debut in the 1987 play Stepping Out. She went on to receive two Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Play for The Heiress in 1995 and Doubt in 2005. Her other Tony-nominated roles were in Our Country's Good in 1991, A Moon for the Misbegotten in 2000, and The Glass Menagerie in 2014. Her most recent Broadway performance was in The Lifespan of a Fact in 2018. She is also known for her work on television with breakthrough roles as Barbara Layton in The West Wing and President Allison Taylor in 24 the latter of which won her the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2009. She received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Transparent in 2015 and earned two Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her roles in the Hulu drama series The Handmaid's Tale in 2019 and the HBO drama series Succession in 2020. Her film appearances include The Horse Whisperer (1998), Erin Brockovich (2000), Signs (2002), The Village (2004), Amelia (2009), The Beaver (2011), A Rainy Day in New York (2019), and The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021).

Awards & recognition

  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series · 2009
  • Lucille Lortel AwardOutstanding Lead Actress · 2005
  • Tony AwardBest Actress in a Play · 2005
  • Lucille Lortel AwardOutstanding Lead Actress · 1998
  • Tony AwardBest Actress in a Play · 1995
Show all 9 awards →
  • Drama Desk AwardOutstanding Actress in a Play
  • Tony AwardBest Actress in a Play · 2014 · nominated
  • Tony AwardBest Actress in a Play · 2000 · nominated
  • Tony AwardBest Actress in a Play · 1991 · nominated

Filmography47 titles

Succession

2018as Nan Pierce

Black Mirror

2011as Susan Taylor

The West Wing

1999as Barbara Layton

Defending Jacob

2020as Joanna Klein

The Handmaid's Tale

2017as Holly Maddox

Obsessed with Light

2023as Loïe Fuller (voice)

Becoming Helen Keller

2021as Helen Keller (voice)

11.22.63

2016as Marquerite Oswald

24

2001as Allison Taylor

Foundation

2021as Ambassador Quent

Frasier

1993as Janet (voice)

Poker Face

2023as Laura

Five Days at Memorial

2022as Susan Mulderick

Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me

2013as Herself

Hacks

2021as Kelly Kilpatrick

Erin Brockovich

2000as Pamela Duncan

Our Friend

2019as Faith Pruett

Boy Erased

2018as Dr. Muldoon

Awake

2012as Dr. Judith Evans

Portlandia

2011as Bridge Manager / New Mayor

The Horse Whisperer

1998as Liz Hammond

Swimmers

2005as Julia Tyler

Motherless Brooklyn

2019as Gabby Horowitz

Signs

2002as Officer Paski

Mother and Child

2009as Sister Joanne

Ocean's Twelve

2004as Molly Star / Mrs. Caldwell

American Experience

1988as Narrator (voice)

A Rainy Day in New York

2019as Mrs. Welles

The Village

2004as Mrs. Clack

The Perfect Storm

2000as Edie Bailey

Cradle Will Rock

1999as Hallie Flanagan

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

2021as Rachel Grover

Transparent

2014as Leslie Mackinaw

The Beaver

2011as Vice President

The Party

2017as Martha

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

2016as Geri Taub

What Makes a Family

2001as Sandy Cataldi

I Saw the Light

2015as Lillie Williams

Housesitter

1992as Patty

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

2002as Buggy

Extrapolations

2023as President Elizabeth Burdick

New Year's Eve

2011as Mrs Rose Ahern

The Sky Is Everywhere

2022as Fiona

Knight of Cups

2015as Ruth

Amelia

2009as Eleanor Roosevelt

Wine Country

2019as Lady Sunshine

Days and Nights

2014as Mary