Birth Place: Bournemouth, Doret, ENGLAND
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Jayne Atkinson is an American actress with a long and successful career on stage, television, and film. Born on February 18, 1959, in Binghamton, New York, Atkinson grew up in a family of educators and studied at Northwestern University, where she earned a degree in communications. She then went on to study acting at the Yale School of Drama, where she earned a Master of Fine Arts degree.
Atkinson began her professional acting career in the theater, making her Broadway debut in the 1985 production of "All My Sons" opposite Richard Kiley and Michael Learned. She continued to work on Broadway throughout the 1980s and 1990s, appearing in productions such as "The Art of Success" (1989), "Ivanov" (1997), and "Enchanted April" (2003), for which she earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play.
In addition to her work on stage, Atkinson has also had a successful career in television and film. She made her film debut in the 1987 movie "Satisfaction" and went on to appear in films such as "Free Willy" (1993), "The Village" (2004), and "Syriana" (2005). On television, she has appeared in numerous shows, including "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "24," "Criminal Minds," and "House of Cards," for which she received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.
Despite her success in film and television, Atkinson has remained committed to the theater throughout her career. In 2005, she starred in the Broadway production of "The Rainmaker" opposite Woody Harrelson, and in 2010, she appeared in the Broadway revival of "The Miracle Worker" as Kate Keller, for which she received a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play.
Most recently, Atkinson has been seen on television in the Netflix series "House of Cards," where she played the role of Secretary of State Catherine Durant from 2013 to 2018. She also appeared in the 2019 film "Blow the Man Down" and the television series "Madam Secretary."
In addition to her work as an actress, Atkinson is also a dedicated teacher and mentor. She has taught acting at the Yale School of Drama, the New York University Tisch School of the Arts, and the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University. She has also served as a mentor to young actors through the Sundance Institute's Theatre Lab and the Ojai Playwrights Conference.
[1993]Free Willy Annie
[1994]Blank Check Sandra Waters
[1995]Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home Annie
[2004]The Village Tabitha Walker
[2005]12 and Holding Ashley Carges
[2005]Syriana Division Chief
[2009]Handsome Harry Kelley's Wife
[2012]Revenge for Jolly! Receptionist
[2016]The Congressman Cey Winship
[2022]Baby Ruby Doris
24 Karen Hayes
A Year in the Life Lindley Gardner Eisenberg
Criminal Minds Erin Strauss
House of Cards Catherine Durant
Law & Order Melanie Carver
Parenthood Karen Buckman
The Education of Max Bickford Lyla Ortiz
Jayne Atkinson, Enchanted April
Jayne Atkinson, Enchanted April
Jayne Atkinson, Enchanted April
Jayne Atkinson, The Rainmaker
Jayne Atkinson, The Skriker
Jayne Atkinson, The Art of Success
Jayne Atkinson has appeared on Broadway in 7 shows.
Jayne Atkinson has not appeared in the West End
Jayne Atkinson has been nominated for several awards throughout her career. She was nominated for Outstanding Actress - Play at the Drama Desk Awards for her performance in "Enchanted April." She also received a nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Play at the Outer Critics Circle Awards for the same production. Atkinson was recognized for her talent once again at the Tony Awards, where she received a nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for "Enchanted April." She also received a Tony nomination for the same category for her role in "The Rainmaker." Additionally, she was nominated for Outstanding Actress - Play at the Drama Desk Awards for "The Skriker" and Outstanding Featured Actress - Play at the Drama Desk Awards for "The Art of Success."
Jayne Atkinson has won several awards for her performances in the play "Enchanted April." She received the Outstanding Actress - Play award at the Drama Desk Awards and also won the Outstanding Actress in a Play award at the Outer Critics Circle Awards for her role in "Enchanted April."