Judith Light

Birth Place: Trenton, NJ, USA

Latest News on Judith Light:
Broadway Streaming Guide: November 2025- Where to Watch THE ARTIST, New WICKED Special, & More (Nov 3, 2025)

Video: Sarah Paulson, Glenn Close & More in New Trailer for Ryan Murphy's ALL FAIR (Oct 9, 2025)

I'LL GIVE YOU MY HEART Comes to the Colony Theatre (Sep 3, 2025)

BIO

Judith Light is known for her extensive body of television, film, and stage work. in 2019 she starred in the musical finale of Transparent, Amazon Prime’s Golden Globe–winning series, created by Jill Soloway, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination and multiple Emmy and Critics’ Choice nominations as well as in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix series The Politician with Bette Midler and Ben Platt. Last year, her role in Ryan Murphy’s FX series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story garnered her an Emmy nomination and a Critics Choice nomination.

In 2021, Light played Rosa Stevens in the biographical musical drama film Tick, Tick... Boom! directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. She later starred in the comedy-thriller The Menu. She also was cast in the comedy-drama Down Low, and comedy-drama The Young Wife starring Kiersey Clemons. On television, Light played Courteney Cox's mother in the Starz horror comedy series Shining Vale, and Blanche Knopf in the HBO Max series Julia, both which premiered in 2022.

Light stars with Alec Baldwin and Mandy Patinkin in Before You Know It which premiered at Sundance and was picked up by distributor 1091; as well as Ms. White Light, that premiered at SXSW; and Lifetime’s Nellie Bly with Christina Ricci. Upcoming, Light can be seen in film Hot Air with Steve Coogan.

In 2017, Light she starred in God Looked Away with Al Pacino at the Pasadena Playhouse. In 2016, the play, All the Ways to Say I Love You (MCC) garnered her a Drama League Award nomination. For the Broadway production of Thérèse Raquin with Kiera Knightly, Light won an Outer Critics Circle Award.

In 2012 and 2013, Light won two consecutive Tony and Drama Desk awards for her performances in Other Desert Cities and The Assembled Parties; these two performances dubbed her the first actress in nearly two decades to win consecutive Tonys.

For the Pulitzer Prize winning play at MCC Theatre, Wit, she was awarded the Helen Hayes and Eliot Norton awards. In 2011, Light received a Tony nomination for her role as Marie Lombardi in Lombardi, directed by Thomas Kail.

Light starred in and produced the film, Save Me, written by husband Robert Desiderio which premiered at Sundance in 2007. The year before, Light could be seen in the indie film Ira and Abby. Selected TV includes: “Ugly Betty” (Emmy Nomination), “Law and Order, SVU”, “Dallas”, “Who’s the Boss”, “One Life to Live” (Two consecutive Emmys).

Photos

Ben Livingston and Judith Lightfoot Clarke

Date:

10/05/2025

From: Photos: PUNCH Company Takes Bows and Walks the Red Carpet on Opening Night

Judith Light

Date:

11/18/2024

From: Photos: Inside Classic Stage Company's 2024 Gala

Judith Light

Date:

11/18/2024

From: Photos: Inside Classic Stage Company's 2024 Gala

Frank DiLella, Nikki M. James, Judith Light

Date:

11/18/2024

From: Photos: Inside Classic Stage Company's 2024 Gala

Frank DiLella, Judith Light

Date:

11/18/2024

From: Photos: Inside Classic Stage Company's 2024 Gala

David Krumholtz, Michael Urie and Judith Light

Date:

10/28/2024

From: Photos: Michael Urie Unveils Sardi's Caricature

Michael Urie and Judith Light

Date:

10/28/2024

From: Photos: Michael Urie Unveils Sardi's Caricature

Judith Light, Rosie Perez, Jacobi Jupe, Billy Crystal, Maria Dizzia and Ava Lalezarza Photo

Judith Light, Rosie Perez, Jacobi Jupe, Billy Crystal, Maria Dizzia and Ava Lalezarzadeh

Date:

10/17/2024

From: Photos: Judith Light, Billy Crystal, & More Attend the World Premiere of Apple TV+ Series BEFORE

Rosie Perez, Jacobi Jupe, Billy Crystal and Judith Light

Date:

10/17/2024

From: Photos: Judith Light, Billy Crystal, & More Attend the World Premiere of Apple TV+ Series BEFORE

Judith Light

Date:

10/17/2024

From: Photos: Judith Light, Billy Crystal, & More Attend the World Premiere of Apple TV+ Series BEFORE

Rosie Perez, Billy Crystal and Judith Light

Date:

10/17/2024

From: Photos: Judith Light, Billy Crystal, & More Attend the World Premiere of Apple TV+ Series BEFORE

Judith Light, Rosie Perez, Jacobi Jupe, Billy Crystal, Maria Dizzia, Rebecca Ruane, A Photo

Judith Light, Rosie Perez, Jacobi Jupe, Billy Crystal, Maria Dizzia, Rebecca Ruane, Ava Lalezarzadeh and Sarah Thorp (Showrunner/Writer/ Executive Producer)

Date:

10/17/2024

From: Photos: Judith Light, Billy Crystal, & More Attend the World Premiere of Apple TV+ Series BEFORE

Sarah Paulson and Judith Light

Date:

02/01/2024

From: Photos: Bradley Cooper, Pedro Pascal & Judith Light Visit Sarah Paulson at APPROPRIATE

Alyssa Emily Marvin, Corey Stoll, Everett Sobers, Michael Esper, Judith Light, Pedro Photo

Alyssa Emily Marvin, Corey Stoll, Everett Sobers, Michael Esper, Judith Light, Pedro Pascal, Sarah Paulson, Graham Campbell, Natalie Gold, Elle Fanning and Bradley Cooper

Date:

02/01/2024

From: Photos: Bradley Cooper, Pedro Pascal & Judith Light Visit Sarah Paulson at APPROPRIATE

Judith Light

Date:

11/16/2021

From: Photos: TICK, TICK... BOOM! Has its Official New York Premiere

Judith Light

Date:

11/16/2021

From: Photos: TICK, TICK... BOOM! Has its Official New York Premiere

Steven Levenson, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Levi Ross, Julie Oh, Andrew Garfield, Alexan Photo

Steven Levenson, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Levi Ross, Julie Oh, Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Joshua Henry, Vanessa Hudgens, Robin de Jesus, Judith Light

Date:

11/16/2021

From: Photos: TICK, TICK... BOOM! Has its Official New York Premiere

Judith Light

Date:

05/18/2020

From: Photo Flash: See Bette Midler, Ben Platt, Judith Light, and More in a First Look at THE POLITICIAN Season 2

Judith Light

Date:

05/18/2020

From: Photo Flash: See Bette Midler, Ben Platt, Judith Light, and More in a First Look at THE POLITICIAN Season 2

Judith Light, Bette Midler

Date:

05/18/2020

From: Photo Flash: See Bette Midler, Ben Platt, Judith Light, and More in a First Look at THE POLITICIAN Season 2

Judith Light

Date:

11/17/2019

From: Photo Coverage: On the Red Carpet at Opening Night of THE INHERITANCE

Judith Light

Date:

11/17/2019

From: Photo Coverage: On the Red Carpet at Opening Night of THE INHERITANCE

Judith Light

Date:

11/17/2019

From: Photo Coverage: On the Red Carpet at Opening Night of THE INHERITANCE

Judith Light and Marisa Tomei

Date:

11/03/2019

From: Photo Coverage: Inside MCC Theater's 'Let's Play! Celebrity Game Night'

Judith Light

Date:

11/03/2019

From: Photo Coverage: Inside MCC Theater's 'Let's Play! Celebrity Game Night'

STAGE CREDITS

God Looked Away

[Los Angeles]

Pasadena Playhouse Original Production, 2017

Estelle

All the Ways to Say I Love You

[Off-Broadway]

World Premiere Production, 2016

Faye

Therese Raquin

[Broadway]

Original Broadway Production, 2015

Madame Raquin

The Assembled Parties

[Broadway]

Manhattan Theater Club Production, 2013

Faye

Other Desert Cities

[Broadway]

Broadway Transfer, 2011

Silda Grauman

Lombardi

[Broadway]

Original Broadway Production, 2010

Marie Lombardi

Colder Than Here

[Off-Broadway]

2005

Myra

Company

[Los Angeles]

Reprise! Concert, 2004

Joanne

Sorrows and Rejoicings

[Off-Broadway]

2002

Performer

Wit

[Off-Broadway]

1998

Vivian Bearing [Replacement]

Herzl

[Broadway]

1976

Julie Herzl

Measure for Measure

[Off-Broadway]

1976

Francisca

Isabella (Understudy)

A Doll's House

[Broadway]

1975

Helene

All Together Now

[Regional (US)]

World Premiere, 1973

Performer

Movies

A Step Toward Tomorrow
[ 1996 ] Anna Lerner

Ira & Abby
[ 2006 ] Arlene Black

A Broken Sole
[ 2006 ] Hilary

Save Me
[ 2007 ] Gayle

Rhymes with Banana
[ 2012 ] Judith Light

Scrooge & Marley
[ 2012 ] Narrator

We'll Never Have Paris
[ 2014 ] Jean

Last Weekend
[ 2014 ] Veronika Goss

Digging for Fire
[ 2015 ] Grandma

Hot Air
[ 2018 ] Judith

Before You Know It
[ 2019 ] Sherrell Ghearhardt

Ms. White Light
[ 2019 ] Val

tick, tick... BOOM!
[ 2021 ] Rosa Stevens

The Same Storm
[ 2021 ] Shirlee Salt

The Menu
[ 2022 ] Anne

Down Low
[ 2023 ] Sandy

Out of My Mind
[ 2024 ] Mrs. V

TV Shows

American Crime Story
Susan Carpenter-McMillan, Marilyn Miglin

Dallas
Judith Ryland

Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man
Ursula Bacon 'Honey' Chicken, Automated Message

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Judge Elizabeth Donnelly, Bureau Chief Elizabeth Donnelly

One Life to Live
Karen Wolek

Phenom
Dianne Doolan

Queen America
Regina

The Exes
Marjorie

The Politician
Dede Standish

Transparent
Shelly Pfefferman

Twenty Good Years
Gina

Ugly Betty
Claire Meade

Who's the Boss?
Angela Bower

Before
Lynn

Kite Man: Hell Yeah!
Helen Villigan

The Terror
[ 2018-2025 ]

Awards and Nominations

winner

Tony Awards - 2019 - Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award

Judith Light

Drama League Awards - 2017 - Distinguished Performance Award

Judith Light, All the Ways to Say I Love You

Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2017 - Outstanding Solo Performance

Judith Light, All the Ways to Say I Love You

Drama League Awards - 2016 - Distinguished Performance Award

Judith Light, Therese Raquin

winner

Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2016 - Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play

Judith Light, Therese Raquin

winner

BroadwayWorld Awards - 2013 - Best Featured Actress in a Play