Jane Lynch

Actor

b. July 14, 1960

"As for being out in Hollywood—I never thought about it. I never hid who I was."

Jane Lynch is an award-winning theater, film and television actor. In 2010, she shared a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Comedy Ensemble for the hit television series “Glee.” She also received a Golden Globe nomination and won an Emmy for her role on the show.

Lynch grew up in Dolton, Illinois, outside Chicago. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from Illinois State University and a Master of Fine Arts in Theater from Cornell.

Lynch began her career on stage with the Second City comedy troupe, followed by a stint playing Carol Brady in the touring company of "The Real Live Brady Bunch." In 1998, Lynch wrote and starred in "Oh Sister, My Sister." Six years later, Lynch’s play helped launch the Lesbians in Theater program at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center.

After playing bit parts and acting in commercials, Lynch caught the attention of film director Christopher Guest, who spotted her in a Frosted Flakes commercial and cast her in "Best in Show." Lynch’s turn as a lesbian dog handler in the movie was her breakout role. She has appeared in more than 50 films, including "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Julie and Julia," "Alvin and the Chipmunks," "Talladega Nights" and "The Fugitive."

On television, Lynch guest starred on dozens of series, including "Judging Amy," "The West Wing," "Arrested Development" and "Boston Legal." She played recurring characters on "The L Word," "Party Down," "Two and a Half Men" and "Criminal Minds."

As Sue Sylvester, the "Glee" cheerleading coach described as "pure evil," Lynch is receiving rave reviews. Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Lynch alone makes 'Glee' worth watching."

In 2005, Jane Lynch was named one of the "10 Amazing Gay Women in Showbiz" by the Professional Organization of Women in Entertainment Reaching Up (POWER UP). In 2010, Outfest, the Los Angeles gay and lesbian film festival, honored Lynch with the 14th annual Achievement Award for her contributions to LGBT film and media.