Jennifer Tilly

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Jennifer Tilly (born Jennifer Ellen Chan; September 16, 1958)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is an American and Canadian actress and professional poker player.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Known for her distinctive breathy voice and comedic timing,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> she is the recipient of a Saturn Award and a GLAAD Award, as well as nominations for an Academy Award and two MTV Movie Awards.

Following a succession of small parts in film and on television throughout the mid-late 1980s, Tilly made her feature film breakthrough with a supporting role as Olive Neal in Bullets Over Broadway (1994), for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She subsequently earned acclaim for her portrayal of Violet, a lesbian femme fatale, in Bound (1996). Tilly rose to widespread recognition when she played Tiffany Valentine in Bride of Chucky (1998), reprising the character in several more installments of the Child's Play film series,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> as well as the Syfy/USA show Chucky (2021–2024). Her association with the franchise has established her as a pop culture icon and scream queen.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Since 1999, Tilly has voiced Bonnie Swanson on the Fox animated sitcom Family Guy.

Tilly's other film credits include The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), Made in America (1993), Liar Liar (1997), Music from Another Room (1998), Stuart Little (1999), The Cat's Meow (2001), Monsters, Inc. (2001), The Haunted Mansion (2003), Home on the Range (2004), and Tideland (2005). On stage, she appeared in the Broadway revivals of The Women (2001) and Don't Dress for Dinner (2012), and was the recipient of a Theatre World Award in 1993 for her performance in the off-Broadway play One Shoe Off.

Tilly is a World Series of Poker bracelet champion, becoming the first-ever celebrity to win such a tournament in 2005.<ref name="NBC" /> She won the third World Poker Tour Ladies Invitational Tournament that same year, and was nominated for PokerListings' Spirit of Poker Living Legend Award in 2014.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As of 2019, her live tournament winnings exceeded $1 million.<ref name=":0" />

Early life, family and education

File:Jennifer Tilly (1991).jpg
Tilly in 1991

Tilly was born Jennifer Ellen Chan on September 16, 1958, in Harbor City, Los Angeles, California. She was one of four children born to Harry Chan, a used car salesman of Chinese descent, and Patricia (née Tilly), a Canadian schoolteacher and former stage actress<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> of Irish and Native American ancestry.<ref name=AM2011>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She has an older brother, Steve, and two younger sisters, actress and writer Meg and Rebecca, an artist.<ref name=AM2011 /><ref name= NWD />

Following her parents' divorce when she was five years old,<ref name= AM2011 /> Tilly was raised by her mother and stepfather, John Ward, on rural Texada Island in British Columbia. According to her sister Meg, Ward was a sadistic pedophile; although sister Rebecca agreed, Jennifer did not comment on the issue.<ref name="Chiu-2006">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Her mother divorced again when Tilly was 16. The family then moved to Langford (a suburb of Victoria), where Tilly attended Belmont Secondary School<ref name= YBio>Template:Cite web</ref> and graduated from Esquimalt High School.<ref name= AM2011 />

During her high school years, she developed an interest in theater, which prompted her to actively participate in plays as an extra with the assistance of her mother.<ref name= NWD>Template:Cite web</ref> She earned a bachelor's degree in theater from Stephens College in Missouri.<ref name= YBio /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Acting career

In 1983, Tilly had small roles and had a recurring guest role on Hill Street Blues as Gina Srignoli, a mobster's widow who becomes romantically involved with detective Henry Goldblume. She played Frasier Crane's seductive-but-ditzy date Candi Pearson on an episode of the fourth season of Cheers and appeared as a similar character on the eleventh season of Frasier.

She appeared as Garry's girlfriend on It's Garry Shandling's Show, which was broadcast on Showtime. She was also cast as a high-end prostitute on the short-lived comedy Key West, alongside Fisher Stevens. In 1989, she had a prominent role in the comedy Let It Ride, starring Richard Dreyfuss. Tilly's breakthrough film role was as a waitress in The Fabulous Baker Boys, a role that was written specially for her by Steve Kloves. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Olive Neal, a hopelessly bad actress in Woody Allen's 1994 comedy Bullets Over Broadway but she lost to her co-star Dianne Wiest. In 1994, she also had a small role in The Getaway with Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger.

File:JenniferTilly.jpg
Tilly at the 2007 World Poker Tour

Tilly starred in Bound (1996), directed by the Wachowskis, which portrays a lesbian relationship her character has with alluring ex-con Corky, played by Gina Gershon. She played Samantha Cole in the Jim Carrey comedy Liar Liar (1997). In Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000), she played a stripper and part-time dominatrix. She portrayed gossip columnist Louella Parsons in the Peter Bogdanovich historical drama The Cat's Meow (2001).

She gained additional popularity around that time for her portrayal of serial killer Tiffany Valentine in several of the Child's Play horror movie series. The character was first introduced in the fourth installment of the franchise, Bride of Chucky (1998), and subsequently appeared in Seed of Chucky (2004), Curse of Chucky (2013), Cult of Chucky (2017), and the television series Chucky (2021-2024). In Seed of Chucky and the second season of Chucky, she plays a dual role, providing the voice for Tiffany and also playing an exaggerated version of herself. The performance earned her nominations for the Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Actress and the MTV Movie Award for Best Scared-As-Shit Performance.<ref name="Fangoria">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="MTVAward">Template:Cite web Note: Click on the "Winners" tab.</ref> She reprises the role in every subsequent appearance.

In 2001, she starred as Crystal Allen in the Broadway revival of The Women. In 2002 she played Fanny Minafer in the made-for-TV remake of Orson Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons.

She is a semi-regular cast member on Family Guy, voicing the Griffin family's neighbor, Bonnie Swanson. She has also done voice-over work for the films Monsters, Inc., Stuart Little and Home on the Range, as well as the children's series Hey Arnold! In Disney's The Haunted Mansion, she portrays Madame Leota (a head in a crystal ball). She has been active in the theatre, winning a Theater World Award for her performance in the off-Broadway play One Shoe Off.

She had a starring role on the sitcom Out of Practice, which starred Henry Winkler and Stockard Channing. The series was cancelled in May 2006. About this time, Tilly started dividing her time between her film career and professional poker. By the end of 2008, she returned to her film and television career. In 2009, Tilly made her Chinese film debut in the Christina Yao film Empire of Silver playing Mrs. Landdeck.

In 2012, she returned to Broadway in Don't Dress for Dinner, garnering an Audience Choice Award nomination for her portrayal of mistress Suzanne. In 2013, she starred in the Wallace Shawn/Andre Gregory collaboration Grasses of a Thousand Colors which premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 2009 and then moved to the Joseph Papp Theater in 2013. She regularly appeared in the comedy revue Celebrity Autobiography.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2024, it was announced that Tilly would be appearing on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, as a friend of the housewives, for the fourteenth season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Poker career

Template:Infobox poker player Tilly's father was a gambler and a poker player, and gave her the video game World Series of Poker. She was subsequently taught the real game by her boyfriend when she moved to Hollywood.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On June 27, 2005, Tilly won a World Series of Poker bracelet (and $158,625) in the Ladies' No-Limit Texas hold 'em event, beating 600 other players.<ref name="NBC">Template:Cite web</ref> She followed up this accomplishment on September 1, 2005, by winning the third World Poker Tour Ladies Invitational Tournament held at the Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens, a suburb of Los Angeles. Tilly has appeared in the GSN Poker Royale series.<ref>"GSN's Celebrity Poker Tournaments on TV: "Poker Royale". June 14, 2005, Poker TV.com</ref> Tilly played in the Celebrity Poker Showdown which aired June 14, 2006, on Bravo. She came in third place after being beaten by Bravo's online poker champion Ida Siconolfi. She also participated in the Poker After Dark show.

When playing poker on television, Tilly often wears low-cut tops with push-up bras that expose considerable cleavage in order to "look cute", but noted that "if people are really playing poker, they don't care. Nothing looks better to them than a pair of aces. They're not looking at your pair. They're looking at their pair."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Tilly appears in the Activision’s World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions 2007 Edition video game, along with her boyfriend Phil Laak.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In a television interview in 2005, Tilly stated that at that point in her career she was more interested in pursuing poker than acting.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> By December 2008, Tilly announced her retirement from poker as a career. In her monthly column in Bluff Magazine, she said: "I love poker but greatness in poker is an elusive dream. There are too many variants. Trying to find validation in poker is like trying to find a virgin in a whorehouse. I'm not giving up poker entirely – gambling is an addiction after all. I'm just going to treat it more like a hobby and less like a career."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In January 2010, she resumed her poker career.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She was nominated for PokerListings' Spirit of Poker Living Legend Award in 2014,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Template:As of, her live tournament winnings exceeded $1 million.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Tilly was married to Sam Simon, developer and producer of The Simpsons, from 1984 until 1991.<ref>"Meet Sam Simon, The Dog Nut". July 16, 2007, CBS News</ref> As of 2018, Tilly receives 30 percent of net proceeds that Simon's estate receives from the show, an arrangement she credits with allowing her to be choosier about her roles.<ref name="RadarOnline 2018">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She has been in a relationship with professional poker player Phil Laak since 2004.<ref>Template:YouTube</ref><ref>Template:YouTube</ref>

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1984 No Small Affair Mona
1985 Moving Violations Amy Hopkins
1986 Inside Out Amy
1987 He's My Girl Lisa
1988 Remote Control Allegra James
Johnny Be Good Connie Hisler
Rented Lips Mona Lisa
High Spirits Miranda
1989 Far from Home Amy
Let It Ride Vicki
The Fabulous Baker Boys Blanche "Monica" Moran
1991 The Doors Okie Girl Uncredited. Deleted Scenes.
Scorchers Talbot
1992 Shadow of the Wolf Igiyook
1993 Made in America Stacy
1994 The Getaway Fran Carvey
Double Cross Melissa
Bullets Over Broadway Olive Neal
1995 Embrace of the Vampire Marika
Bird of Prey Kily Griffith
Man with a Gun Rena Rushton / Kathy Payne
1996 Edie & Pen Edie Piper
The Pompatus of Love Tarzaan
Bound Violet
American Strays Patty Mae
House Arrest Cindy Figler
1997 Liar Liar Samantha Cole
The Wrong Guy Lynn Holden
1998 Music from Another Room Nina
Relax...It's Just Sex Tara Ricotto
Hoods Mary Crippa
Bride of Chucky Tiffany Valentine
1999 The Muse Herself
Bartok the Magnificent Piloff (voice) Direct-to-video
Goosed Charlene
Do Not Disturb Cathryn
Stuart Little Mrs. Camille Stout (voice)
Play It to the Bone Ringside Fan
2000 Cord (also released as Hide and Seek) Helen
Bruno Dolores
The Crew Ferris "Maureen" Lowenstein
Dancing at the Blue Iguana Jo
2001 Dirt Hooker
Fast Sofa Ginger Quail
The Cat's Meow Louella Parsons
Ball in the House Dot
Monsters, Inc. Celia Mae (voice)
2003 Hollywood North Gillian Stevens
Jericho Mansions Donna Cherry
The Haunted Mansion Madame Leota
Happy End Edna
2004 Second Best Carole
Perfect Opposites Elyse Steinberg
Home on the Range Grace (voice)
El Padrino Sebeva
Saint Ralph Nurse Alice
Love on the Side Alma Kerns
Seed of Chucky Tiffany Valentine (voice) / Herself
2005 Lil' Pimp Miss De La Croix (voice) Direct-to-video
The Civilization of Maxwell Bright Dr. O'Shannon
Bailey's Billion$ Dolores Pennington
Tideland Queen Gunhilda
2006 The Poker Movie Herself
2007 Intervention Jane
2008 Deal Karen "Razor" Jones
The Caretaker Miss Perry
Bart Got a Room Melinda
Inconceivable Salome "Sally" Marsh
2009 An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong Mrs. Rundell
Empire of Silver Mrs. Landdeck
Made in Romania Herself
2010 The Making of Plus One Amber
2012 30 Beats Erika
2013 Amelia's 25th Miss Celie
Curse of Chucky Tiffany Valentine Cameo, direct-to-video
Return to Babylon Clara Bow
The Secret Lives of Dorks Ms. Stewart
2015 Unity Herself Documentary
Rebel With a Cause, the Sam Simon Story
2016 A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits Divine Direct-to-video
2017 Cult of Chucky Tiffany Valentine
Ray Meets Helen Ginger
2019 7 Days to Vegas Jennifer
2020 Poker Queens Herself Documentary
2021 High Holiday Stephanie Cooksey
2022 Living With Chucky Herself Documentary
2024 Sallywood Joann

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Oh Madeline Laurie Episode: "Madeline Acts Forward at the Retreat"
1983 Boone Sonia Episode: "Words and Music"
1984 Shaping Up Shannon Winters 4 episodes
1984–1985 Hill Street Blues Gina Srignoli 6 episodes
1985 Remington Steele Eva Wilson / Blitzen Episode: "Dancer, Prancer, Donner and Steele"
1986 Stir Crazy Karen Episode: "Basic Straining"
Cheers Candi Pearson Episode: "Second Time Around"
1987 It's Garry Shandling's Show Angelica Episodes: "It's Garry and Angelica's Show: Part 1 & 2"
1989 Moonlighting Nurse Saundra Episode: "Plastic Fantastic Lovers"
1992 Dream On Ryan Episode: "What Women Want"
1993 At Home with the Webbers Miranda Webber Television film
Key West Savannah Sumner 13 episodes
1994 Heads Tina Abbot Television film
1997 Gun Phyllis Episode: "All the President's Women"
Bella Mafia Moyra Luciano Television film
1999–present Family Guy Bonnie Swanson (voice) Recurring role
2000 Hey Arnold! Lola (voice) Episode: "Suspended/Ernie in Love"
2000–2003 Scruff Tricks (voice) Main role
2001 Sister Mary Explains It All Philomena Rostovich Television film
The Kid Waitress (voice)
2002 The Magnificent Ambersons Fanny Minafer
Stage on Screen: The Women Crystal Allen
2004 Frasier Kim Episode: "Miss Right Now"
2005–2006 Out of Practice Crystal 14 episodes
2006 The Initiation of Sarah Dr. Eugenia Hunter Television film
2009 The Cleveland Show Bonnie Swanson (voice) Pilot episode
2010 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Terpsie Pratt Episode: "Take My Life, Please!"
2011 Drop Dead Diva Ginny Episode: "Dream Big"
2011, 2014 Modern Family Darlene 2 episodes
2012 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself – Guest Judge Episode: "Frenemies"
The Simpsons Herself (voice) Episode: "Gone Abie Gone"
2013, 2014 Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja Amanda Levay / The Sorceress (voice) 2 episodes
2015 Spun Out Maggie Felgate Episode: "The Secret of My Ex-Wife's Success"
2018 SuperMansion Marjorie (voice) Episode: "A Prayer for Mister T: A SuperMansion Thanksgiving Special"
2020 JJ Villard's Fairy Tales Little Red Riding Hood (voice) Episode: "Little Red Riding Hood"
2020, 2022–present The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Herself Episode: "To Live and Text in Beverly Hills", "Secrets Revealed", "The Crystal Conundrum", "The Eaglewoman Has Landed", & "Sutton-ly Suspicious"
Guest: Seasons 10, 12 & 13, Friend of: Season 14
2021 Calls Mother (voice) Episode: "The Beginning"
Monsters at Work Celia Mae (voice)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Main role: Season 1 only
2021–2024 Chucky Tiffany Valentine / Herself (voice) Recurring role
2022 Bee and PuppyCat: Lazy In Space Violet (voice) Guest
Queer for Fear: The History of Queer Horror Herself Docuseries
2023 SpongeBob SquarePants Petunia (voice) Episode: "The Flower Plot"
2024 The Boulet Brothers' Dragula Herself – Guest Judge Episode: "Killer Dolls"
2025 Denise Richards & Her Wild Things Herself Episode: "The Family that Photoshoots Together…"
2026 School Spirits Dr. Deborah Hunter-Price Recurring role

Web

Year Title Role Notes
2017 Kevin Pollak's Chat Show Herself/Guest Episode: "335"

Video games

Year Title Voice role Note
2014 Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff Bonnie Swanson
2023 Dead by Daylight The Good Gal (Tiffany Valentine) DLC

Awards and nominations

Year Awards Category Nominated work Result Template:Abbr
Template:N/A Drama-Logue Award Best Actress Vanities Template:Won <ref name="BroadwayWorld2020">Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:N/A Template:N/A One Shoe Off Template:Won <ref name="latw"/>
1989 CableACE Award Best Actress in a Comedy Series It's Garry Shandling's Show Template:Nom
1993 Theatre World Award Outstanding Newcomer One Shoe Off Template:Won <ref name="latw">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1994 Awards Circuit Community Award Best Cast Ensemble Template:Small Bullets Over Broadway Template:Nom
1995 Academy Award Best Supporting Actress Template:Nom <ref name=GlobeOscarGeminiRef>"Forrest Gump runs away with Oscar nominations: Once unwanted film up for 13 awards, one less than All About Eve's record" at The Globe and Mail (Feb 15, 1995) Retrieved from Template:ProQuest</ref>
American Comedy Award Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Template:Nom
Gemini Award Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-series Heads Template:Nom <ref name=GlobeOscarGeminiRef/>
1997 Saturn Award Best Supporting Actress Bound Template:Nom
Fantasporto Film Festival Best Actress Template:Won
MTV Movie Award Best Kiss Template:Small Template:Nom
1998 Blockbuster Entertainment Award Favorite Supporting Actress – Comedy Liar Liar Template:Nom
Eyegore Awards Best Actress Herself Template:Won <ref name="B. 2008 i355">Template:Cite web</ref>
1999 Saturn Award Best Actress Bride of Chucky Template:Nom
2000 Fantafestival Best Actress Template:Won
2001 DVD Exclusive Award Best Actress in a DVD Premiere Movie Ball in the House Template:Won
2004 Fangoria Chainsaw Award Best Actress Seed of Chucky Template:Terminated <ref name="Fangoria"/>
MTV Movie Award Best Frightened Performance Template:Nom <ref name="MTVAward"/>
2006 GLAAD Media Award Golden Gate Award Herself Template:Won
Asheville Film Festival Career Achievement Award Template:Won <ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2007 San Diego Film Festival Best Actress Intervention Template:Won <ref>"Tilly's lucky at cards, and lucky on screen" by Roger Moore (Sentinel Movie Critic), Orlando Sentinel (April 4, 2008) Retrieved from Template:ProQuest</ref>
2008 Florida Film Festival Artistic Achievement Herself Template:Won <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2010 TheWIFTS Foundation International Visionary Award Barbara Tipple Award for Best Actress Intervention and Inconceivable Template:Won
2015 Behind the Voice Actors Award Best Female Vocal Performance in a Television Series in a Guest Role – Action/Drama Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja Template:Nom
2021 Garden State Film Festival Best Ensemble (Feature) Template:Small 7 Days to Vegas Template:Won
2022 Saturn Award Best Guest-Starring Performance: Network / Cable Series Chucky Template:Won <ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2025 Project Angel Food Angel Award Herself Template:Won <ref name="Variety2025">Template:Cite web</ref>

Poker awards

References

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Template:Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role on Television Template:2000s WSOP Bracelet Winners Template:Authority control

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