Photo: Gage Skidmore / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Jennifer Jason Leigh is, for my money, one of the bravest actors of her generation. While her peers chased star vehicles, she gravitated toward damaged, difficult, sometimes frightening characters — from Last Exit to Brooklyn to Single White Female to her ferocious turn in The Hateful Eight. She disappears into roles with a commitment that borders on the alarming, and critics' groups noticed long before mainstream awards did. What I admire most is the consistency of her taste: four decades in, she still picks projects like a cinephile rather than a careerist. Hollywood royalty by birth, character actor by stubborn, glorious choice.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jennifer Jason Leigh
- Name (Japanese)
- ジェニファー・ジェイソン・リー
- Reading
- じぇにふぁー・じぇいそん・りー
- Born
- February 5, 1962 (age 64)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aquarius / Tiger
- Origin
- Hollywood, California, United States
- Occupation
- actor / film producer / screenwriter / film director
2. Background
- High school
- Palisades Charter High School
Awards & achievements
- 1990 Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress
- 1993 MTV Movie Award for Best Villain
- 1994 National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress
- 2005 Genie Awards
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Last Exit to Brooklyn | — | |
| Notable work | Miami Blues | — | |
| Notable work | Single White Female | — | |
| Notable work | Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle | — | |
| Notable work | The Hateful Eight | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Jennifer Jason Leigh born?
Born February 5, 1962 (age 64).
Where is Jennifer Jason Leigh from?
Jennifer Jason Leigh is from Hollywood, California, United States.
What does Jennifer Jason Leigh do?
Jennifer Jason Leigh works as actor, film producer, screenwriter, film director.
What is Jennifer Jason Leigh known for?
Notable works include Last Exit to Brooklyn, Miami Blues, Single White Female.
Actor — see all → · Film producer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-11
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.