Jennifer Tilly is an Academy Award-nominated American–Canadian actress and a world-class poker player. In 1983, Tilly made her acting debut as a minor character in the series Oh Madeline, which was filmed in Los Angeles, US.
She made her cinematic debut in 1984 with the film ‘No Small Affair,’ Since then, she has been unstoppable, appearing in many films each year. In addition, she got off to a brilliant start in acting. In her early days as an actor, she appeared on such popular shows as ‘Hill Street Blues,’ ‘Cheers,’ and ‘Frasier.’
Although she was primarily utilized in minor parts, this was more than a beginner actor would have anticipated. She got her long-deserved breakthrough in Woody Allen’s “Bullets over Broadway,” which earned her a nod for an “Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.”
She has appeared in several internationally notable films, including ‘Bound,’ ‘Liar Liar,’ and most recently, She’s lent her voice to a slew of movies throughout the years, including ‘Stuart Little,’ ‘And the Simpsons,’ and ‘Family Guy.’
Early Life And Family Of Jennifer Tilly
Jennifer Tilly (Jennifer Ellen Chan on September 16, 1958) was born in Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Patricia, was a schoolteacher who had previously worked as an actress, and her father, Harry, sold used automobiles. Jennifer has three siblings: Steve, Meg, and Rebecca; Meg also pursued acting and won a Golden Globe for the 1985 film “Agnes of God.”
Tilly’s parents divorced when she was 5, and Patricia married John Ward, a “sadistic pedophile,” according to Meg. Rebecca agreed with Meg’s statements, but Jennifer has not spoken up.
Tilly grew up in British Columbia’s Texada Island, where her mother divorced Ward when she was 16. After completing high school at Belmont Secondary School in Victoria, Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from Stephens College in Missouri.
Jennifer Tilly | Career
Tilly made her television debut in 1983 when she guest-starred in “Oh Madeline” and “Boone,” and she subsequently appeared in the film “No Small Affair.”
During the 1980s, Jennifer starred in several films, including “Remington Steele” (1985), “Cheers” (1986), “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show” (1987), and “Moonlighting” (1989). She also appeared in 11 movies during this decade, including “Johnny Be Good” (1988) and “Let It Ride” (1989).
After moving to Los Angeles, she appeared in “Made in America” (1993), “The Getaway,” and received an Oscar nomination for her role as Olive Neal in 1994’s “Bullets over Broadway.” Tilly also guest-starred on “Dream On” (1992), starred in the Fox series “Key West” (1993), and appeared in the television films “At Home with the Webbers” (1993) and “Heads” (1994) around this time.
In 1996, she received rave reviews for “Bound,” which won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film, and co-starred Jim Carrey in 1997’s “Liar Liar,” which earned $302.7 million at the box office.
Further Releases
Tilly began playing Tiffany Valentine in the “Child’s Play” series in 1998 with “Bride of Chucky.” In addition, she has appeared in 2004’s “Seed of Chucky,” 2013’s “Curse of Chucky,” and 2017’s “Cult of Chucky.”
In 2001, she played Crystal Allen in “The Women” on Broadway and provided the voice of Celie Mae in “Monsters Inc.,” which grossed $577.4 million at the box office. From 2005 to 2006, Jennifer was a regular cast member on CBS’s “Out of Practice,” after which she starred in “Bart Got a Room” (2008), “Inconceivable” (2008), and the Chinese movie “Empire of Silver” (2009).
Tilly appeared as a judge on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in 2012 and as a guest star on “Modern Family” in 2011 and 2014. In 2012, Tilly returned to the stage at the Joseph Papp Theater, earning an Audience Choice Award nomination for “Don’t Dress for Dinner.” She also acted in the play “Grasses of a Thousand Colors” at the same venue in 2013.
Jennifer has acted in films such as “7 Days to Vegas” (2019) and “Poker Queens” (2020), and she provided the voice of Little Red Riding Hood in an episode of “JJ Villard’s Fairy Tales” (2020). In addition, Jennifer is scheduled to star in three movies in 2021: “Hollywood,” “High Holiday,” and “Boom.”
Gamble
Tilly got interested in gambling after her father gave her the “World Series of Poker” video game, and she learned to play actual poker while living in Los Angeles with a partner. In June 2005, she participated in a Ladies’ No-Limit Texas hold ’em tournament, winning $158,625 and an official World Series of Poker bracelet.
Jennifer won the World Poker Tour Ladies Invitational Match in November of that year. In 2006, Tilly finished third on Bravo’s “Celebrity Poker Showdown” and appeared on GSN’s “Poker Royale” series.
She was included in the “World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions 2007 Edition” video game. She made a similar statement to that one year later in her monthly “Bluff Magazine” column. Her decision to retire from a career lasted for a short time before returning in 2010, and she has continued playing since then. She was featured in the 2014 version of the “World Series of Poker.”
Tilly was nominated for a 2018 PokerListing Living Legend Award. Tilly has won over $992,000 in live poker tournaments since 2017.
Awards and Nominations
- Fantasporto Film Festival for Best Actress 1996
- DVD Exclusive Award for Best Actress 2001
Relationship Of Jennifer Tilly
In 1984, Sam Simon married Jennifer when he was 25, and they divorced in 1991; the two remained close throughout their divorce, and Sam died of colorectal cancer in 2015. After Simon’s death, Tilly said, “Sam was my best friend for thirty years. He was a brilliant guy with a heart of gold. I’m devastated he’s gone.”
Phil Laak, a professional poker player and commentator has been dating Jennifer since 2004 when they met at the 2004 World Poker Tour Invitational (which he won).
Jennifer Tilly | Net Worth & Salary
Since the early 1980s, Jennifer Tilly’s net worth has risen from $6 million to $25 million. Her poker career and acting parts in film and television combined to amass millions for her. To this day, she continues to act and compete at poker competitively.
Social Media Presence
Jennifer Tilly has an active social media presence on both Twitter and Instagram. She primarily uses these platforms to share news about her upcoming projects, but she occasionally posts about her personal life. As of 2021, her Twitter account had over 100 thousand followers, and her Instagram account had over 60 thousand followers.
Additional Information
| Сеlеbrаtеd Nаmе: | Jennifer Tilly |
| Nickname: | Jennifer |
| Rеаl Nаmе/Full Nаmе: | Jennifer Ellen Chan Tilly |
| Gеndеr: | Female |
| Аgе: | 63 |
| Віrth Dаtе: | 16 September 1958 |
| Віrth Рlасе: | Harbor City, Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Nаtіоnаlіtу: | American |
| Неіght: | 1.69m |
| Ѕехuаl Оrіеntаtіоn: | Straight |
| Relationship Ѕtаtuѕ: | Married |
| Spouse(Ex): | Phil Laak |
| Рrоfеѕѕіоn: | Actress, Poker Player |
| Nеt Wоrth іn 2022: | $25 million |
Instagram: @jeniffertilly
Twitter: @JenniferTilly