Leslie Jean Mann(born March 26, 1972)[1]is an American actress. She has appeared in numerous films, includingThe Cable Guy(1996),She's the One(1996),George of the Jungle(1997),Big Daddy(1999),Orange County(2002),The 40-Year-Old Virgin(2005),Knocked Up(2007),Drillbit Taylor(2008),I Love You Phillip Morris(2009),17 Again(2009),Funny People(2009),This Is 40(2012),The Other Woman(2014), andBlockers(2018).

Leslie Mann
Leslie Mann wearing a white print t-shirt and black blazer, grinning at camera, in front of a bright yellow backdrop
Mann in 2018
Born
Leslie Jean Mann

(1972-03-26)March 26, 1972(age 52)
San Francisco,California, US
OccupationActress
Years active1988–present
Spouse
(m.1997)
Children

Early life

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Mann was born in San Francisco, and grew up inNewport Beach.[2]She was raised by her mother, Janet,[3]who led design and quality programs for eight years at Ayres Hotel group.[4][2][5]Mann has stated of her father, "My dad is...I don't really have one. I mean, he does exist, but I have zero relationship with him."[2]She has two siblings and three older step-brothers.[2]Her maternal grandmother, Sadie Viola Heljä Räsänen, was the daughter ofFinnishimmigrants.[6]

Mann has said that she was "very shy, kind of pent-up" during her youth.[7]She graduated fromCorona del Mar High School,[5]and studied acting at theJoanne Baron / D.W. Brown Acting Studioand alongside comedy improv troupeThe Groundlings.[2]She attended college and studied communications, but dropped out before graduating.[8]

Career

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Mann in 2008

Mann began her career at 18, appearing in a number of television commercials. In 1996, she appeared inThe Cable Guy,followed with performances inFreaks & Geeks,Sam Weisman'sGeorge of The JunglealongsideBrendan Fraser,Big DaddywithAdam Sandler,Orange CountyoppositeJack Black,andThe 40-Year-Old VirginwithSteve Carell.[citation needed]

In 2007, Mann starred alongsideSeth Rogen,Katherine Heigl,andPaul RuddinJudd Apatow's comedyKnocked Up,which grossed more than $218 million worldwide.[citation needed]Her performance brought rave reviews and a "Best Supporting Actress" nomination from the Chicago Film Critics Association. The film won the People's Choice Award for "Favorite Movie Comedy", was named one of AFI's "Top Ten Films of the Year", and received a "Best Comedy" nomination from the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards.[9]

In 2009, Mann reunited with herBig Daddyco-star Adam Sandler andKnocked Upco-star Seth Rogen for Apatow'sFunny People.[citation needed]This film was named to many of the year's top ten lists, includingThe New YorkerandThe New York Times.[10]Ellewriter Mickey Rapkin said that "[Mann] owns the second half of 2009'sFunny People,where her character does the most unlikely thing a woman can do in a major studio picture: has an affair with an ex-boyfriend on a whim. "[11]That same year, Mann also starred inBurr Steers' successful comedy17 AgainoppositeZac EfronandMatthew Perry,which grossed over $125 million worldwide.[12]

Mann at the84th Academy Awardsin February 2012

She was also seen in the indie hitI Love You Phillip MorrisalongsideJim CarreyandEwan McGregor.[citation needed]It premiered at the 2009Sundance Film Festivaland, on release, received critical acclaim, including a "Best Comedy" nomination for a 2011Broadcast Film Critics Association Award.[citation needed]Mann also starred alongsideElizabeth Banksin the filmWhat Was I Thinking?,based on the book by Barbara Davilman and Liz Dubelman, which was filmed in 2009 but never released.[13]

In 2011, Mann starred oppositeRyan ReynoldsandJason BatemaninDavid Dobkin's comedyThe Change-Up.[14]She also lent her voice to "Linda", the main human character inCarlos Saldanha's animated filmRio,which earned over $484 million worldwide and also featured vocal performances byJamie FoxxandAnne Hathaway;[15]as well as toJonah Hill's animatedFOXtelevision seriesAllen Gregory,as the title character's second-grade teacher.[citation needed]

Mann continued her voice performance work in 2012 with her role inParaNorman,an animated 3Dstop-motionfilm fromChris ButlerandSam Fell.[16]

In December 2012, she appeared opposite Paul Rudd in Apatow'sThis Is 40,the sequel toKnocked Up.The movie reunited the trio from the first film, with Mann and Rudd reprising their characters. The sequel was written and directed by Judd Apatow, and included the couple's two daughters in the cast.[citation needed]In contrast toKnocked Up,This Is 40centered squarely on Mann's character and her family. An early response to Mann's performance fromElle Magazinestates that "[she] doesn't just walk off with scenes—she steals the show".[11]Mann was nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy by theBroadcast Film Critics AssociationforThis Is 40.[17]

In 2013, Mann appeared inSofia Coppola'sThe Bling Ring,withEmma Watson.Inspired by actual events, the film follows a group of fame-obsessed L.A. teenagers who burgled celebrity homes by tracking their whereabouts on the Internet.[citation needed]

In 2014, she narrated "Women in Comedy", an episode of Season 2 ofMakers: Women Who Make America.[18]

In 2018, Mann starred as a single mother in the sex comedyBlockersand reunited with Steve Carell inWelcome to Marwen.

Personal life

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Mann with husband,Judd Apatow,in 2010

On June 9, 1997, Mann married director and producerJudd Apatow,whom she met while auditioning forThe Cable Guy.Apatow, one of the film's producers, read the lines to auditioning actresses as a stand-in forJim Carrey.[19]Mann and Apatow have two daughters,MaudeandIris,who both appeared in the filmsKnocked Up,Funny People,andThis Is 40as the children of Mann's characters.[20]

Mann and Apatow are both longtime supporters of the nonprofit organization826LA,which focuses on encouraging and developing the writing skills of disadvantaged youth.[21]They are also involved with theUCLARape Treatment Center's Stuart House, which serves sexually abused children and their families.[22]Mann and Apatow's philanthropic contributions were honored in 2012 by the Bogart Pediatric Cancer Research Program, which awarded them the 2012 "Children's Choice Award" for their work with children and families dealing with pediatric cancer. In 2009, they were also recognized by The Fulfillment Fund, which honored them at its annual benefit gala.[23]

Filmography

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Film

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List of film appearances, with year, title, and role shown
Year Title Role Notes
1991 Virgin High Extra [24]
1996 Bottle Rocket Sorority Girl Uncredited[25]
Cosas que nunca te dije Laurie
She's the One Connie
Last Man Standing Wanda
The Cable Guy Robin Harris
1997 George of the Jungle Ursula Stanhope
1999 Big Daddy Corinne Maloney
2000 Timecode Cherine
2001 Perfume Camille
2002 Orange County Krista Brumder
Stealing Harvard Elaine Warner
2005 The 40-Year-Old Virgin Nicky
2007 Knocked Up Debbie
2008 Drillbit Taylor Lisa Zachey
Beverly Hills Chihuahua Bimini Uncredited
2009 17 Again Scarlett O'Donnell
Funny People Laura
Shorts Mom Thompson
I Love You Phillip Morris Debbie Russell
2011 Rio Linda Gunderson Voice role
Little Birds Margaret Hobart
The Change-Up Jamie Lockwood
2012 ParaNorman Sandra Babcock Voice role
This Is 40 Debbie
2013 The Bling Ring Laurie Moore
2014 Mr. Peabody & Sherman Patty Peterson Voice role
Rio 2 Linda Gunderson Voice role
The Other Woman Kate King
2015 Vacation Audrey Griswold-Crandall
2016 How to Be Single Meg Kepley
The Comedian Harmony Schiltz
2018 Blockers Lisa Decker
Welcome to Marwen Nicol
2019 Motherless Brooklyn Julia Minna
2020 Blithe Spirit Elvira Condomine
The Croods: A New Age Hope Betterman Voice role
2022 Cha Cha Real Smooth Lisa
The Bubble Lauren Van Chance

Television

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List of film appearances, with year, title, and role shown
Year Title Role Notes
1994 Birdland Nurse Mary Episode: "Grand Delusion"
1995 The Wright Verdicts Erica Mercer Episode: "Pilot"
1998 Hercules Amphitrite Voice role; 2 episodes
1999 Freaks and Geeks Ms. Foote Episode: "Chokin and Tokin"
2011 Modern Family Katie Episode: "Treehouse"
Allen Gregory Gina Winthrop 7 episodes
2014 The Simpsons Herself Voice role; Episode: "Steal This Episode"
Makers: Women Who Make America Narrator Episode: "Women in Comedy"

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2007 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actress Knocked Up Nominated
2013 Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Actress in a Comedy This Is 40 Nominated
2014 Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie Chemistry(shared withCameron DiazandKate Upton) The Other Woman Nominated
2016 MTV Movie & TV Awards Best Kiss(shared withChris Hemsworth) Vacation Nominated

References

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  1. ^"Leslie Mann".Maxim.July 30, 2009. Archived fromthe originalon April 16, 2013.RetrievedApril 19,2013.
  2. ^abcdeCombe, Rachael (September 17, 2012)."Leslie Mann on Being Hollywood's Reigning Funny Girl".RetrievedNovember 11,2012.
  3. ^Multiple sources:
  4. ^"Our History".Ayres Hotels.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.2005 was also the year Janet Ayres, Don Ayres Jr.'s wife, brought her keen eye for design to the Ayres Hotels. For eight years, Janet led interior design and quality assurance programs structured to keep the collection a unique blend of 90% traditional and 10% cool.
  5. ^abKatz, Jesse (May 18, 2009)."In the Editing Room with Leslie Mann".Los Angeles magazine.RetrievedMarch 28,2014.
  6. ^Multiple sources:
    • "Baraga Items".L'Anse Sentinel.Digital Michigan Newspapers Collection. September 1, 1943.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.Miss Sadie Rasanen has arrived from Detroit to visit her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Rasanen, for. two weeks.
    • "Baraga Items".L'Anse Sentinel.Digital Michigan Newspapers Collection. November 18, 1937. p. 4.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.Miss Sadie Rasanen has arrived from Detroit to visit her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Rasanen
    • "Sadie H Rasanen in the 1940 Census".Ancestry.com.RetrievedJanuary 21,2022.
    • YLETV 1, 20:30 TV-news, April 25, 2014.
    • https://svenska.yle.fi/artikel/2016/02/03/tio-kandisar-med-finska-rotter"Leslie also has Finnish roots from the mother's side. The family was called Räsänen in surname."
  7. ^Itzkoff, Dave (November 14, 2012)."Judd Apatow's Life as Art in 'This Is 40'".The New York Times.RetrievedApril 19,2013.
  8. ^de Bertodano, Helena (February 13, 2013)."This is 40: Leslie Mann interview".The Telegraph.Archivedfrom the original on January 12, 2022.RetrievedAugust 22,2014.
  9. ^"Knocked Up Awards".Movies & TV Dept.The New York Times.2007. Archived fromthe originalon January 30, 2013.RetrievedDecember 4,2012.
  10. ^Scott, A.O. (December 18, 2009)."Homes Are Where You Find Them".The New York Times.RetrievedNovember 18,2012.
  11. ^abRapkin, Mickey (October 17, 2011)."Comedy's Unlikely Feminist".Archived fromthe originalon September 1, 2014.RetrievedNovember 18,2012.
  12. ^17 Again on Box Office Mojo
  13. ^Murray, Rebecca (April 19, 2009)."Leslie Mann and Elizabeth Banks to Star in What Was I Thinking?".RetrievedNovember 18,2012.
  14. ^Saviss, Ramona (May 5, 2011)."'The Change-Up': The Scene That Won Over Leslie Mann ".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedNovember 23,2012.
  15. ^"Rio (2011)".May 23, 2011.RetrievedNovember 23,2012.
  16. ^Palumbo, Stephanie."How Leslie Mann Lives Her Best Life".RetrievedNovember 23,2012.
  17. ^"Critics Choice Awards".Archived fromthe originalon December 15, 2012.RetrievedJanuary 10,2013.
  18. ^"Makers: Women in Comedy"(video).PBS.RetrievedJanuary 30,2017.
  19. ^Cormier, Roger (June 14, 2016)."13 Hooked Up Facts AboutThe Cable Guy".Mental Floss.RetrievedMarch 10,2019.
  20. ^Gariano, Francesca (August 13, 2024)."Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann's 2 Daughters: All About Maude and Iris".People.Archivedfrom the original on September 3, 2024.RetrievedSeptember 19,2024.
  21. ^Kellogg, Carolyn (May 23, 2012)."826LA adds Pee-wee Herman to Judd Apatow benefit".RetrievedDecember 4,2012.
  22. ^Delgado, Alexandra (March 12, 2012)."Haute 100 Los Angeles Update: Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann Support Stuart House".RetrievedDecember 4,2012.
  23. ^Kay, Felix."Judd Apatow & Leslie Mann Honored for Work for Kids".Archived fromthe originalon October 27, 2012.RetrievedDecember 4,2012.
  24. ^Ryan, Kyle. (September 28, 2007)Random Roles: Leslie Mann"My friend was in some commercial workshop when we were living in Newport Beach going to high school. She had a number to call for extra work. We were just extras. And for some reason, they put that on my IMDB thing."The A.V. ClubRetrieved December 10, 2012.
  25. ^Perez, Rodrigo (November 1, 2007)."Judd Apatow's Wife Leslie Mann Was In Wes Anderson's Bottle Rocket? Who Knew?".The Playlist.RetrievedAugust 11,2016.
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