{{short description|American actress (born 1972)}} {{redirect|Jean Kelly|other uses|Jean Kelly (disambiguation)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox person | image = Jeanlouisakelly.jpg<!-- Please do not put a fair-use image here, it will be deleted - see WP:NONFREE --> | caption = Kelly in 2009 | name = Jean Louisa Kelly | birth_date = {{birth date and age text|March 9, 1972}}<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/kelly-jean-louisa-1972 | title = Jean Louisa Kelly | website = www.encyclopedia.com | publisher = Editors, www.encyclopedia.com | access-date = June 7, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/340889%7C0/Jean-Louisa-Kelly#overview | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151005163525/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/340889%7C0/Jean-Louisa-Kelly/#overview | url-status = dead | archive-date = October 5, 2015 | title = Jean Louisa Kelly | website = Turner Classic Movies | publisher = Editors, www.tcm.com | access-date = June 7, 2023 }}</ref> | birth_place = {{nowrap|Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.}} | education = Columbia University (BA) | occupation = Actress, singer | years_active = 1987–present | website = {{URL|JeanLouisaKelly.com}} | notable_works = ''Uncle Buck'' {{small|(1989)}} <br/> ''Mr. Holland's Opus'' {{small|(1995)}} <br/> ''Yes, Dear'' {{small|(2000–06)}} | spouse = {{marriage|James Pitaro|1997|}} | children = 2 }}
'''Jean Louisa Kelly''' (born March 9, 1972) is an American actress. After making her film debut as Tia Russell in ''Uncle Buck'' (1989) alongside John Candy, she appeared in a wide range of other films including ''The Fantasticks'' (2000) and ''Mr. Holland's Opus'' (1995). From 2000 to 2006, she portrayed Kim Warner on the CBS sitcom ''Yes, Dear''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20139304,00.html|title=Yes Woman|work=people.com|access-date=May 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204000222/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20139304,00.html |archive-date=February 4, 2009}}</ref>
==Early career and education== Her first professional paying job was as a kid, starring in "Annie" at the Theater by the Sea in Mantunuck, Rhode Island. She reprised her "Annie" role the following summer at the Candlewood Playhouse in New Fairfield, Connecticut.<ref name="worcestermag">{{cite web| url = https://www.worcestermag.com/story/entertainment/columns/2022/06/07/boylston-native-jean-louisa-kelly-takes-icemans-breath-away-top-gun-maverick/7485797001| title = Boylston native Jean Louisa Kelly takes Iceman's breath away in 'Top Gun: Maverick' | website = www.worcestermag.com| publisher = Craig S. Semon, Worcester Magazine| access-date = June 7, 2023}}</ref> Before attending college, she already had roles in the original Broadway cast of Sondheim's ''Into the Woods'' (as Snow White) at the age of 15<ref name="worcestermag" /> and understudy to Rapunzel and Little Red Ridinghood, and as Tia Russell in the film ''Uncle Buck'' with John Candy. She also took roles in college productions, including with the Barnard College Gilbert and Sullivan Society.<ref name="jeanlouisakelly.com">{{cite web|url=http://jeanlouisakelly.com/about-me|title=About Me|work=jeanlouisakelly.com|access-date=May 15, 2015|archive-date=February 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215024325/http://jeanlouisakelly.com/about-me/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Later acting roles== In the mid-1990s, after graduating from Columbia University, Kelly became well known for a series of television commercials for MCI long distance in which she played a telephone operator who challenged AT&T.<ref name="Someone to Watch" /> In 1995, she starred as Luisa in the musical film ''The Fantasticks'' with Joey McIntyre and Joel Grey, although the film was shelved until 2000. Also in 1995, she played Rowena Morgan, the muse for the title character of ''Mr. Holland's Opus''; she was cast while the movie was already in production, replacing another actress.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-09-06 |title=30 Years of Uncle Buck |url=https://www.facebook.com/iwakeupwithtoday/videos/30-years-of-uncle-buck/2190479714583980/ |website=Today Show Facebook Page}}</ref>
Other films followed, including "Origin of the Species," "The Day Lincoln was Shot" and ''Landfall'' (2001). Kelly appeared off-Broadway at the York Theatre in the title role in Paul McKibbins and B. T. McNicholl's ''The It Girl'', based on the 1927 movie ''It''. She also appeared in the York's "Musicals in Mufti" series as Lois Lane in ''It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman''. In 1996, Kelly voiced the title role in the second season of the animated series ''Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders''. After several made-for-TV movies, Kelly's broadest exposure came from her roles in situation comedies, first guest starring in such shows as ''Mad About You'', and then as a cast member of the short-lived NBC version of ''Cold Feet''. From 2000 to 2006, she starred as Kim Warner on the long-running sitcom ''Yes, Dear''. In 2006 she guest starred in the ABC drama ''Grey's Anatomy''. After her series ended, she guest starred on numerous television shows and starred in movies of the week. She recurred as Bernice Pope in the Yahoo production of ''Sin City Saints''.
She played opposite William Fichtner in the movie "The Neighbor" and opposite John Diehl in "Out of the Wild" in 2015. In 2019 she played opposite Bradley Whitford in "Call of the Wild," and played Jane Doe/Serena May in the James Wan movie "Malignant."<ref>{{cite web |date=April 13, 2015 |title=A Life of Song: Jean Louisa Kelly on Her Career, Inspirations and New EP! |url=https://www.iconvsicon.com/2015/04/13/a-life-of-song-jean-louisa-kelly-on-her-career-inspirations-and-new-ep |access-date=May 15, 2015 |work=Icon vs. Icon}}</ref> Kelly appeared as Sarah Kazansky, the wife of Val Kilmer's character Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, in the 2022 film ''Top Gun: Maverick''.<ref name="worcestermag"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/10/top-gun-maverick-wraps-up-casting-kara-wang-raymond-lee-jack-schumacher-1202475480/|title='Top Gun: Maverick' Sets Final Seven For Cast, Including Kara Wang As A Pilot|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|date=October 2, 2018|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref>
==Music== She released an album of children's music called ''Color of Your Heart'' in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/color-of-your-heart/662140307|title=iTunes - Music - Color of Your Heart by Jean Louisa Kelly|website=iTunes|date=May 21, 2013 |access-date=May 15, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/music/bp/-yes-dear--actress-jean-louisa-kelly-branches-into-music-with-charming-children-s-collection-202602625.html|title='Yes, Dear' Actress Jean Louisa Kelly Branches Into Music With Charming Children's Collection|date=November 22, 2013|work=yahoo.com|access-date=May 15, 2015}}</ref> In 2015, she released a five-song EP called ''Willing'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/willing-ep/id980378806|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122115420/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/willing-ep/id980378806|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 22, 2015|title=iTunes - Music - Willing EP by Jean Louisa Kelly|work=iTunes|access-date=May 15, 2015}}</ref> and in 2017 she released an album titled "For My Folks", which features a collection of standards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/for-my-folks/1294519129|title=iTunes Store for album|date=October 27, 2017|website=apple.com |access-date=November 14, 2017}}</ref>
==Personal life== Kelly was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, the daughter of J. Joseph Kelly III and Wendy Kelly.<ref name="jeanlouisakelly.com"/><ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/25/style/jean-louisa-kelly-james-a-pitaro.html|title=Jean Louisa Kelly, James A. Pitaro|date=May 25, 1997|work=New York Times|access-date=March 23, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803175733/https://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/25/style/jean-louisa-kelly-james-a-pitaro.html|archivedate=August 3, 2016}}</ref> Her father was a high school English teacher, and her mother taught piano. She grew up in Boylston, Massachusetts,<ref name="worcestermag" /> eventually moving to Maryland when she was a junior in high school,<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.rediscoverthe80s.com/2018/09/interview-with-actress-jean-louisa-kelly.html| title = Interview with Actress Jean Louisa Kelly from 'Uncle Buck'| website = www.rediscoverthe80s.com| publisher = editors, www.rediscoverthe80s.com| access-date = June 8, 2023}}</ref> and attended Easton High School in Easton, Maryland.<ref name="Someone to Watch">[http://www.columbia.edu/cu/record/archives/vol21/vol21_iss19/record2119.19.html "College Grad Is Someone to Watch"], ''Columbia University Record'', Vol. 21, No. 19, March 8, 1996. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070321203526/http://www.columbia.edu/cu/record/archives/vol21/vol21_iss19/record2119.19.html archived March 21, 2007]</ref> In 1994, Kelly graduated from Columbia University's Columbia College with a Bachelor of Arts in English.<ref name="jeanlouisakelly.com"/>
In 1997, she married attorney James Pitaro.<ref name="auto"/> They have two children.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/parents/actress_jean_lo/|title=Actress Jean Louisa Kelly gives birth to second child – a daughter |work=People|author=Laura|access-date=December 4, 2019}}</ref> She is close friends with Jennifer Garner.<ref name="US_Weekly_11_05_2005">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.mybrestfriend.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Us-November-7-2005.pdf|magazine=US Weekly|date=2005-11-07|title=Jennifer Garner's Baby Shower|access-date=March 29, 2022|archive-date=August 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814000133/https://www.mybrestfriend.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Us-November-7-2005.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://apps01.prominic.net/A55A0B/magazineinventoryz.nsf/3a2c8dd1691b1bec88256f3e002af9ec/ea1973e9a4a5c09c07257d910006dea0!OpenDocument|magazine=Self Magazine|title=Jennifer Garner|issue=July 2005}}</ref>
== Filmography ==
===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |1989 |''Uncle Buck'' |Tia Russell | |- |1992 |''American Shaolin'' |Maria | |- |1995 |''{{sortname|The|Fantasticks|The Fantasticks (film)}}'' |Luisa Bellamy | |- |1995 |''Mr. Holland's Opus'' |Rowena Morgan | |- |1998 |''Origin of the Species'' |Laura | |- |1999 |''A Stranger in the Kingdom'' |Athena Allen | |- |2001 |''Landfall'' |Marguerite Harris | |- |2003 |''Little Red Light'' |Amanda Meyer |Short film |- |2010 |''Locked Away'' |Chloe | |- |2010 |''Public Access'' |Nancy |Short film |- |2011 |''Lego Hero Factory: Savage Planet'' |Waspix |Voice |- |2014 |''1000 to 1: The Cory Weissman Story'' |Tina Weissman |Video |- |2014 |''Zoe Gone'' |Detective Patricia Henderson | |- |2015 |''Ant-Man'' |Buyer | |- |2017 |''The Neighbor'' |Lisa | |- |2017 |''The Bachelors'' |Barbara Weston | |- |2019 |''Out of the Wild'' |Jessie King | |- |2020 |''The Call of the Wild'' |Katie Miller | |- |2021 |''Malignant'' |Serena May / Jane Doe | |- |2022 |''Top Gun: Maverick'' |Sarah Kazansky | |- |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |1994 |''Breathing Lessons'' |Daisy |Movie |- |1994 |''One More Mountain'' |Mary Graves |Movie |- |1995 |''Tad'' |Julia Taft |Movie |- |1996 |''Harvest of Fire'' |Rachel |Movie |- |1996 |''Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders'' |Princess Gwenevere (voice) |Main role (10 episodes) |- |1997 |''Homicide: Life on the Street'' |Sarah Langdon |Episode: "Kaddish" |- |1997 |''Stolen Women: Captured Hearts'' |Sarah White |Movie |- |1998 |''Ruby Bridges'' |Jane Coles |Movie |- |1998 |''{{sortname|The|Day Lincoln Was Shot}}'' |Lucy Lambert Hale |Movie |- |1998 |''Law & Order'' |Coral Galvin |Episode: "Scrambled" |- |1998/99 |''Mad About You'' |Diane Ellis |3 episodes |- |1999 |''{{sortname|The|Cyberstalking|nolink=1}}'' |Holly Moon |Movie |- |1999 |''Cold Feet'' |Shelley Sullivan |Main role (8 episodes) |- |2000–06 |''Yes, Dear'' |Kim Warner |Main role (122 episodes) |- |2001 |''Ally McBeal'' |Lisa |Episode: "The Ex-Files" |- |2006 |''Grey's Anatomy'' |Rose Ward |Episode: "Blues for Sister Someone" |- |2008 |''Ghost Whisperer'' |Jennifer Quinlan / Nora Sutherland |Episode: "First Do No Harm" |- |2008 |''Eli Stone'' |Julie Lazer |Episode: "Heal the Pain" |- |2008 |''Gary Unmarried'' |Beth |Episode: "Gary and Allison Brooks" |- |2009 |''Surviving Suburbia'' |Melissa Mann |Episode: "Desperate Housewife" |- |2009 |''{{sortname|The|Three Gifts|nolink=1}}'' |Cherie Green |Movie |- |2010 |''{{sortname|The|Glades|The Glades (TV series)}}'' |Becky |Episode: "A Perfect Storm" |- |2010 |''Burn Notice'' |Emily |Episode: "Blind Spot" |- |2010–13 |''Hero Factory'' |Natalie Breez / Operator |Recurring role; 6 episodes |- |2011 |''Paul the Male Matchmaker'' |Darla |2 episodes |- |2011 |''CSI: Miami'' |Amy Wells |Episode: "Stoned Cold" |- |2012 |''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' |Sheila DeMarcus |Episode: "Code Blue Plate Special" |- |2013 |''Chance at Romance'' |Roz |Hallmark Channel TV movie |- |2013 | ''The Good Mother'' |Rachel |Television movie |- |2014 |''Zoe Gone'' |Det. Patricia Henderson |Lifetime television movie |- |2015 |''Sin City Saints'' |Bernice Pope |Yahoo Studios |- |2015 |''Scream Queens'' |Delight Ulrich |Episode:"The Final Girl(s)" |- |2017 |''Can't Buy My Love'' |Veronica |Movie |- |2017 |''Major Crimes'' |Tori Duncan |Episode;"Bad Blood" |- |2017 |''Outcast'' |Therapist |2 episodes |- |2017 |''Law & Order True Crime'' |Marzi Eisenberg |Episode: "The Menendez Murders: Episode 1" |- |2018 |''Wisdom of the Crowd'' |Mrs. Bullock |Episode: "The Tipping Point" |- |2018 |''The Fosters'' |Pastor Nicole |2 episodes |}
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category}} * {{Official website|https://www.jeanlouisakelly.com/}} * [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/record/archives/vol21/vol21_iss19/record2119.19.html March 1996 article] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821232837/http://www.columbia.edu/cu/record/archives/vol21/vol21_iss19/record2119.19.html |date=August 21, 2016 }} in the ''Columbia University Record'' * {{IMDb name|name=Jean Louisa Kelly|id=0446465}} * {{IBDB name|name=Jean Kelly}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kelly, Jean Louisa}} Category:1972 births Category:Actresses from Los Angeles Category:Actresses from Worcester, Massachusetts Category:American child actresses Category:American Congregationalists Category:American women singers Category:American film actresses Category:American musical theatre actresses Category:American television actresses Category:Columbia College, Columbia University alumni Category:Living people Category:20th-century American actresses Category:21st-century American actresses