Jane Adams (actress, born 1965)

Jane Adams (born April 1, 1965) is an American actress and screenwriter. Known for her work in independent cinema, her acting credits include Light Sleeper (1992), Happiness (1998), Mumford (1999), Songcatcher (2000), The Anniversary Party (2001), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), Little Children (2006), All the Light in the Sky (2012), and She Dies Tomorrow (2020).

On television, she appeared in the recurring role of Dr. Mel Karnofsky on the NBC sitcom Frasier (1999–2000) and co-starred as Nikki Katz on HBO's drama series The Idol (2023). For her role as Tanya Skagl on HBO's Hung (2009–2011) she received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award. She was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series – in 2021 and 2022 – for portraying Nina Daniels on the HBO series Hacks (2021).

Adams made her Broadway debut in the original production of Paul Rudnick's I Hate Hamlet in 1991 and won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her portrayal of Sheila Birling in the revival of J. B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls (1994).

Early life and education Jane Adams is the daughter of Janice, an administrative assistant, and William Adams, an engineer. She attended the University of Washington, where she studied political science, and the Cornish College of the Arts, where she took theater. She attended the Juilliard School's Drama Division (1985–1989, Group 18) where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1989.

Career Adams performed theatre at the Seattle Repertory Theatre. She turned down the chance to work in the hit movie Sister Act with Whoopi Goldberg for the opportunity to work with Arthur Miller onstage.

She worked with Steve Martin and Diane Keaton in Father of the Bride Part II. She returned to the stage and won the 1994 Tony Award for best performance by a featured actress in a play for the Broadway revival of An Inspector Calls. She also won the Outer Critics Circle Award for best debut performance in a play in the Broadway production of Paul Rudnick's I Hate Hamlet.

In 1996, Adams portrayed Karen Lukens in the ABC-TV drama series Relativity. In 1998, she starred in the misanthropic dark comedy Happiness with Philip Seymour Hoffman, playing the role of Joy, a sensitive single woman who is struggling with life. She and the cast won many ensemble awards. The next year, Adams got a recurring role on the comedy series Frasier from 1999 to 2000. She played Dr. Mel Karnofsky, who became Niles Crane's second wife. She also had a role in the 1999 film Mumford.

In 2001, she acted in the independent film Songcatcher, with Janet McTeer, which won a Sundance Special Jury Prize. She also portrayed Reeva Baines Eidenberg in the CBS drama series Citizen Baines. Adams has also acted in mainstream films such as You've Got Mail (1998), Wonder Boys (2000), Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004), and Last Holiday (2006). In 2007, she appeared in The Sensation of Sight and The Brave One.

From 2009 to 2011, Adams co-starred in the HBO series Hung opposite Thomas Jane. She starred in and co-wrote the 2012 film All the Light in the Sky with director Joe Swanberg. This performance earned her the Best Actress award at the Nashville Film Festival.

Acting credits Film Year Title Role Notes1985Bombs AwayGreeting Girl1990Vital SignsSuzanne Maloney1992Light SleeperRandi Jost1994I Love TroubleEvans1994Mrs. Parker and the Vicious CircleRuth Hale1995Father of the Bride Part IIDr. Megan Eisenberg1996Kansas CityNettie Bolt1998Music from Another RoomIrene1998HappinessJoy Jordan1998Day at the BeachMarie1998You've Got MailSydney Anne Uncredited1999Ruthie1999A Texas FuneralMary Joan1999MumfordDr. Phyllis Sheeler2000SongcatcherEleanor 'Elna' Penleric2000Wonder BoysOola2001Clair Forsyth2002Orange CountyMona2004Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless MindCarrie2004Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate EventsWhite-Faced Woman2006Last HolidayRochelle2006Little ChildrenSheila2006Alice2007Nicole2008Eleanor2008LifelinesNancy Bernstein2009Alexander the LastDirector2009Calvin MarshallJune Marshall2011The LieDr. Bentel2011Silver BulletsJune2011RestlessMabel2012All the Light in the SkyMarieAlso writer2015Digging for FireWoman on beach2015PoltergeistDr. Brooke Powell2016Always ShineSummer2017Brigsby BearApril2018InterveneGwendolynShort film2020She Dies TomorrowJane 2020 Build the Wall Sarah 2022 Dog Tamara2022 SickPamela2023Year of the FoxPaulene

Television Year Title Role Notes1986Tales from the DarksideCharlotte Rose CantrellEpisode: "Deliver Us from Goodness"1987, 1989Family TiesFirst Love / Marty Brodie3 episodes1989, 1995ABC Afterschool SpecialElly Robinson / Michelle2 episodes1990Rising SonMeg BradleyTelevision film1993Lifestories: Families in CrisisBethEpisode: "Dead Drunk: The Kevin Tunell Story"1996RelativityKaren Lukens7 episodes1997Liberty!Sara Scott6 episodes1999Mona BaileyEpisode: "What Will The Neighbors Think"1999–2000FrasierDr. Mel KarnofskyRecurring; 11 episodes2000Citizen BainesReeva Eidenberg9 episodes2000From Where I SitRuthPilot2001Night VisionsAmandaEpisode: "The Doghouse"2003CarnivàleMother of Dead Baby Uncredited; Episode: "Milfay"2003Law & Order: Criminal IntentSylvia CampbellEpisode: "The Gift"2005Stone ColdBrianna LincolnTelevision film2007HouseBonnieEpisode: "House Training"2008In Plain SightRuth Ferguson / Ruth FraserEpisode: "Don of the Dead"2009–2011HungTanya Skagle30 episodes2012Law & Order: Special Victims UnitJoanne ParsonsEpisode: "Learning Curve"2013Axe CopRed Headed Women Voice; Episode: "Super Axe"2014CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationBelinda GoffEpisode: "Rubbery Homicide"2016–2019EasyAnnabelle Jones 5 episodes 2016AtlantaJaniceEpisode: "Nobody Beats the Biebs"2017Twin PeaksConstance Talbot6 episodes2017ClawsGladys Coleman Pirette4 episodes2018–2019Sneaky PeteMaggie Murphy8 episodes2020MessiahMiriam Keneally10 episodes2021–2026HacksNina Daniels9 episodes2023The IdolNikki Katz5 episodes2025Good American FamilyJJ2 episodes

Theatre Year Title Role Playwright Venue Ref. 1991 I Hate Hamlet Deirdre McDavey Paul Rudnick Walter Kerr Theater, Broadway 1992 Mary Warren Arthur Miller Belasco Theater, Broadway 1992 The Glass Menagerie Laura Wingfield Tennessee Williams La Jolla Playhouse, Los Angeles 1994 Sheila Birling J.B. Priestley Royale Theatre, Broadway 2003 Enchanted April Rose Arnott (replacement) Matthew Barber Belasco Theater, Broadway 2004 Match Lisa Stephen Belber Plymouth Theater, Broadway 2006 Resurrection Blues Emily Shapiro Arthur Miller The Old Vic, West End

Awards and nominations Year Association Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1991 Clarence Derwent Awards Best Supporting Female I Hate Hamlet 1991 Outer Critics Circle Award Best Debut Performance 1994 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play 1994 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Play 1998 National Board of Review National Board of Review Award for Best Cast Happiness 2000 Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize Songcatcher 2010 Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actress - Series, Miniseries or Television Film Hung 2010 Women's Image Network Awards Actress Comedy Series 2013 Nashville Film Festival Best Actress in a Narrative Feature All the Light in the Sky 2020 Florida Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actress She Dies Tomorrow 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Hacks (episode: "I Think She Will") 2022 Hacks (episode: "The Click")

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