Becky Ann Baker (née Gelke; born February 17, 1953 See also:) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Jean Weir on the NBC comedy-drama series Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000) and as Loreen Horvath on the HBO comedy-drama series Girls (2012–2017); she earned two Critics' Choice Television Award nominations and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for the latter.
Baker's film credits include Jacob's Ladder (1990), In & Out (1997), A Simple Plan (1998), Stay (2005), Nights in Rodanthe (2008), Hope Springs (2012), Table 19 (2017), The Half of It (2020), and Holler (2020).
Early life Becky Ann Gelke was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky, the daughter of a military officer. She graduated from West Springfield High School in Springfield, Virginia and Western Kentucky University.
Career Baker's film credits include Blue Steel, Jacob's Ladder, Lorenzo's Oil, Unstrung Heroes, Sabrina, Ridley Scott's White Squall, Men in Black, In & Out, Woody Allen's Celebrity, Sam Raimi's A Simple Plan (for which she received a Blockbuster Entertainment Award nomination), Two Weeks Notice, Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds, Stay, The Night Listener, Death of a President, and Spider-Man 3.
She got her role in Freaks and Geeks after series creator Paul Feig and Judd Apatow saw her performance in Sam Raimi's A Simple Plan. "That really informed their decision to try to use me from having really no huge television experience," she said. In addition to Freaks and Geeks, her television credits include Girls and Stephen King's Storm of the Century as well as guest spots on L.A. Law, Frasier, Star Trek: Voyager, Sex and the City, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Oz and All My Children.
An accomplished stage performer, Baker made her Broadway debut in the 1981 production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and received a Drama-Logue Award in 1994 for her work in Night and Her Stars. She is a founding member of New York-based theatre company The Drama Dept.Drama Dept. dramadept.org
In 2009, she appeared in the NBC series Kings, playing the minor role of Jessie Shepherd, mother of protagonist David Shepherd. Her real-life husband, Dylan Baker, played antagonist William Cross in the series.
Personal life Baker has been married to actor Dylan Baker since 1990. They have a daughter.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1985Samantha Alexander1986Agent on IceMrs. Donnelli1988Full Moon in Blue WaterDorothy1989Blue SteelNurse #11990Come See the ParadiseMarge McGurnJacob's LadderNurse1992That NightMrs. BellLorenzo's OilPellerman's Secretary1995Unstrung HeroesMrs. HarrisSabrinaLinda1996White SquallMs. BoydeI'm Not RappaportNurse1997Bad Bosses Go to HellArchitect BossShort filmMen in BlackMrs. RedgickIn & OutDarlene1998CelebrityDorisNancy Chambers1999Nurse Jeannine Carrounbois2002Two Weeks NoticeRV Woman2005War of the WorldsDisaster Relief VolunteerTracks'Frizzy'Short filmStayParamedic #1 / Butch Cook2006WaitressGretchenLori FinkleDeath of a PresidentEleanor Drake2007Spider-Man 3Mrs. Stacy2008Spinning Into ButterRubyNights in RodantheDot2012Hope SpringsCoraThe DiscoverersMary201323 BlastPatty Wheatley2015The End of the TourBookstore Manager 2017 Table 19 Carol Milner 2018 The Chaperone Lois 2019 After Class Mary2020 The Half of It Mrs. Geselschap Holler Linda 2022 Alone Together Jan Outpost Bertha 2024 Jackpot! Sweet Irene All Happy Families Sue Landry2025 TowDebbie Our Hero, BalthazarElaine Ella McCayMrs. Newell 2026 Starbright Nurse Holden
Television Year Title Role Notes1988In the Line of Duty: The F.B.I. MurdersCarol AnnTV movie1990She Said NoGailTV movie1992L.A. LawMelinda GarrettEpisode: "Beauty and the Breast"1995FrasierMargeEpisode: "Frasier Grinch"1996The Siege at Ruby RidgeElizabethTV movieStar Trek: VoyagerRitual GuideEpisode: "Sacred Ground"1998Soul ManMargoEpisode: "Little Black Dress"1999Storm of the CenturyUrsula GodsoeTV miniseries1999–2000Freaks and GeeksJean Weir18 episodes2000WonderlandDr. ReeplesEpisode: "Pilot"2001Sex and the CityBetsyEpisode: "My Motherboard, My Self"2002KathrynEpisode: "Money Changes Everything"Law & Order: Special Victims UnitMrs. BriceEpisode: "Juvenile"Law & OrderSusan SimelsEpisode: "Oxymoron"2003OzGretaEpisode: "Exeunt Omnes"2004–2005Life as We Know ItAmanda Conner4 episodes2005Defense AttorneyTV movieLaw & OrderDefense Attorney Carolyn WaltersEpisode: "House of Cards"2006ConvictionDeborah ColeEpisode: "Downhill"2007All My ChildrenMarj Luper3 episodes2009Important Things with Demetri MartinRevenger's MomEpisode: "Power"KingsJessie Shepherd7 episodes2010Natalie McNallyEpisode: "Bananas"MercyGiannaEpisode: "There Is No Superwoman"Nurse JackieElaineEpisode: "What the Day Brings"2012Mary PolancoEpisode: "In Case of a Bolt from the Blue"SmashMrs. CartwrightEpisodes: "Pilot", "Enter Mr. DiMaggio"2012–2016The Good WifeAlma Hoff3 episodes2012–2017GirlsLoreen HorvathRecurring; 20 episodes2013Person of InterestDeputy Erica SchmidtEpisode: "Proteus"ElementaryPamEpisode: "Snow Angels"2014Mind GamesCathy StewardEpisode: "Asymmetric Dominance"Black BoxEileen GiordanoEpisode: "Emotion"Law & Order: Special Victims UnitVivienne PattonEpisode: "Forgiving Rollins"2015GothamMargeEpisode: "Everyone Has a Cobblepot"Madam SecretaryChancellor Frieda SchulzEpisode: "Spartan Figures"Last Week Tonight with John OliverDeborahEpisode: "Bail"2016Crisis in Six ScenesLee 2 episodes2017DoubtEloise KirkEpisode: "Pilot"Unbreakable Kimmy SchmidtStaceyEpisode: "Kimmy Googles the Internet!"The Night ShiftLily AlisterEpisode: "Turbulence"NCIS: New OrleansSpecial Agent Paula BoydEpisode: "Rogue Nation"2017–2022The Good FightAlma Hoff3 episodes2018–2019BrockmireJean Brockmire Glasscock4 episodes2019The BlacklistJudge Roberta Wilkins6 episodesYoungerBronwyn Madigan2 episodesBig Little LiesJudge Marylin Cipriani3 episodes2020Little AmericaMrs. WrenEpisode: "The Manager"ManhuntPatricia Rudolph2 episodesKaty KeeneJune KellyEpisode: "Chapter Two: You Can't Hurry Love"HuntersJuanita Kreps4 episodesCouncil of DadsGrandma2 episodesLittle VoiceElaine2 episodesSocial DistanceCarolyn CurrierEpisode: "Humane Animal Trap"2021New AmsterdamGwen Bennett5 episodesBillionsBrenda2 episodes2022 Would I Lie to You? Herself Episode: "Show Goat"The ResortJan KnowlstonRecurring rolePartner TrackGigi WeaverEpisode: "Meta-Strategy"2023, 2026Ted LassoDottie LassoEpisodes: "Mom City", "Home"2024 The Girls on the BusNorah McCarthy2 episodesElsbethJudithEpisode: "Diamonds Are for Elsbeth"The EqualizerMrs. TannerEpisode: "Just Fans"2025Only Murders in the BuildingLindaEpisode: "Silver Alert"CrutchKathyEpisode: "Matchmaker Crutch"The Beast in MeTessa BaldwinEpisode: "Ghosts"
Theatre Year Title Role Notes1978–1982VariousJun 1978 – Mar 19821982Doatsey MaeMay 1982 – Jul 19821988Eunice HubbellMar 1988 – May 19881990The Colorado CatechismDonnaOct 1990 – Nov 1990 1994Durang/DurangMa / WandaNov 19941995Laura DennisLena AbernathyMar 1995 – Apr 19951997–1999TitanicCharlotte CardozaApr 1997 – Mar 19991998June MoonLucilleJan 1998 – Mar 19981998–1999The Most Fabulous Story Ever ToldJaneDec 1998 – May 19992001The Vagina MonologuesN/AFeb 2001 – Apr 2001OthelloEmiliaDec 20012003Shanghai MoonMrs. Carroll/Sir GeoffreyJan 2003 – Mar 20032004AssassinsSara Jane MooreApr 2004 – Jul 20042006The House in TownJean EliotJun 2006 – Jul 20062006–2007Suddenly Last SummerMrs. HollyNov 2006 – Jan 20072008Show BoatParthy Ann HawksJun 20082008–2009All My SonsSue BaylissOct 2008 – Jan 20092009The Torch-BearersMrs. Ritter Aug 20092011Good PeopleJeanMar 2011 – May 20112012Merrily We Roll AlongMary FlynnMar 2012AssassinsSara Jane MooreDec 20122012–2013The Great God PanCathyDec 2012 – Jan 20132013The Comedy of ErrorsAbbessMay 2013 – June 20132015BarbecueLillie AnneOct 2015 – Nov 2015Dear ElizabethElizabethOct 2015 – Dec 20152016Peer GyntThe MotherMay 2016 – Jun 20162017The Hairy ApeMildred's AuntMar 2017 – Apr 20172018CardinalNancy PrenchelJan 2018 – Feb 2018
Awards and nominations Year Association Category Project Result Ref.1998 Blockbuster Entertainment Award Favorite Supporting Actress – Suspense 2012Critics' Choice Television Award Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series Girls 2015 2017 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (episode: "Gummies") 2023 Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (episode: "Mom City") Ted Lasso
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