Judy Greer

Judy Greer Bio

Judith Therese Evans, known professionally as Judy Greer, is an American actress and director whose career has spanned film, television, and voice work. Born in Detroit on July 20, 1975, she has earned a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most reliable character actresses, taking on supporting and leading roles across romantic comedies, dramas, horror films, and major franchises. Greer is also an author and director, and she has voiced the character Cheryl Tunt on the FXX animated series Archer for over a decade.

Greer first gained wider recognition for her supporting turns in films such as Jawbreaker (1999), What Women Want (2000), and 13 Going on 30 (2004). She has since built a long résumé of memorable performances in movies including The Wedding Planner (2001), The Descendants (2011), Love & Other Drugs (2010), the Ant-Man films, and the Halloween reboot series. On television, she is known for roles in Married, Kidding, and The First Lady.

Early Life and Background

Judy Greer was born in Detroit, Michigan, on July 20, 1975. She was raised in nearby Redford Township and Livonia by her mother, Mollie Ann Greer, a hospital administrator, and her father, Rich Evans, a mechanical engineer. Greer later adopted her mother’s maiden name as her stage name because several other actresses shared the names Judy or Judi Evans.

Her mother had once been a nun and was reportedly asked to leave her convent after eight years for behavior the community considered wild, including owning a red bathing suit. Greer was raised Roman Catholic and grew up attending church regularly. She later attended Churchill High School, where she participated in the Creative and Performing Arts Program, an experience that helped spark her interest in performance.

After high school, Greer enrolled at DePaul University in Chicago, where she trained at The Theatre School. She graduated in 1997 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, completing the formal education that prepared her for a professional life on stage and screen.

Path to Acting

Greer’s early years in Chicago gave her hands-on training in theatre, and she began booking small film roles soon after finishing college. She made her film debut in the horror film Stricken (1998), playing a college student caught up in a fatal prank, and followed it with a small part in the Chicago-set romantic drama Kissing a Fool (1998). These early jobs allowed her to gain experience on professional sets while still building her résumé.

Her first major break came when she was cast as Fern Mayo, the nerdy teenager who uncovers her classmates’ murder of their friend, in the black comedy Jawbreaker (1999). The performance drew attention from casting directors and led to supporting roles in higher-profile romantic comedies, including What Women Want (2000) with Mel Gibson and The Wedding Planner (2001) with Jennifer Lopez.

On television, Greer landed a recurring role on the Fox comedy series Arrested Development as Kitty Sanchez, appearing across multiple seasons of the show. In later interviews she said the role made her widely recognizable to audiences and producers alike, opening doors to a steady stream of work in both comedy and drama.

Judy Greer Career

Early Career (1997-2003)

Greer’s earliest work centered on small film roles and her recurring part on Arrested Development. After Stricken and Kissing a Fool, her turn in Jawbreaker established her as a sharp comedic presence. She also appeared in the 2002 pilot Imagine Entertainment produced with Stephen Colbert, based on the Canadian series The Newsroom, and had a supporting role in Spike Jonze’s Adaptation (2002).

Throughout this period, Greer built relationships with comedy producers and writers, including Chuck Lorre, for whom she would later appear in Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, and Mom. By the end of 2003, she had become a familiar face in supporting parts across film and television, setting the stage for her breakout decade.

Breakthrough (2004-2014)

In 2004, Greer co-starred in the romantic comedy 13 Going on 30 alongside Jennifer Garner, playing Lucy, an untrustworthy fellow editor at a fashion magazine. The film was a commercial hit, grossing more than $96 million worldwide, and Greer’s sharp comic timing earned her wider notice. That same year she appeared in M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village and began a steady run of supporting roles in both indie and studio productions.

The late 2000s brought a series of high-profile credits. She played a bridesmaid’s best friend in 27 Dresses (2008), which grossed more than $162 million worldwide, and took the lead in the short-lived ABC sitcom Miss Guided. She also began voicing Cheryl Tunt on the FX animated series Archer in 2009, a role that would become one of her most enduring.

In 2011, Greer starred opposite George Clooney in Alexander Payne’s critically acclaimed drama The Descendants, a performance that earned her nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture and the Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress. That same year she appeared in the Duplass brothers’ Jeff, Who Lives at Home. For her work in both films, she received the John Cassavetes Award at the Denver Film Festival, becoming the first female actor to receive that honor. She expanded into television lead roles with the FX sitcom Married (2014-2015), and in 2014 released her autobiographical essay collection I Don’t Know What You Know Me From.

Notable Works and Milestones

Among Greer’s signature works are 13 Going on 30, The Descendants, Love & Other Drugs, and her long-running voice role as Cheryl Tunt on Archer. She has appeared in major franchises including the Ant-Man films, the Halloween reboot series opposite Jamie Lee Curtis, and the Planet of the Apes sequels. Her 2017 feature directing debut, A Happening of Monumental Proportions, marked another milestone in her transition from on-screen performer to multi-hyphenate creative.

Judy Greer Award Nominations

Judy Greer has earned recognition from several major awards bodies across her career, including nominations from the Screen Actors Guild, the Satellite Awards, and the Hollywood Critics Association. Her nominations have largely stemmed from strong supporting performances in film and limited television series, reflecting her consistent reputation as a scene-stealing presence in ensembles.

Judy Greer Awards Won

Greer has been honored at film festivals for her body of work and for individual performances. She received the John Cassavetes Award at the Denver Film Festival in 2012 for her work in The Descendants and Jeff, Who Lives at Home, becoming the first female actor to receive the prize.

Judy Greer Family

Greer was raised in the Detroit area by her mother, Mollie Ann Greer, a hospital administrator, and her father, Rich Evans, a mechanical engineer. Her mother had once been a nun before marrying and starting a family. Greer later adopted her mother’s maiden name as her stage surname to distinguish herself from other performers.

In 2011, she married Dean E. Johnsen, an executive producer of Real Time with Bill Maher. Through the marriage she became stepmother to his two children from an earlier relationship.

Personal Life

Greer lives with her husband, Dean E. Johnsen, whom she married in 2011. She is a stepmother to his two children and has spoken warmly about family life in interviews.

Beyond acting, Greer is involved in animal welfare causes and serves on the board of directors of Project Chimps, a sanctuary for former research chimpanzees. She has also practiced transcendental meditation and described its benefits in interviews, including her work directing an AOL short film on the topic. Greer has identified as a registered Democrat and grew up Catholic, although she has said she is no longer a practicing member of the church.