Victoria Jackson Bio
Victoria Jackson (born August 2, 1959) is an American actress and comedian best known for her tenure as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1986 to 1992. During her years on the iconic sketch comedy series, she became famous for her recurring Weekend Update segments where she would recite poetry while performing handstands or backbends on the desk. Jackson appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson more than 20 times early in her career, establishing herself as a versatile entertainer with skills in comedy, theater, and physical performance.
Early Life and Background
Victoria Jackson was born in Miami, Florida, to Marlene Esther (née Blackstad) and James McCaslin Jackson, a gym coach who trained his daughter in gymnastics from the age of 5 until she turned 18. This early training provided Jackson with the physical discipline and showmanship that would later define her comedy performances. Her father’s influence as a gymnastics coach gave her a unique skill set that would set her apart in the entertainment industry.
After graduating from high school, Jackson pursued higher education while continuing her gymnastics training. She attended Florida Bible College in Hollywood, Florida, before transferring to Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, on a gymnastics scholarship. It was at Furman that she was cast in her first theatrical production, discovering her passion for acting. Jackson then transferred to Auburn University in 1979 for her senior year, changing her major to theater. Midway through her senior year, she left Auburn to pursue an acting career. In the 2000s, Jackson returned to academia and earned a degree in theater from Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Path to Comedy
While performing in summer stock theater in Alabama, Jackson met former child actor Johnny Crawford of the television series The Rifleman, who cast her in his nightclub act. This partnership provided Jackson with valuable experience in live performance and helped launch her professional career.Encouraged by this opportunity, she moved to Los Angeles in 1981 to pursue her dreams in entertainment.
Jackson worked various day jobs while performing comedy at night, building her craft and network in the competitive Los Angeles entertainment scene. Her big break came with an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, where she performed an unconventional act combining poetry recitation with gymnastics by doing a handstand. This unique combination of talents impressed Carson and the audience, leading to Jackson appearing on the show 20 times. In 1984, she appeared in the pilot for W*A*L*T*E*R, a M*A*S*H spin-off that networks ultimately did not pick up.
Victoria Jackson Career
Early Career (1984–1986)
Following her success on The Tonight Show, Jackson continued building her resume with television appearances. After a role in the short-lived 1985 television series Half Nelson, she received an offer to audition for Saturday Night Live. Not confident her initial audition had gone well, Jackson performed several impersonations during her next Tonight Show appearance and sent the tape to SNL creator Lorne Michaels. Impressed by her versatility and talent, Michaels asked Jackson to join the cast.
Breakthrough (1986–1992)
Victoria Jackson became a regular cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1986 to 1992, a period that marked her breakthrough in the entertainment industry. She became known for her appearances on the show’s weekly Weekend Update segment as a correspondent who went off topic, reciting poetry and performing backbends or handstands on the desk. Jackson also became recognized for her impersonations of celebrities including Roseanne Barr, Sally Struthers, and Zsa Zsa Gabor.
Notable Works and Milestones
During her tenure on Saturday Night Live, Jackson balanced her television work with appearances in several notable films. Her filmography during this period included Baby Boom (1987), The Pick-up Artist (1987), Casual Sex? (1988), The Couch Trip (1988), Family Business (1989), UHF (1989), and I Love You to Death (1990). These roles established Jackson as a capable comedic actress capable of transitioning between television and film.
Later Career (1992–Present)
After departing Saturday Night Live in 1992, Jackson continued acting but primarily appeared in lower-budget films that received less attention than her earlier work. She was cast in a television comedy co-starring George Clooney early in his career, featuring Jackson as a Las Vegas showgirl, but the show was scrapped after a change in management at Fox without ever airing. In 1994, she appeared as Beverly in the In the Heat of the Night episode “Good Cop, Bad Cop.”
Jackson continued to find television work throughout the 1990s and 2000s. In 1999, she appeared in The X-Files episode “The Rain King” as the unrequited love interest of a small-town man who could control the weather. From 2000 to 2001, she had a regular role as Patty in the Comedy Central sitcom Strip Mall, and from 2003 to 2004, she appeared in seasons of the Nickelodeon show Romeo!. In 2004 and 2005, Jackson appeared in the romantic comedies Shut Up and Kiss Me! and Her Minor Thing. She also appeared on the game show Hollywood Squares and participated in Celebrity Fit Club.
Victoria Jackson Family
Victoria Jackson has been married twice and has two daughters. Her first marriage was to Nisan Mark Eventoff, a fellow performer and fire-eating magician, in 1984. The couple had a daughter together before divorcing in 1991. Shortly after her divorce, Jackson reconnected with her high school sweetheart Paul Wessel, who was then a Miami-Dade SWAT team police officer. They married and had a second daughter together. When Wessel retired in 2013, the couple moved to Nashville, Tennessee.
Personal Life
Jackson has been open about her conservative Christian beliefs and political viewpoints. She has appeared in faith-based productions including the 2007 Christian comedy concert Thou Shalt Laugh 2: The Deuce and has been a supporter of the Tea Party movement. Jackson has written extensively about her political and religious views, publishing her autobiography Is My Bow Too Big? How I Went from Saturday Night Live to the Tea Party in 2012 through White Hall Publishers. She has also worked as a writer and video blogger for Patriot Update and hosted the talk show Politichicks.
In 2015, Jackson was diagnosed with breast cancer. She publicly shared her health journey with fans, and in August 2024, she announced through an Instagram post that her breast cancer had metastasized and she had been diagnosed with an inoperable tumor in her windpipe. Despite her health challenges, Jackson has remained active in public life and continues to engage with her supporters through social media.
Victoria Jackson Awards Won
Victoria Jackson has not won any major industry awards documented in verified sources.