Leslie Mann
Mann in 2018
Born
Leslie Jean Mann

(1972-03-26) March 26, 1972 (age 51)
San Francisco, California, US
OccupationActress
Years active1988–present
Spouse
​
(m. 1997)​
Children

Leslie Jean Mann (born March 26, 1972)[1] is an American actress. She has appeared in numerous films, including The Cable Guy (1996), George of the Jungle (1997), Big Daddy (1999), Knocked Up (2007), 17 Again (2009), Funny People (2009), This Is 40 (2012), Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014), Blockers (2018), and Croods: A New Age (2020).

Early life

Mann was born in San Francisco, California, and grew up in Newport Beach.[2] She was raised by her mother, Janet,[3] who led design and quality programs for eight years at Ayres Hotel group.[4][2][5] Mann has stated of her father, "My dad is...I don't really have one. I mean, he does exist, but I have zero relationship with him."[2] She has two siblings and three older step-brothers.[2] Her maternal grandmother, Sadie Viola Heljä Räsänen, was the daughter of Finnish immigrants.[6]

Mann has said that she was "very shy, kind of pent-up" during her youth.[7] She graduated from Corona del Mar High School,[5] and studied acting at the Joanne Baron / D.W. Brown Acting Studio and alongside comedy improv troupe The Groundlings.[2] She attended college and studied communications, but dropped out before graduating.[8]

Career

Mann in 2008

Mann began her career at 18, appearing in a number of television commercials. In 1996, she appeared in The Cable Guy, followed with performances in Freaks & Geeks, Sam Weisman's George of The Jungle alongside Brendan Fraser, Big Daddy with Adam Sandler, Orange County opposite Jack Black, and The 40-Year-Old Virgin with Steve Carell.[9]

In 2007, Mann starred alongside Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd in Judd Apatow's comedy Knocked Up, which grossed more than $218 million worldwide.[10] Her performance brought rave reviews and a "Best Supporting Actress" nomination from the Chicago Film Critics Association. The film won the People's Choice Award for "Favorite Movie Comedy", was named one of AFI's "Top Ten Films of the Year", and received a "Best Comedy" nomination from the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards.[11]

In 2009, Mann reunited with her Big Daddy co-star Adam Sandler and Knocked Up co-star Seth Rogen for Apatow's Funny People.[12] This film was named to many of the year's top ten lists, including The New Yorker and The New York Times.[13] Elle writer Mickey Rapkin said that "[Mann] owns the second half of 2009's Funny People, where her character does the most unlikely thing a woman can do in a major studio picture: has an affair with an ex-boyfriend on a whim."[14] That same year, Mann also starred in Burr Steers' successful comedy 17 Again opposite Zac Efron and Matthew Perry, which grossed over $125 million worldwide.[15]

Mann at the 84th Academy Awards in February 2012

She was also seen in the indie hit I Love You Phillip Morris alongside Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor.[16] It premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and, on release, received critical acclaim, including a "Best Comedy" nomination for a 2011 Broadcast Film Critics Association Award.[17] Mann also starred alongside Elizabeth Banks in the film What Was I Thinking?, based on the book by Barbara Davilman and Liz Dubelman, which was filmed in 2009 but never released.[18]

In 2011, Mann starred opposite Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman in David Dobkin's comedy The Change-Up.[19] She also lent her voice to "Linda", the main human character in Carlos Saldanha's animated film Rio, which earned over $484 million worldwide and also featured vocal performances by Jamie Foxx and Anne Hathaway;[20] as well as to Jonah Hill's animated FOX television series Allen Gregory, as the title character's second-grade teacher.[21]

Mann continued her voice performance work in 2012 with her role in ParaNorman, an animated 3D stop-motion film from Chris Butler and Sam Fell.[22]

In December 2012, she appeared opposite Paul Rudd in Apatow's This Is 40, the sequel to Knocked Up. The movie reunited the trio from the first film, with Mann and Rudd reprising their characters. The sequel was written and directed by Judd Apatow, and included the couple's two daughters in the cast.[23] In contrast to Knocked Up, This Is 40 centered squarely on Mann's character and her family. An early response to Mann's performance from Elle Magazine states that "[she] doesn't just walk off with scenes—she steals the show".[14] Mann was nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy by the Broadcast Film Critics Association for This Is 40.[24]

In 2013, Mann appeared in Sofia Coppola's The Bling Ring, with Emma Watson. Inspired by actual events, the film follows a group of fame-obsessed L.A. teenagers who burgled celebrity homes by tracking their whereabouts on the Internet.[25]

In 2014, she narrated "Women in Comedy", an episode of Season 2 of Makers: Women Who Make America.[26]

In 2018, Mann starred as a single mother in the sex comedy Blockers and reunited with Steve Carell in Welcome to Marwen.

Personal life

Mann with husband, Judd Apatow

On June 9, 1997, Mann married director and producer Judd Apatow, whom she met while auditioning for The Cable Guy. Apatow, one of the film's producers, read the lines to auditioning actresses as a stand-in for Jim Carrey.[27] Mann and Apatow have two daughters, Maude and Iris, who both appeared in the films Knocked Up, Funny People, and This Is 40 as the children of Mann's characters.[28] In 2017, Mann and elder daughter Maude appeared together in commercials for Jergens Skin Care products.[citation needed]

Mann and Apatow are both longtime supporters of the nonprofit organization 826LA, which focuses on encouraging and developing the writing skills of disadvantaged youth.[29] They are also involved with the UCLA Rape Treatment Center's Stuart House, which serves sexually abused children and their families.[30] Mann and Apatow's philanthropic contributions were honored in 2012 by the Bogart Pediatric Cancer Research Program, which awarded them the 2012 "Children's Choice Award" for their work with children and families dealing with pediatric cancer. In 2009, they were also recognized by The Fulfillment Fund, which honored them at its annual benefit gala.[31]

Filmography

Film

List of film appearances, with year, title, and role shown
Year Title Role Notes
1991 Virgin High Extra [32]
1996 Bottle Rocket Sorority Girl Uncredited[33]
1996 Cosas que nunca te dije Laurie
1996 She's the One Connie
1996 Last Man Standing Wanda
1996 The Cable Guy Robin Harris
1997 George of the Jungle Ursula Stanhope
1999 Big Daddy Corinne Maloney
2000 Timecode Cherine
2001 Perfume Camille
2002 Orange County Krista Brumder
2002 Stealing Harvard Elaine Warner
2005 The 40-Year-Old Virgin Nicky
2007 Knocked Up Debbie
2008 Drillbit Taylor Lisa Zachey
2008 Beverly Hills Chihuahua Bimini Uncredited
2009 17 Again Scarlett O'Donnell
2009 Funny People Laura
2009 Shorts Mom Thompson
2009 I Love You Phillip Morris Debbie Russell
2011 Rio Linda Gunderson Voice role
2011 Little Birds Margaret Hobart
2011 The Change-Up Jamie Lockwood
2012 ParaNorman Sandra Babcock Voice role
2012 This Is 40 Debbie
2013 The Bling Ring Laurie Moore
2014 Mr. Peabody & Sherman Patty Peterson Voice role
2014 Rio 2 Linda Gunderson Voice role
2014 The Other Woman Kate King
2015 Vacation Audrey Griswold-Crandall
2016 How to Be Single Meg Kepley
2016 The Comedian Harmony Schiltz
2018 Blockers Lisa Decker
2018 Welcome to Marwen Nicol
2019 Motherless Brooklyn Julia Minna
2020 Blithe Spirit Elvira Condomine
2020 The Croods: A New Age Hope Betterman Voice role
2022 Cha Cha Real Smooth Lisa
2022 The Bubble Lauren Van Chance

Television

List of film appearances, with year, title, and role shown
Year Title Role Notes
1994 Birdland Nurse Mary Episode: "Grand Delusion"
1995 The Wright Verdicts Erica Mercer Episode: "Pilot"
1998 Hercules Amphitrite Voice role; 2 episodes
1999 Freaks and Geeks Ms. Foote Episode: "Chokin and Tokin"
2011 Modern Family Katie Episode: "Treehouse"
2011 Allen Gregory Gina Winthrop 7 episodes
2014 The Simpsons Leslie Mann Voice role; Episode: "Steal This Episode"
2014 Makers: Women Who Make America Narrator Episode: "Women in Comedy"

References

  1. ^ "Leslie Mann". Maxim. July 30, 2009. Archived from the original on April 16, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e Combe, Rachael (September 17, 2012). "Leslie Mann on Being Hollywood's Reigning Funny Girl". Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  3. ^ Multiple sources:
  4. ^ "Our History". Ayres Hotels. Retrieved January 21, 2022. 2005 was also the year Janet Ayres, Don Ayres Jr.'s wife, brought her keen eye for design to the Ayres Hotels. For eight years, Janet led interior design and quality assurance programs structured to keep the collection a unique blend of 90% traditional and 10% cool.
  5. ^ a b Katz, Jesse (May 18, 2009). "In the Editing Room with Leslie Mann". Los Angeles magazine. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  6. ^ Multiple sources:
    • "Baraga Items". L'Anse Sentinel. Digital Michigan Newspapers Collection. September 1, 1943. Retrieved January 21, 2022. Miss Sadie Rasanen has arrived from Detroit to visit her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Rasanen, for. two weeks.
    • "Baraga Items". L'Anse Sentinel. Digital Michigan Newspapers Collection. November 18, 1937. p. 4. Retrieved January 21, 2022. Miss Sadie Rasanen has arrived from Detroit to visit her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Rasanen
    • "Sadie H Rasanen in the 1940 Census". Ancestry.com. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
    • YLE TV 1, 20:30 TV-news, April 25, 2014.
    • https://svenska.yle.fi/artikel/2016/02/03/tio-kandisar-med-finska-rotter "Leslie also has Finnish roots from the mother's side. The family was called Räsänen in surname."
  7. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (November 14, 2012). "Judd Apatow's Life as Art in 'This Is 40'". The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  8. ^ de Bertodano, Helena (February 13, 2013). "This is 40: Leslie Mann interview". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  9. ^ Funny People (2009) at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  10. ^ Knocked Up (2007) at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  11. ^ "Knocked Up Awards". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2007. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  12. ^ Leslie Mann – IMDb
  13. ^ Scott, A.O. (December 18, 2009). "Homes Are Where You Find Them". The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  14. ^ a b Rapkin, Mickey (October 17, 2011). "Comedy's Unlikely Feminist". Archived from the original on September 1, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  15. ^ 17 Again on Box Office Mojo
  16. ^ I Love You Phillip Morris (2009) at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  17. ^ Awards for I Love You Phillip Morris (2009) at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  18. ^ Murray, Rebecca (April 19, 2009). "Leslie Mann and Elizabeth Banks to Star in What Was I Thinking?". Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  19. ^ Saviss, Ramona (May 5, 2011). "'The Change-Up': The Scene That Won Over Leslie Mann". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  20. ^ "Rio (2011)". May 23, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  21. ^ "Allen Gregory". IMDb. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  22. ^ Palumbo, Stephanie. "How Leslie Mann Lives Her Best Life". Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  23. ^ This Is 40 (2012) at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  24. ^ "Critics Choice Awards". Archived from the original on December 15, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  25. ^ The Bling Ring (2013) at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  26. ^ "Makers: Women in Comedy" (video). PBS. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  27. ^ Cormier, Roger (June 14, 2016). "13 Hooked Up Facts About The Cable Guy". Mental Floss. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  28. ^ Maude Apatow – IMDb
  29. ^ Kellogg, Carolyn (May 23, 2012). "826LA adds Pee-wee Herman to Judd Apatow benefit". Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  30. ^ Delgado, Alexandra (March 12, 2012). "Haute 100 Los Angeles Update: Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann Support Stuart House". Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  31. ^ Kay, Felix. "Judd Apatow & Leslie Mann Honored for Work for Kids". Archived from the original on October 27, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  32. ^ Ryan, Kyle. (September 28, 2007) Random Roles: Leslie Mann "My friend was in some commercial workshop when we were living in Newport Beach going to high school. She had a number to call for extra work. We were just extras. And for some reason, they put that on my IMDB thing." The A.V. Club Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  33. ^ Perez, Rodrigo (November 1, 2007). "Judd Apatow's Wife Leslie Mann Was In Wes Anderson's Bottle Rocket? Who Knew?". The Playlist. Retrieved August 11, 2016.

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