Jane Lynch

Early Life

Jane Marie Lynch was born on July 14, 1960, in Evergreen Park, Illinois, and raised in Dolton, Illinois. She is the daughter of Frank Joseph Lynch, a banker, and Eileen Lynch, a homemaker and secretary. With Irish and Swedish ancestry, Lynch was raised in a Catholic family and attended Thornridge High School. She graduated from Illinois State University in 1982 with a theater degree and later earned a Master of Fine Arts from Cornell University in 1984.

Career

Lynch's career began in Chicago, where she spent 15 years acting with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company and was one of only two women selected to join The Second City comedy troupe. She honed her comedic skills at the Annoyance Theater, notably playing Carol Brady in "The Real Live Brady Bunch." Her film career took off in 1988 with a small role in "Vice Versa," followed by a notable performance in "The Fugitive" (1993). Lynch became a familiar face in Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, including "Best in Show" and "A Mighty Wind." She gained widespread recognition for her role in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," which solidified her status as a talented comedic actress.

Personal Life

Lynch married Lara Embry on May 31, 2010, in Sunderland, Massachusetts, but the couple divorced in January 2014. In November 2021, she married Jennifer Cheyne in Santa Barbara, California. Notably, Lynch is deaf in her right ear, a detail that adds to her unique personal narrative. Throughout her career, she has received numerous accolades, including six Primetime Emmy Awards and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013, highlighting her significant contributions to the entertainment industry.