Julie Kavner
Biography
Julie Kavner is an American actress from Los Angeles who studied drama at San Diego State University and landed her first professional role in 1974 as Brenda Morgenstern on the sitcom Rhoda. The part earned her four Primetime Emmy nominations and a win for supporting actress in a comedy series. Woody Allen noticed her on Rhoda and cast her in Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), beginning a long association that includes Radio Days (1987) and Don't Drink the Water (1994). In 1987 she joined The Tracey Ullman Show and was asked to voice Marge Simpson for animated shorts that became The Simpsons; she continues to voice Marge and other Bouvier women and won an Emmy for voice-over performance in 1992. She later appeared in Awakenings (1990), took her first leading film role in This Is My Life (1992), and worked on Click (2006) and Ella McCay (2025).
76years old
Turns 77 on September 7in 329 days
- Born Los Angeles
- Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
- Also credited as Julie Deborah Kavner
Movie Career
- Films
- 16
- Career span
- 45 years1980 to 2025
Genres
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Big break
Woody Allen noticed Kavner while watching Rhoda in the 1970s and found her remarkable. He gave her a part in his 1986 movie Hannah and Her Sisters, which she says brought her career back to life.
Big break
The Tracey Ullman Show had animated shorts about the dysfunctional Simpson family. Since voices were needed, producers chose Kavner and Dan Castellaneta, a fellow cast member, to voice Marge and Homer instead of hiring more actors.
A first
Kavner's contract for The Simpsons lets her skip promoting the show on video, and she has never voiced Marge in public, since she feels publicity "destroys the illusion."
Getting ready for a role
In Awakenings (1990), an Academy Award nominated film, Kavner played Eleanor Costello, a nurse who becomes friends with Robin Williams' character. To get ready for the part, she talked with several nurses.
Early training
Kavner majored in drama at San Diego State University, where she was cast in several productions, among them the part of Charlotte Corday in Marat/Sade, and gained a reputation for improvising and for handling both comedy and drama.
Julie Kavner movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- The Simpsons Movie2007 Adventure, Animation, Comedyas Marge Simpson / Selma / Pattyvoice
IMDb rating 7.3366K votes
Most often with
Woody Allen directed three of these films, James L. Brooks two. Albert Brooks appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Albert Brooks's page
Michael Caine's page
Max von Sydow's page
Carrie Fisher's page
Joe Mantegna's page
Woody Allen's page
All films by James L. Brooks
Also two films together11 more actors
- Hank AzariaThe Simpsons: O C'mon All Ye Faithful (2024) and The Simpsons Movie (2007)
- Steve GuttenbergSurrender (1987) and Bad Medicine (1985)
- Mia FarrowRadio Days (1987) and Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
- Dan CastellanetaThe Simpsons: O C'mon All Ye Faithful (2024) and The Simpsons Movie (2007)
- Robert JoyI'll Do Anything (1994) and Radio Days (1987)
- Harry ShearerThe Simpsons: O C'mon All Ye Faithful (2024) and The Simpsons Movie (2007)
- Nancy CartwrightThe Simpsons: O C'mon All Ye Faithful (2024) and The Simpsons Movie (2007)
- Christian ClemensonSurrender (1987) and Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
- Yeardley SmithThe Simpsons: O C'mon All Ye Faithful (2024) and The Simpsons Movie (2007)
- Maggie RoswellThe Simpsons: O C'mon All Ye Faithful (2024) and The Simpsons Movie (2007)
- Pamela HaydenThe Simpsons: O C'mon All Ye Faithful (2024) and The Simpsons Movie (2007)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Julie Kavner's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$915 million
9 of the 16 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 16 films: 9 worldwide figure; 4 us gross only; 3 never in cinemas.
- 9Worldwide figure
- 4US gross only
- 3Never in cinemas
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$527M57.6% of the total
- 2$241M26.3% of the total
- 3$52M5.7% of the total
- 4$40M4.4% of the total
- 5$33M3.6% of the total
- 6$15M1.6% of the total
- 7$4.5M0.5% of the total
- 8$2.7M0.3% of the total
$1,465from the other 1 film with a worldwide figure, 0% of the total
Awards
One award and honor, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emmy Awards | |||
| 1978 | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Rhoda | Won |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.