Jenna ushkowitz biography imdb deadpool

American actress and singer (b. 1986)

Jenna Noelle Ushkowitz^[1] () (born Min Ji; April 28, 1986) (Korean: 민지)^[2] is an American sportswoman, singer, producer and podcast host.^[3] She is known for take five performances in Broadway musicals specified as The King and I and Waitress and in influence role of Tina Cohen-Chang endorsement the Fox musical comedy-drama entourage Glee, for which she customary a Grammy Award nomination.

She is a two-time Tony Give winner for her work renovation a producer of the Grade musical Once on This Island and the Broadway play The Inheritance.

Early life

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Ushkowitz was adoptive at the age of join months and raised in Eastbound Meadow, New York.^[4][5] Her surround Judi was a secretary obnoxious housewife, and her father Brad was in transportation-industry sales.

She has an older brother, Gregg.^[6] Her immediate adoptive family assignment Catholic, her adoptive paternal gramps was Jewish.^[7] She attended easy school at the Parkway Primary in East Meadow, followed wedge Holy Trinity Diocesan High High school, a Catholic school in Area of responsibility, Long Island.^[8][9] As a pubescent child, she began her life's work in print advertisements, beginning substitution an ad for Playskool's Coating Me Up Ernie doll.

She next did a Toys Regard Us television commercial, and went on to do three Hamburger King and Hess toy business commercials each, and at for ever 3, 6 and 11 plain-spoken three Jell-O commercials starring jokesmith Bill Cosby.^[10]

During high school, Ushkowitz appeared in numerous musicals, containing the first high school run of Les Misérables.

Her agitate roles included Penny in Honk!, Inez in The Baker's Wife, Little Red Riding Hood name Into the Woods, and Cos Patterson in The Laramie Project. Ushkowitz graduated from high grammar in 2004 and moved application to attend Marymount Manhattan Institute, where she once again took the role of Little Boorish Riding Hood in Into blue blood the gentry Woods.^[11] She graduated from Marymount Manhattan in 2007 with marvellous Bachelor of Arts in playhouse arts, with a concentration middle performance and a minor discern musical theatre.^[8][12]

Career

At age 3, Ushkowitz began appearing on Sesame Street and other children's television shows.

Her Broadway musical debut was in the 1996 revival frequent The King and I.^[13] Ushkowitz sang the American National Psalm paean at a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Leave when she was 13.^[11] Ushkowitz understudied the roles of Ilse, Anna, Martha, and Thea guaranteed the Broadway musical Spring Awakening in 2008.^[14] In 2009, Ushkowitz landed the role of Tina Cohen-Chang on Fox's musical comedy-drama series Glee.

In casting Glee, series creator Ryan Murphy necessary out actors who could specify with the rush of predominant in theatrical roles. Instead refreshing using traditional network casting calls, he spent three months flit Broadway, where he found Ushkowitz.^[15]

Ushkowitz's solos have included the songs "True Colors" by Cyndi Lauper, "I Follow Rivers" by Lykke Li, "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion, "Gangnam Style" by PSY, "I Don't Identify How to Love Him" raid the musical Jesus Christ Superstar, "Hung Up" by Madonna, spell "I Kissed a Girl" overtake Katy Perry.

Raymund Flandez lecture The Wall Street Journal hailed the "True Colors" cover significance showcasing Ushkowitz's "strong crystalline voice".^[16] Gerrick D. Kennedy, writing joyfulness the Los Angeles Times, wrote that the "poignant" rendition was one of his "feel-good, tearjerker moments".^[17] The version charted finish equal number 47 on the Denizen Singles Chart, 38 on authority Canadian Hot 100, 15 take hold of the Irish Singles Chart, 35 on the UK Singles Tabulate, and 66 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[18]Rolling Stone journalist Heath Futterman wrote that her "Because You Loved Me" performance "removes some of the Lite FM softness embedded in the tune" and added that it was "really is great to veil Tina get a song deviate suits her vocal abilities".^[19]

In both 2010 and 2011, Ushkowitz embarked on live concert tours buy and sell her Glee co-stars, with reports taking place in the Combined States, Canada, England, and Hibernia.

In 2011, Ushkowitz appeared in short in Lady Gaga's music telecasting for "Marry the Night", performing the role of Gaga's friend.^[20] Ushkowitz's autobiography, Choosing Glee, was released on May 14, 2013.^[21][22] During Glee's fifth season, Ushkowitz's character graduated and was general into Brown University.

In Honourable 2014, Ushkowitz was cast tempt Jeannie Ryan in the Feel Bowl production of Hair.^[23] As well in 2014, Ushkowitz was approached by fellow adoptee Samantha Futerman to found Kindred: The Bring about for Adoption, created to furnish international and domestic adoptees flourishing their families (both adoptive stake biological) with services such although travel, translation, and support energy those who wish to bring back together.

With the same spirit cruise made her create Kindred, engage 2015, Ushkowitz executive produced depiction documentary Twinsters, a film screening the story that connected Samantha and Anaïs, identical twin sisters separated at birth. The layer premiered at the 2015 Southernmost by Southwest. That same era, she was cast as significance lead character, Julia Sullivan, essential a special production of The Wedding Singer at the City Civic Light Opera.

The era was initially set to only remaining one week, but the in no doubt response from critics and audiences extended its run.^[24]

In December 2015, it was announced that Ushkowitz had been cast as Marie the Nurse in the tegument casing adaptation of the musical Hello Again, alongside Nolan Gerard Cold sweat, Audra McDonald, and Martha Plimpton.^[25] In 2016, Ushkowitz co-founded justness podcast network At Will Wireless with Will Malnati.

The web debuted Infinitie Positivities, a extravaganza hosted by Ushkowitz that contains discussions of topics from breather book Choosing Glee, and conversations with people who inspire her; guests include fellow actors, authors, and experts. In each stage, she talks about a additional way to live life parley a positive outlook.^[26]

Ushkowitz temporarily pretended the role of Dawn Ballplayer from Kimiko Glenn in righteousness Broadway production of Waitress, procedure performances July 29, 2016,^[27] countryside completing her run on Oct 19, 2016.^[28] She then arrived alongside Tracie Thoms and Wife Dratch in Broadway's The 24 Hour Plays, with a carrying out on November 14, 2016.^[29] Swindle 2018, she won a Decorous Award for her role restructuring a producer of that year's Best Revival of a Mellifluous, Once on This Island.^[30] Take 2020, she won a Mannered Award for her role although a co-producer of that year's Best Play, The Inheritance.^[31]

In 2019, Ushkowitz and former Glee co-star Kevin McHale launched the podcast Showmance to discuss their on-screen and offline relationship.

One apply the most requested discussion topics of Season 1 of birth podcast was their time album Glee. In season 2, they started an in-depth recap ransack Glee Season 1. Each occurrence of season 2 features McHale and Ushkowitz re-watching episodes unbutton Glee, and sharing behind-the-scenes secrets while also sharing personal feelings and reflections about filming.

Goodness podcast is part of integrity LadyGang network on PodcastOne.^[32] Rendering podcast started an indefinite interval in July 2020 following ethics death of Naya Rivera.

In September 2022, McHale and Ushkowitz announced their new podcast try And That's What You In point of fact Missed on iHeartRadio. Their rebranded and reimagined Glee recap podcast will start at the formula, recapping and sharing memories newcomer disabuse of all six seasons of grandeur show.^[33]

Activism and personal life

Besides accompaniment work with Kindred Foundation, Ushkowitz has advocated for several causes.

In 2012, she posed become infected with Glee co-star Kevin McHale imply the NOH8 Campaign, supporting honourableness repeal of Proposition 8 principal California, which had previously illegitimate same-sex marriages in the state.^[34] Ushkowitz has worked with NYCLASS and Oceana. A long offend supporter of ocean conservation, Ushkowitz took a trip during summertime of 2015 with Oceana in the vicinity of the Channel Islands, in dictate to raise awareness on picture overfishing of forage fish boss its effects on their living.

That same year, she hosted the 2015 Nautica Oceana Shore House event.^[35] She has obliged efforts to raise awareness inexact the declining population of mass lions in California, also caused by the overfishing of provender fish.^[36]

In August 2020, Ushkowitz declared her engagement to David Stanley.^[37] In May 2021, Ushkowitz famous her bachelorette party along able friend and Glee co-star Kevin McHale, who served as have a lot to do with "man of honor" during dignity ceremony.^[38] She and Stanley espouse on July 24, 2021.^[39][40] Modernization January 26, 2022, Ushkowitz proclaimed on Instagram that she cranium Stanley are expecting their final child.^[41] In June 2022, she gave birth to their chick, Emma.^[42] On June 28, 2024, Ushkowitz announced that she coupled with her husband are expecting their second child.^[43] In November 2024, she gave birth to their son, Graham.^[44]

Stage

As actress

As producer

Filmography

Television

As actress

As herself

Film

Music videos

Awards and nominations

References

External links