Judith Light
Actress
Birth Name: Judith Ellen Light
Birth Date: February 9, 1949
Age: 76 years old
Birth Place: Trenton, New Jersey
Spouses: Robert Desiderio
Judith Ellen Light was born on Feb. 9, 1949 in Trenton, NJ. Shortly after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University with a degree in drama, Light became a professional stage actor, making her way to Broadway by 1975 with a role in the contemporaneous revival of "A Doll's House."
Just two years later, Light landed her breakout role on the soap opera "One Life to Live" (ABC 1968-2012), on which she'd star through 1983. Light's performance as the character Karen Wolek earned her two Daytime Emmy Awards. Upon leaving the series, she became the costar of the popular sitcom "Who's the Boss?" (ABC 1984-1992), on which she played single parent Angela Bower.
Following the conclusion of the series, it would be more than a decade before Light landed another regular television role; in the interim period, she worked again on the stage and in notable one-off and recurring performances, namely on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (NBC 1999-). Her next regular role came with the comedy series "Ugly Betty" (ABC 2006-2010), which earned Light her first Primetime Emmy Award nomination.
Not long afterward, she was nominated for a Tony Award for her role in the 2011 Broadway production of "Lombardi." Though she did not win, she'd go on to win a Tony the following year for her role in "Other Desert Cities" and another in 2013 for "The Assembled Parties." Her next such accolade would come by way of her performance on the dramedy series "Transparent" (Amazon 2014-19), on which she played the narcissistic Shelly Pfefferman.
In addition to two Emmy nominations, her work on the series earned her a Golden Globe nomination.
Credits
BeforeStream
Actor
Lynn
Series
2024
BeforeStream
Guest Star
Lynn
Series
2024
Kite Man: Hell Yeah!Stream
Actor
Series
2024
Out of My MindStream
Actor
Mrs. V.
Movie
2024
Poker FaceStream
Guest Star
Irene Smothers
Series
2023
Down Low
Actor
Sandy
Movie
2023
The Young WifeStream
Actor
Cookie
Movie
2023
JuliaStream
Actor
Blanche Knopf
Series
2022
Shining ValeStream
Actor
Joan
Series
2022
The MenuStream
Actor
Anne
Movie
2022
We Are Family: Songs of Hope and Unity
Host
Show
2021
Tick, Tick... Boom!Stream
Actor
Rosa Stevens
Movie
2021
GMA3: What You Need to Know
Guest
Show
2020
Manhunt: Deadly Games
Actor
Bobi Jewell
Miniseries
2020
Manhunt
Actor
Show
2020
The PoliticianStream
Actor
Dede Standish
Series
2019
GMA3: Strahan, Sara & Keke
Guest
Show
2019
Today With Hoda & Jenna
Guest
Show
2019
Ms. White Light
Actor
Val
Movie
2019
Before You Know It
Actor
Sherrell Ghearhardt
Movie
2019
Today 3rd Hour
Guest
Show
2018
Dirty Laundry
Guest
Show
2018
Entertainment Weekly Cast Reunions
Guest
Show
2018
Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly StoryStream
Actor
Matron Grady
Movie
2018
Hot AirStream
Actor
Judith Montefiore-Salters
Movie
2018
Transparent: Extras
Actor
Show
2017
I'm SorryStream
Guest Star
Series
2017
Anne Morrow Lindbergh: You'll Have the Sky
Narrator
Show
2017
DoubtStream
Guest Star
Series
2017
The Accidental Wolf
Actor
Series
2017
Show People
Actor
Show
2016
Celebrity PageStream
Guest
News
2016
The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream
Guest
Talk
2015
Digging for Fire
Actor
Grandma
Movie
2015
TransparentStream
Actor
Shelly Pfefferman
Series
2014
Row J
Actor
Show
2014
Late Night With Seth MeyersStream
Guest
Talk
2014
ten x ten
Actor
Show
2014
We'll Never Have ParisStream
Actor
Jean
Movie
2014
Last Weekend
Actor
Veronika Goss
Movie
2014
Live! With Kelly and Michael
Guest
Talk
2012
DallasStream
Guest Star
Series
2012
Rhymes With Banana
Actor
Movie
2012
The ExesStream
Guest Star
Series
2011
LIVE with Kelly
Guest
Show
2011
The Gayle King Show
Guest
Show
2011
Heart of Broadway: The Ensemble Behind Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
Actor
Movie
2011
The Talk
Guest
Talk
2010
Raising HopeStream
Guest Star
Series
2010
Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream
Guest
Talk
2009
Nurse JackieStream
Guest Star
Maureen Cooper
Series
2009
The Wendy Williams ShowStream
Guest
Talk
2008
Today With Kathie Lee & Hoda
Guest
Show
2007
The Better Show
Guest
Show
2007
Save Me
Actor
Gayle
Movie
2007
Save Me
Producer
Movie
2007
A Broken Sole
Actor
Hilary
Movie
2007
Twenty Good Years
Guest Star
Show
2006
Ugly BettyStream
Actor
Claire Meade
Series
2006
Ugly BettyStream
Guest Star
Claire Meade
Series
2006
Rachael Ray Show
Guest
Talk
2006
Ira and Abby
Actor
Arlene Black
Movie
2006
Serial Bowl
Guest Star
Show
2005
The Stones
Actor
Barbara Stone
Show
2004
Live With Regis and Kelly
Guest
Show
2001
Joseph: King of Dreams
Voice
Zuleika
Movie
2000
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitStream
Guest Star
Bureau Chief Elizabeth Donnelly
Series
1999
Family Guy
Guest Voice
Herself
Show
1999
Family GuyStream
Guest Voice
Herself
Series
1999
The Simple Life
Actor
Series
1998
Carriers
Actor
Maj. Carmen Travis
Movie
1998
The View
Guest
Talk
1997
Mother's Love
Actor
Diana Donahue
Movie
1997
Too Close to Home
Actor
Diana Donahue
Movie
1997
Paul Monette: The Brink of Summer's End
Self
Movie
1997
Spin City
Guest Star
Series
1996
Murder at My Door
Actor
Irene McNair
Movie
1996
A Step Toward Tomorrow
Actor
Anna Lerner
Movie
1996
A Husband, a Wife and a Lover
Actor
Lisa McKeever
Movie
1996
La Muerte Toca Mi Puerta
Actor
Movie
1996
Calibre 22: la Dama Asesina
Actor
Janice Mitchell
Movie
1995
Lady Killer
Actor
Janice Mitchell
Movie
1995
Betrayal of Trust
Actor
Barbara Noël
Movie
1994
Against Their Will: Women in Prison
Actor
Alice Needham
Movie
1994
Phenom
Actor
Dianne Doolan
Show
1993
Men Don't Tell
Actor
Laura MacAffrey
Movie
1993
Wife, Mother, Murderer
Actor
Marie Hilley/Robbi/Teri
Movie
1991
Plaidoirie pour le meilleur et pour le pire
Actor
Movie
1990
En Defensa de un Hombre Casado
Actor
Movie
1990
In Defense of a Married Man
Actor
Laura Simmons
Movie
1990
The Joan Rivers Show
Guest
Talk
1989
The Ryan White Story
Actor
Jeanne White
Movie
1989
My Boyfriend's Back
Actor
Vickie Vine
Movie
1989
Dangerous Affection
Actor
Cathy Proctor
Movie
1987
Who's the Boss?Stream
Actor
Angela Bower
Series
1984
Intimate Agony
Actor
Marsha
Movie
1983
Family TiesStream
Guest Star
Series
1982
Entertainment Tonight
Guest
News
1981
Good Morning America
Guest
News
1975
KojakStream
Guest Star
Laetitia Pomerantz
Series
1973
One Life to LiveStream
Actor
Karen Wolek Wolek
Soap
1968
Today
Guest
News
1952
Photos
News aboutJudith Light
Preview
Billy Crystal Is Creeping Us Out in This ‘Before’ First Look (PHOTOS)
‘Julia’ Canceled at Max After 2 Seasons
2023 Creative Arts Emmys: ‘The Last of Us’ Wins Big on Night 1
‘Julia’ Teaser: Julia Child Visits Paris & Cooks for White House in Season 2 (VIDEO)
‘Shining Vale’: Courteney Cox’s Pat is Stuck in Asylum in Season 2 First Look (PHOTOS)
Spoiler Alert
‘Poker Face’: Judith Light on Teaming With S. Epatha Merkerson in Killer Episode 5
Review
Roush Review: No Lie, ‘Poker Face’ Is a Blast
Alyssa Milano Gives an Update on the ‘Who’s the Boss?’ Sequel Series
Her Honors! 10 Actors Who Could Play Judge Judy in a Biopic
‘Out of My Mind’: Rosemarie DeWitt, Judith Light, Luke Kirby & More Join Disney+ Original Movie
‘American Horror Stories’: Alicia Silverstone, Max Greenfield & More Join Season 2 Cast
Can’t Miss Episode of the Week: ‘Julia’ Season Finale Is Delightful TV
Review
Roush Review: ‘Julia’ Is a Four-Course Banquet of Sheer Joy
Exclusive
‘Shining Vale’ Sneak Peek: Judith Light Shows Up to Explain Pat’s Darkness (VIDEO)
Review
Roush Review: Giving Up the Ghost in ‘Shining Vale’
Preview
‘Shining Vale’ Cast Talks Balancing Humor & Horror in the Starz Series (VIDEO)
10 Stars Who Appeared on ‘One Life to Live,’ Which Ended 10 Years Ago
Review
Roush Review: ‘Impeachment’ Is Mostly Monica’s Tripp-y Story
Payton Hobart Runs for Senate in ‘The Politician’ Season 2 First Look (PHOTOS)
Preview
Meet the Cast & Characters of ‘Manhunt: Deadly Games’ (VIDEO)
Finale
Judith Light Talks Shelly’s Journey & Saying Goodbye to ‘Transparent’
‘Transparent’ Creator Reveals How Jeffrey Tambor Will Be Written Out of Series Finale
Q&A
Judith Light on Lifetime’s ‘The Nellie Bly Story’ and ‘Who’s the Boss?’ & ‘One Life to Live’ Memories
Christina Ricci, Judith Light to Star in Lifetime Thriller ‘Nellie Bly’
Preview
Watch: ‘Transparent’ Season 4 Teaser Focuses on Davina’s Journey
Roush Review: ‘Transparent’ Returns, and Remakes of ‘The Exorcist’, ‘MacGyver’
‘Transparent’s Cast on Maura’s Changes and How the Show Has Helped the Transgender Community
‘Transparent’s Judith Light Talks Her Most ‘Valuable’ Scene in Season 2
What’s Worth Watching: ‘Transparent’ on Netflix for Friday, December 11
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services