Judith Light

Judith Light Headshot

Actress

Birth Date: February 9, 1949

Age: 75 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

Poker FaceStream

Guest Star
Irene Smothers
Series
2023
98%

Down Low

Actor
Sandy
Movie
2023

JuliaStream

Actor
Blanche Knopf
Series
2022
96%

Shining ValeStream

Actor
Joan
Series
2022
71%

The MenuStream

Actor
Anne
Movie
2022
88%

We Are Family: Songs of Hope and Unity

Host
Show
2021

Tick, Tick... Boom!Stream

Actor
Rosa Stevens
Movie
2021
88%

Manhunt: Deadly Games

Actor
Bobi Jewell
Miniseries
2020

Manhunt

Actor
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2020

The PoliticianStream

Actor
Dede Standish
Series
2019
51%

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

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 Air

Actor
Judith Montefiore-Salters
Movie
2018

Transparent: Extras

Actor
Show
2017

I'm SorryStream

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Series
2017
75%

Anne Morrow Lindbergh: You'll Have the Sky

Narrator
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2017

DoubtStream

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Series
2017
55%

The Accidental WolfStream

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2017

Show People

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2016

Celebrity PageStream

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News
2016

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

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Talk
2015

Digging for Fire

Actor
Grandma
Movie
2015

TransparentStream

Actor
Shelly Pfefferman
Series
2014
91%

Row J

Actor
Show
2014

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Guest
Talk
2014

ten x ten

Actor
Show
2014

We'll Never Have Paris

Actor
Jean
Movie
2014

Last Weekend

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Veronika Goss
Movie
2014

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Guest
Talk
2012

DallasStream

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Series
2012
75%

Rhymes With Banana

Actor
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2012

The ExesStream

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Series
2011

LIVE with Kelly

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2011

The Gayle King Show

Guest
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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
96%

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

Guest
Talk
2009

Nurse JackieStream

Guest Star
Maureen Cooper
Series
2009
81%

The Wendy Williams Show

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2008

Today With Kathie Lee & Hoda

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2007

The Better Show

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2007

Save Me

Actor
Gayle
Movie
2007

Save Me

Producer
Movie
2007

A Broken Sole

Actor
Hilary
Movie
2007

Twenty Good Years

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2006

Ugly BettyStream

Actor
Claire Meade
Series
2006
97%

Ugly BettyStream

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Claire Meade
Series
2006
97%

Rachael Ray ShowStream

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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
78%

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 CityStream

Guest Star
Series
1996
69%

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 ShowStream

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

News aboutJudith Light

Sarah Lancashire and David Hyde Pierce in 'Julia' Season 2

‘Julia’ Canceled at Max After 2 Seasons

Nick Offerman and Storm Reid at the 75th Creative Arts Emmy Awards

2023 Creative Arts Emmys: ‘The Last of Us’ Wins Big on Night 1

Sarah Lancashire and David Hyde Pierce in 'Julia' Season 2

‘Julia’ Teaser: Julia Child Visits Paris & Cooks for White House in Season 2 (VIDEO)

Courteney Cox as Pat in 'Shining Vale' Season 2

‘Shining Vale’: Courteney Cox’s Pat is Stuck in Asylum in Season 2 First Look (PHOTOS)

Judith Light as Irene Smothers in 'Poker Face'
Spoiler Alert

‘Poker Face’: Judith Light on Teaming With S. Epatha Merkerson in Killer Episode 5

Natasha Lyonne in 'Poker Face'
Review

Roush Review: No Lie, ‘Poker Face’ Is a Blast

'Who's the Boss?' - Tony Danza and Alyssa Milano

Alyssa Milano Gives an Update on the ‘Who’s the Boss?’ Sequel Series

Judge Judy Sheindlin, Katey Sagal, Judith Light, and Mariska Hargitay

Her Honors! 10 Actors Who Could Play Judge Judy in a Biopic

(L-R) Rosemarie Dewitt, Judith Light, Luke Kirby

‘Out of My Mind’: Rosemarie DeWitt, Judith Light, Luke Kirby & More Join Disney+ Original Movie

American Horror Stories - Denis O'Hare

‘American Horror Stories’: Alicia Silverstone, Max Greenfield & More Join Season 2 Cast

Julia on HBO Max

Can’t Miss Episode of the Week: ‘Julia’ Season Finale Is Delightful TV

Julia HBO Max - Sarah Lancashire
Review

Roush Review: ‘Julia’ Is a Four-Course Banquet of Sheer Joy

Judith Light on Shining Vale
Exclusive

‘Shining Vale’ Sneak Peek: Judith Light Shows Up to Explain Pat’s Darkness (VIDEO)

Shining Vale - Gus Birney, Dylan Gage, and Courteney Cox
Review

Roush Review: Giving Up the Ghost in ‘Shining Vale’

Shining Vale cast
Preview

‘Shining Vale’ Cast Talks Balancing Humor & Horror in the Starz Series (VIDEO)

Nathan Fillion in 'One Life to Live' from 1996

10 Stars Who Appeared on ‘One Life to Live,’ Which Ended 10 Years Ago

Impeachment American Crime Story Beanie Feldstein
Review

Roush Review: ‘Impeachment’ Is Mostly Monica’s Tripp-y Story

The Politician

Payton Hobart Runs for Senate in ‘The Politician’ Season 2 First Look (PHOTOS)

Manhunt Deadly Games - Cast Preview - Cameron Britton and Judith Light
Preview

Meet the Cast & Characters of ‘Manhunt: Deadly Games’ (VIDEO)

TRANSPARENT
Finale

Judith Light Talks Shelly’s Journey & Saying Goodbye to ‘Transparent’

Transparent

‘Transparent’ Creator Reveals How Jeffrey Tambor Will Be Written Out of Series Finale

Judith Light as Nellie Bly in 'The Nellie Bly Story'
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

Christina Ricci, Judith Light to Star in Lifetime Thriller ‘Nellie Bly’

Transparent - Jeffrey Tambor and Alexandra Billings
Preview

Watch: ‘Transparent’ Season 4 Teaser Focuses on Davina’s Journey

Jeffrey Tambor as Maura Pfefferman in Transparent

Roush Review: ‘Transparent’ Returns, and Remakes of ‘The Exorcist’, ‘MacGyver’

Transparent, Sponsored Gallery Images 11.3, GG2017.NOMS

‘Transparent’s Cast on Maura’s Changes and How the Show Has Helped the Transgender Community

Transparent - Jeffrey Tambor, Amy Landecker, Tim Bagley, Judith Light

‘Transparent’s Judith Light Talks Her Most ‘Valuable’ Scene in Season 2

Transparent

What’s Worth Watching: ‘Transparent’ on Netflix for Friday, December 11

Transparent cast at Paleyfest - Jeffrey Tambor and Judith Light

‘Transparent’ Stars Confess What They’ve Bought Recently on Amazon