--- name: "Janeane Garofalo" canonical: "https://film.one/person/janeane-garofalo" fi1m_id: "janeane-garofalo" imdb_id: "nm0000413" tmdb_id: 21197 wikidata_id: "Q40143" roles: ["Actor"] born: "28 September 1964" reviewed_on_fi1m: 10 average_fi1m_score: 77 average_as: "actor" average_over: 9 updated: "2026-10-07T04:02:45.442598+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Janeane Garofalo ## Identity Janeane Garofalo - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/janeane-garofalo - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** janeane-garofalo - **IMDb ID:** nm0000413 - **TMDB ID:** 21197 - **Wikidata ID:** Q40143 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janeane_Garofalo, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q40143, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000413/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/21197 Actor. Born 28 September 1964 in Newton, New Jersey, USA. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 28 September 1964, Newton, New Jersey, USA - **Active:** 1992–present - **Also known as:** Janeane Marie Garofalo - **Titles on Fi1m:** 10: 9 acting, 1 other - **Frequently works with:** [Judd Apatow](https://film.one/person/judd-apatow.md) - **Average Fi1m score:** 77, as actor, over 9 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 74 (3), 2000s 74 (4), 2010s 86 (2), 2020s 77 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 80 to 72 across 7 titles - **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 1 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Comedy 8, Drama 4, Animation 2, Fantasy 2, Action & Adventure 1, Adventure 1 - **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $760m across 3 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janeane_Garofalo, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q40143, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000413/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/21197 ## Streaming the US now - **Disney+:** [*Ratatouille*](https://film.one/film/ratatouille.md) (91) - **HBO Max:** [*The Larry Sanders Show*](https://film.one/tv/the-larry-sanders-show.md) (91) - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Cable Guy*](https://film.one/film/the-cable-guy.md) (66) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Janeane Garofalo > Janeane Garofalo says the thing everyone else is thinking, flatly, and looks faintly bored that she had to. It made her indispensable in the 1990s, on *The Larry Sanders Show* above all, and Hollywood never found much else for her to do. Watch her as Paula, the talent booker on *The Larry Sanders Show* (1992–1997), while Garry Shandling's Larry worries about a guest. She waits. Then she says one sentence, in the voice of someone reading out a shopping list, and it is the truest thing anyone says in the episode. She does not pause for the laugh. The series is about the labour of keeping a needy man happy, and Garofalo plays the one person on the payroll who has stopped pretending the labour is dignified. We laughed at Paula harder than at people who were working far harder for it, and the reason is simple: she never signals that a joke is coming. She came to it from stand-up, which she began in the mid-1980s after a history degree, and the stage habit shows. Her club material is observational, delivered deadpan, sometimes with notes in hand, and the screen version of that is a woman who seems to have wandered in from somewhere more interesting. *The Ben Stiller Show* (1992) and *Larry Sanders* arrived the same year. Then *Reality Bites* (1994), directed by Stiller, made her Vickie Miner, the tart roommate, and fixed the type for the decade: smart, cynical, quick, and, underneath, more easily hurt than she lets on. *The Truth About Cats & Dogs* (1996) gave her a rare lead. *Dogma* (1999) and *Wet Hot American Summer* (2001) used her in ensembles that have since gathered cult followings. What works is the mixture. The wit on its own would be a party trick; what makes the supporting turns land is the feeling she lets through for a second and then covers. *Ratatouille* (2007) is the best example we have reviewed. Colette Tatou is one of Brad Bird's characters who care about doing something well, and Garofalo, under a French accent she wears without fuss, makes the caring sound like temper until you listen properly. The accent is a habit in her voice work, and here it disappears into the part. What does not work is not hers to fix. As she got older the casting narrowed to variations on the type, and the leading roles did not come. She has been plain about it: "I don't think Hollywood was trying to do anything with me. In fact, they lost interest pretty quick. I think I got lucky, briefly, in the '90s." We would put it less modestly. The luck was Shandling and Stiller knowing what they had, and the industry after them not bothering to find out. She is still doing stand-up and still turning up in things, including a run on *24* (2009). If you have not seen her, start with *The Larry Sanders Show*, then *Reality Bites*. The films came and went. The flat voice at the edge of the frame is still working. ## Biography Janeane Garofalo is an American comedian and actress. Born on 28 September 1964 in Newton, New Jersey, she began her career as a stand-up comedian after graduating from Providence College. She became a cast member on *The Ben Stiller Show*, *The Larry Sanders Show* and *Saturday Night Live*. Garofalo has appeared in more than fifty films, including *Reality Bites* (1994), *The Truth About Cats & Dogs* (1996), *Mystery Men* (1999), *Wet Hot American Summer* (2001) and *Dogma* (1999). She provided the voice of Colette in the Pixar film *Ratatouille* (2007). Garofalo has received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her television work and has hosted on Air America Radio's *The Majority Report*. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (10) ### Performed in (9) — the average rests on these - *BoJack Horseman* (2014), Fi1m 91, as Isabelle (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/bojack-horseman.md) - *Broad City* (2014), Fi1m 80, as Monica — [page](https://film.one/tv/broad-city.md) - *Ratatouille* (2007), Fi1m 91, as Colette (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/ratatouille.md) - *Ideal* (2005), Fi1m 71, as Tilly — [page](https://film.one/tv/ideal.md) - *Two and a Half Men* (2003), Fi1m 55, as Sharon — [page](https://film.one/tv/two-and-a-half-men.md) - *24* (2001), Fi1m 78, as Janis Gold — [page](https://film.one/tv/24.md) - *Dogma* (1999), Fi1m 66, as Liz — [page](https://film.one/film/dogma.md) - *The Cable Guy* (1996), Fi1m 66, as Medieval Waitress — [page](https://film.one/film/the-cable-guy.md) - *The Larry Sanders Show* (1992), Fi1m 91, as Paula — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-larry-sanders-show.md) ### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited - *You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution...* (2026), Fi1m 77, as Self — [page](https://film.one/film/you-had-to-be-there-how-the-toronto-godspell-ignited-the-comedy-revolution.md) ## Complete filmography (155) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *President Curtis* (2026), series, as Chief Usher Cherri (voice) - *Souvenir* (2026), as Cordelia - *Stranger Things: Tales from '85* (2026), series, as Anna Baxter (voice) - *Stranger Things: Tales from '85 Theatrical Preview* (2026), as Anna Baxter (voice) - *Roommates* (2026), as Professor Ziemann - *My Bird Is Sick!* (2025), as The Witch - *Boys Go to Jupiter* (2025), as Dr. Dolphin (voice) - *The Apology* (2022), as Gretchen Sullivan - *We Baby Bears* (2022), series, as Madam Malin (voice), Uncle Panda / Malin (voice) - *The God Committee* (2021), as Dr. Valerie Gilroy - *Flora & Ulysses* (2021), as Marissa - *Asking for It* (2020), as Cheryl - *Come As You Are* (2020), as Liz - *Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens* (2020), series, as Carol - *Harley Quinn* (2019), series, as Signora/Mama (voice) - *Stumptown* (2019), series, as Janet Withers - *Mercy Black* (2019), as Dr. Ward - *The Shivering Truth* (2018), series, as (voice) - *A Bread Factory, Part One: For the Sake of Gold* (2018), as Jordan - *Hurricane Bianca: From Russia with Hate* (2018), as Magda - *The Happys* (2018), as Luann - *Submission* (2018), as Magda Moynahan - *Lovesick Fool - Love in the Age of Like* (2018), as Natalie - *Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later* (2017), series, as Beth - *Sandy Wexler* (2017), as Testimonial - *Little Boxes* (2017), as Helena - *Speech & Debate* (2017), as Marie - *Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special* (2017), as Janeane Garofalo - *Werewolf Bitches from Outer Space* (2017), as Art Gallery Owner - *Janeane Garofalo: If I May* (2016), Writer, Executive Producer - *The American Side* (2016), as Agent Barry - *Billions* (2016), series, as Winslow - *Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp* (2015), series, as Beth - *3rd Street Blackout* (2015), as June Sherman - *Younger* (2015), series, as Cass Dekennessy - *Adventures in Comedy* (2015), Actor - *Free the Nipple* (2014), as Anouk - *BoJack Horseman* (2014), series, as Isabelle (voice) — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/tv/bojack-horseman.md) - *A Little Game* (2014), as Sarah Kuftinec - *Broad City* (2014), series, as Monica — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/broad-city.md) - *Rick and Morty* (2013), series, as (voice) — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/rick-and-morty.md) - *Satan, Hold My Hand* (2013), as Sheryl - *Bad Parents* (2012), as Kathy - *General Education* (2012), as Gale Collins - *Mighty Fine* (2012), as Narrator (voice) - *Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior* (2011), series, as Beth Griffith - *The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret* (2010), series, as Brent's Boss - *Janeane Garofalo: If You Will* (2010), Executive Producer - *Ugly Americans* (2010), series, as Additional Voices (voice) - *Joy Behar: Say Anything!* (2009), series, Actor - *Love Hurts* (2009), as Hannah Rosenbloom - *Funny People* (2009), as Friend in video (archive footage) (uncredited) - *Labor Pains* (2009), as Claire - *Delocated* (2009), series, as Susan Shapiro - *The Guitar* (2008), as Dr. Murray - *Tropic Thunder: Rain of Madness* (2008), as Heidi Bivens - *Girl's Best Friend* (2008), as Mary - *A Bad Situationist* (2008), as Lenore Stein - *Southland Tales* (2007), as General Teena MacArthur - *Then She Found Me* (2007), as Janeane Garofalo - *The Ten* (2007), as Beth Soden - *Greek* (2007), series, as Professor Freeman - *Ratatouille* (2007), as Colette (voice) — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/ratatouille.md) - *Law Dogs* (2007), as Gloria Fontaine - *The Making Of 'The Larry Sanders Show'* (2007), as Paula - *Freak Show* (2006), series, as The Bearded Clam - *The Wild* (2006), as Bridget (voice) - *Campus Ladies* (2006), series, Actor - *Duane Hopwood* (2005), as Linda - *Stay* (2005), as Dr. Beth Levy - *The Peace Patriots* (2005), as Narrator (voice) - *Deal* (2005), series, as Annie · Producer - *Stella* (2005), series, Actor - *Nadine in Dateland* (2005), as Nadine - *Jiminy Glick in Lalawood* (2005), as Dee Dee - *Ideal* (2005), series, as Tilly — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/tv/ideal.md) - *Pilot Season* (2004), series, as Announcer - *Nobody Knows Anything!* (2004), as Patty - *Saturday Night Live: The Best of Chris Farley* (2003), as Quiz Kings Contestant (archive footage) (uncredited) - *Wonderland* (2003), as Joy Miller - *Two and a Half Men* (2003), series, as Sharon — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/tv/two-and-a-half-men.md) - *Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World* (2003), as Narrator (voice) - *Ash Tuesday* (2003), as Liz - *Manhood* (2003), as Jill - *Martin & Orloff* (2002), as Hairdresser - *Big Trouble* (2002), as Monica Romero - *The Laramie Project* (2002), as Catherine Connolly - *24* (2001), series, as Janis Gold — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/24.md) - *The Search for John Gissing* (2001), as Linda Barnes - *Wet Hot American Summer* (2001), as Beth - *Housekeeping* (2001), as Hotel Employee ( voice) · Director, Writer - *Aqua Teen Hunger Force* (2000), series, as Donna (voice) - *The Independent* (2000), as Paloma Fineman - *Ed* (2000), series, as Liz Stevens - *Steal This Movie* (2000), as Anita Hoffman - *Sammy* (2000), series, as (voice) - *The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle* (2000), as Minnie Mogul - *Titan A.E.* (2000), as Stith (voice) - *What Planet Are You From?* (2000), as Nervous Woman - *Behind the Scenes at Daria* (2000), as Host - *The Bumblebee Flies Anyway* (2000), as Dr. Harriman - *Daring to Resist: Three Women Face the Holocaust* (2000), as Narrator - *Dogma* (1999), as Liz — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/dogma.md) - *The Minus Man* (1999), as Ferrin - *The West Wing* (1999), series, as Louise Thornton — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-west-wing.md) - *Mystery Men* (1999), as Bowler / Carol - *Thick as Thieves* (1999), as Anne - *Strangers with Candy* (1999), series, as Cassie Pines - *200 Cigarettes* (1999), as Ellie - *Can't Stop Dancing* (1999), as Belinda Peck - *The Thin Pink Line* (1998), as Joyce Wintergarden-Dingle - *Felicity* (1998), series, as Sally Reardon (voice) (uncredited) - *Clay Pigeons* (1998), as Agent Dale Shelby - *The King of Queens* (1998), series, as Trish - *Permanent Midnight* (1998), as Jana Farmer - *Dog Park* (1998), as Jeri - *Half Baked* (1998), as I'm Only Creative When I Smoke Smoker (uncredited) - *Sweethearts* (1997), as Jasmine Pogue · Producer - *The Matchmaker* (1997), as Marcy Tizard - *Janeane Garofalo: HBO Comedy Hour* (1997), Writer, Executive Producer - *Cop Land* (1997), as Deputy Cindy Betts - *Romy and Michele's High School Reunion* (1997), as Heather Mooney - *Touch* (1997), as Kathy Worthington - *The Chris Rock Show* (1997), series, as Girlfriend - *King of the Hill* (1997), series, as Sheila (voice) — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/king-of-the-hill-1997.md) - *I Shot a Man in Vegas* (1996), as Gale - *Larger Than Life* (1996), as Mo - *The Cable Guy* (1996), as Medieval Waitress — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/the-cable-guy.md) - *The Truth About Cats & Dogs* (1996), as Abby - *Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy* (1996), as Woman at Party - *Mr. Show with Bob and David* (1995), series, as Wife - *Now and Then* (1995), as Wiladene - *Coldblooded* (1995), as Honey - *HBO Comedy Half-Hour: Janeane Garofalo* (1995), Writer - *Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist* (1995), series, as Janeane (voice), Additional Writing - *NewsRadio* (1995), series, as Nancy - *Bye Bye Love* (1995), as Lucille - *Suspicious* (1994), as Woman - *Ellen* (1994), series, as Chloe Korban - *Duckman* (1994), series, as Moonbeam (voice) - *Reality Bites* (1994), as Vickie Miner - *The Adventures of Pete & Pete* (1993), series, as Ms. Brackett - *Tales of the City* (1993), series, as Coppola Woman - *The Ben Stiller Show* (1992), series, Various Characters, Writer - *Mad About You* (1992), series, as Mabel Buchman - *The Larry Sanders Show* (1992), series, as Paula — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-larry-sanders-show.md) - *Late for Dinner* (1991), as Counter Girl - *Home Improvement* (1991), series, as Tina - *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Greta Heiss — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md) - *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as Janeane Garofalo (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md) - *Seinfeld* (1989), series, as Jeannie Steinman — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/seinfeld.md) - *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Coppola Woman - *Grind*, Actor - *Romy and Michele 2*, as Heather Mooney - *Dedicated to Morris Burke*, Actor ## Gallery - ![Bad Parents World Premier at the MontClair Film Festival (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/99582/gallery-10e8775d8449.jpg) Bad Parents World Premier at the MontClair Film Festival (2012) — Edwin Torres from USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Bad_Parents_1430_%288056784065%29.jpg/1280px-Bad_Parents_1430_%288056784065%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Bad Parents World Premier at the MontClair Film Festival (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/99582/gallery-8441ee1c6d57.jpg) Bad Parents World Premier at the MontClair Film Festival (2012) — Edwin Torres from USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Bad_Parents_1431_%288056786389%29.jpg/1280px-Bad_Parents_1431_%288056786389%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Bad Parents World Premier at the MontClair Film Festival (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/99582/gallery-e50078433d3c.jpg) Bad Parents World Premier at the MontClair Film Festival (2012) — Edwin Torres from USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Bad_Parents_1432_%288056787929%29.jpg/1280px-Bad_Parents_1432_%288056787929%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Bad Parents World Premier at the MontClair Film Festival (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/99582/gallery-09a3efeb3c75.jpg) Bad Parents World Premier at the MontClair Film Festival (2012) — Edwin Torres from USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Bad_Parents_1433_%288056789773%29.jpg/1280px-Bad_Parents_1433_%288056789773%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Janeane Garofalo](https://film.one/media/person/99582/gallery-f6a006fbd4bd.jpg) Janeane Garofalo — Image via TMDB - ![Janeane Garofalo](https://film.one/media/person/99582/gallery-0d58ecba52d2.jpg) Janeane Garofalo — Image via TMDB - ![Janeane Garofalo](https://film.one/media/person/99582/gallery-ce309b795d35.jpg) Janeane Garofalo — Image via TMDB - ![Bad Parents World Premier at the MontClair Film Festival (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/99582/gallery-1f908e35775e.jpg) Bad Parents World Premier at the MontClair Film Festival (2012) — Edwin Torres from USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Bad_Parents_1434_%288056792434%29.jpg/1280px-Bad_Parents_1434_%288056792434%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Bad Parents World Premier at the MontClair Film Festival (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/99582/gallery-a43ad9daceb1.jpg) Bad Parents World Premier at the MontClair Film Festival (2012) — Edwin Torres from USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Bad_Parents_1441_%288056800361%29.jpg/1280px-Bad_Parents_1441_%288056800361%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Janeane Garofalo](https://film.one/media/person/99582/gallery-4e638f34f744.jpg) Janeane Garofalo — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Other awards — 1 won - Emperor Has No Clothes Award 2001: Emperor Has No Clothes Award (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/janeane-garofalo