Connie Britton

Connie Britton
Britton at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards
Born	Constance Elaine Womack (1967-03-06) March 6, 1967[1] Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Residence	Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Alma mater	Dartmouth College
Occupation	Actress, singer, producer
Years active	1995–present
Spouse(s)	John Britton (m. 1991; div. 1995)
Children	1

Constance Elaine "Connie" Britton (née Womack; born March 6, 1967)^[2] is an American actress, singer and producer.

Britton made her feature film debut in the independent comedy-drama film The Brothers McMullen (1995), and the following year, she was cast as Nikki Faber on the ABC sitcom Spin City (1996–2000). She later starred in the short-lived sitcoms The Fighting Fitzgeralds (2001) and Lost at Home (2003), and appeared in several films, most notably the sports drama film Friday Night Lights (2004) and the thriller film The Last Winter (2006).

Britton received positive reviews from critics for her performance as Tami Taylor on the NBC/DirecTV drama series Friday Night Lights (2006–2011). For this role she was nominated for two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.^[3] In 2011, she starred as Vivien Harmon in the first season of FX horror-drama series American Horror Story, for which she was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie.^[4]

In 2012, Britton began playing the leading role of country singer Rayna Jaymes in the ABC musical drama series Nashville, for which she was nominated for a Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama in 2012.^[5] In 2014, Britton was named UNDP Goodwill Ambassador.^[6] Britton next starred in the comedy-drama film This Is Where I Leave You (2014), the drama film Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) and the action comedy American Ultra (2015).

Early life

Britton was born Constance Elaine Womack in Boston, Massachusetts, to Linda Jane (née Cochran) and Edgar Allen Womack, Jr., who was a physicist and an energy company executive.^{[7][8][9][10]} She spent her early years in Rockville, Maryland.^[8] When she was seven years old, she moved with her parents and her fraternal twin sister Cynthia^[11] to Lynchburg, Virginia, where she attended E.C. Glass High School. She majored in Asian studies with a concentration in Chinese at Dartmouth College and studied at the Beijing Normal University^[8] in Beijing during her freshman summer with Kirsten Gillibrand, now a U.S. Senator from New York.^[12][13] After graduating in 1989, she moved to New York City, where she spent two years at the Neighborhood Playhouse studying with Sanford Meisner.

Career

1995–2005

Britton at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival

While studying at the Neighborhood Playhouse, Britton (then Womack) made her New York theatrical debut in Caroline Kava's The Early Girl at The Courtyard Playhouse.^[3] Britton played seasoned prostitute Laurel opposite Cooper Lawrence, who played Joan. Britton's performance, while well received, nearly got her ousted from the Neighborhood Playhouse program, which prohibited students from taking professional employment during their course of study. After graduating, Britton spent two more years working in off-Broadway theatre productions. In 1995, Britton made her feature film debut in Edward Burns' critically acclaimed comedy-drama The Brothers McMullen.^[14] She moved to Los Angeles after the success of The Brothers McMullen.^[3]

After The Brothers McMullen, Britton was cast in a recurring role in the ABC sitcom Ellen, and starred in the unsold Fox pilot Pins and Needles. In 1996 she began starring as Nikki Faber in the ABC sitcom Spin City opposite Michael J. Fox.^[3] Her character was written out of the show when Charlie Sheen replaced Michael J. Fox as the main character. She also appeared in No Looking Back (1998) and Looking for Kitty (2004), directed by Edward Burns. She had a female lead role in the 2001 romantic comedy film The Next Big Thing. She later starred in the independent films The Life Coach, Special Ed, The Lather Effect and The Last Winter.

After leaving Spin City, Britton had a recurring role in the ABC drama The Fugitive. In 2001, she played the role of Shirley Temple's bad mother in the ABC television film Child Star: The Shirley Temple Story, based on Temple's 1988 autobiography.^[15] In the same year, she starred on the short-lived NBC sitcom The Fighting Fitzgeralds.^[16] In 2002 she returned to ABC as lead in another short-lived sitcom, called Lost at Home. In 2001, Britton also had a recurring role on the NBC drama The West Wing in the third season, appearing in the two-part premiere titled "Manchester" and the sixth episode titled "Gone Quiet" as Connie Tate, a member of Bruno Gianelli's team. In 2006, she had a recurring role on 24 during the fifth season as Diane Huxley, the landlady and girlfriend of protagonist Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland).

2006–2011

Britton and Kyle Chandler in 2008

Britton co-starred opposite Kyle Chandler in the critically acclaimed NBC drama series Friday Night Lights as Tami Taylor, the wife of a head football coach Eric Taylor (Chandler), who becomes a high school guidance counselor.^[17] The show ran for five seasons from October 3, 2006 to February 9, 2011. During that time, Britton developed a devoted following for her performance – described by The New York Times as "something of an icon, a 40-something sex symbol and role model."^[17] She was first cast in the film version of the series, Friday Night Lights (2004).^[18] For her role in the show she was nominated for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2010 and 2011, for TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama in 2007 and 2008, and was awarded Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama in 2010.

Britton starred in the 2009 comedy film Women in Trouble, and appeared in the 2010 remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street as Dr. Gwendoline "Gwen" Holbrook.^[19] She appeared in the 2011 comedy film Conception.^[20] She was also featured on This American Life's 429th episode, "Will They Know Me at Home?", in which she performed monologues from David Finkel's nonfiction book The Good Soldiers.^[21]

In 2011, Britton was cast as the lead in the FX horror drama American Horror Story. She played Vivien Harmon, a woman who recently relocated with her family to California after a series of tragic marital and family issues.^[22] Unfortunately for The Harmons, the new house they purchase quickly reveals itself to be haunted. For this role she was nominated for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie in 2012. Britton had stated when she wrapped American Horror Story she would be taking a couple of months off to be with her new adopted son, but that she would then begin to re-focus on developing her FX drama collaboration with David O. Russell, but the project went into "development hell".^[23]

Britton at the premiere of This Is Where I Leave You in September 2014

2012–present

On March 6, 2012, Britton signed on to star in and produce the ABC musical drama series, Nashville created by Academy Award winner Callie Khouri. The series premiered on October 10, 2012. The show centers on Rayna Jaymes (Britton), a renowned 40-year-old country music singer whose stardom is beginning to fade.^[24][25][26] Britton's portrayal of the character received critical praise,^[27][28][29] and she was nominated for a fourth time for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for the first time for this role.^[5][17] Britton, for her part, has said that the most nerve-wracking part of her role, at least in the beginning, has been the singing the role requires of her.

In 2012, Britton co-starred opposite Edward Burns in the comedy-drama film The Fitzgerald Family Christmas.^[30] The film has been met with positive reviews from critics.^[31] In same year she had a supporting role in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World opposite Steve Carell and Keira Knightley.^[32] She played the mother of Aubrey Plaza's Brandy Klark in The To Do List.^[33] Britton returned to Austin, TX, where Friday Night Lights was filmed, for Angels Sing, a family Christmas movie released by Lionsgate. She co-starred in the movie, opposite Harry Connick, Jr., and alongside fellow actor/musicians Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, and Kris Kristofferson.^[34]

Britton co-starred as a cougar therapist in the 2014 ensemble cast comedy film This Is Where I Leave You, based on the 2009 best-selling novel by Jonathan Tropper.^[35] In 2015, she co-starred opposite Thomas Mann in the drama film Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, and based on Jesse Andrews‘‍ novel, a wry coming-of-age story about Greg (Mann), a teenage oddball forced to befriend a classmate with cancer. She played Greg's mother.^[36] She then had a key role in the 2015 action comedy American Ultra, opposite Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart; Sharon Stone had originally been cast in her part.^[37][38][39] Also that year, Britton reunited with American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy in his miniseries American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson playing Faye Resnick.^[40][41][42]

Personal life

Britton in 2012

Britton uses her married name as her stage name. She met investment banker John Britton at Alpha Delta House at Dartmouth College. They moved to Manhattan together in 1989, married in 1991 and divorced in 1995.^[43]

In 1993, Britton joined the New York Junior League and was a member of the 1993 provisional class of volunteers where she listed her occupation as "Actress".

She dated comedian Jason Mantzoukas.^[44] In November 2011, Britton adopted a son, Eyob "Yoby" Britton, from Ethiopia.^[45]

Britton studied Chinese in college. In a 2012 interview on NPR she said of the experience: "I always wanted to be an actor. But when I went to college, I had to fulfill a language requirement and so I thought it would be really cool to do it speaking Chinese. My Chinese these days is real, real shaky. Let's put it this way: These days, my singing is better than my Chinese."^[46]

Britton moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 2012 when she signed to star in the ABC musical drama Nashville.^[17]

On April 2, 2014, Britton became the 10th Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Development Programme, the anti-poverty agency of the UN. She joins celebrities such as Antonio Banderas, Maria Sharapova, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo in this role. She will focus her advocacy efforts on eradicating extreme poverty, fighting exclusion and empowering women.^{[6][47][48][49]}

Filmography

Film

Television

Discography

Albums

Singles

• ^ADid not enter the Hot 100 but charted on Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles.

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Connie Britton.

• Connie Britton on Twitter
• Connie Britton on Instagram
• Connie Britton at the Internet Movie Database
• Connie Britton at AllMovie
• Connie Britton at Emmys.com
• Connie Britton interview video at the Archive of American Television