A television actress who sprang from the Broadway stage, Jane Krakowski was born Oct. 11, 1968, in Parsippany, N.J. Her mother, a college theater instructor, was also the producing artistic director for the Women's Theater Company and often brought young Jane along instead of leaving her home with a baby sitter.

Krakowski is best known for two of her most popular small-screen roles: meddlesome administrative assistant Elaine Vassal ("Ally McBeal") and self-centered sketch-comedy player Jenna Maroney ("30 Rock"), for which Krakowski earned a 2009 Emmy nomination. Earlier in her career, she spent time on the soap opera "Search for Tomorrow" and garnered a pair of Daytime Emmy nods for her efforts.

Also gifted with a lovely singing voice, Krakowski boasts a long list of musical theater credits, including a Tony-winning turn as a temptress in the Broadway revival of "Nine."