Jennifer Tilly (born Jennifer Ellen Chan, September 16, 1958) is an unique and incredibly talented American-Canadian actress and professional poker player. Jennifer Tilly has one of the most distinctive breathy, high-pitched voices. This gifted actress established herself as a top actress in both the Hollywood film world and the poker world as a professional poker player, thanks to her impeccable comedic timing and notable onscreen presence. Jennifer is a recipient of the Saturn Award, the GLAAD Award, and also received an Academy Award nomination for her breakout performance in Bullets Over Broadway (1994). Jennifer Tilly movies and tv shows career is a case study in versatility, giving you extreme range from indie films to horror franchises, a voice in animated television series, and playing poker internationally at a championship level.
Jennifer Tilly Early Life and Background
Jennifer Tilly was born in Harbor City, Los Angeles, California, and raised on Texada Island in British Columbia, Canada. She had an eclectic cultural background, with a Cantonese-Chinese father and a mother of Irish-Finnish descent. After Jennifer’s parents divorced, her mother married John Ward, who inspired the young Jennifer to take an interest in the arts.
Tilly attended Stephens College in Missouri, studying acting and later moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film and television. Prior to making it big, she spent much of the eighties appearing in guest roles on TV series, slowly carving out a resume that would eventually elevate her into the ranks of stardom.
Jennifer Tilly’s Acting Career
Tilly’s moment of career-defining success arrived with her Academy Award-nominated performance as Olive Neal in Woody Allen’s Bullets Over Broadway (1994). Her mixture of charm, vulnerability, and humor in playing the ditzy aspiring actress was well received and she immediately burst onto the Hollywood scene as a player in the game.
After her Oscar nomination, Jennifer Tilly gained notoriety in the movie scene, acting in cult favorites such as:
- Bound (1996) – A neo-noir thriller where she played a con artist with a seductive agenda.
- Bride of Chucky (1998) – Tilly joined the iconic horror franchise as Tiffany Valentine, a role that would take a big chunk of her career in the future.
Jennifer Tilly movies and tv shows was able to bounce back and forth between her work in mainstream films and independent films in the 2000s and 2010s, including voicing for animated films while also keeping her ties to the horror genre, and doing comedy and drama films.
Jennifer Tilly and the Poker World
In addition to acting, Jennifer Tilly made a name for herself in the professional poker circuit. She adored the game and eventually became the champion of a World Series of Poker (WSOP) Ladies’ Event bracelet in 2005. Tilly is a well-known advocate for women in poker and has credited her experience in poker with making her a better actor, because it has made her much more capable of analyzing characters and strategies for her acting parts.
Tilly has appeared in numerous poker television programs including Poker After Dark and Celebrity Poker Showdown. Each time, she demonstrated her analytical and psychological ways of playing. She is and has been the only person to concurrently find success in both fields of entertainment and poker.
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Jennifer Tilly Movies and TV Shows
Jennifer Tilly in Movies and Filmography
Whether it was reprising her role as Tiffany Valentine in Cult of Chucky (2017), or popping up in horror documentaries like Living with Chucky, her footprint within the horror community continues to run deep. Her most self-deprecatingly self-referential role in 7 Days to Vegas again shows she is comfortable with parody and comedy.
Year | Title | Role |
2024 | Sallywood (2024) | Actor |
2019 | 7 Days to Vegas | Jennifer |
2017 | Ray Meets Helen | Ginger |
2016 | Crazy About Tiffany’s | Actor |
2015 | Unity | Narrator |
2013 | The Secret Lives of Dorks | Ms. Stewart |
2012 | 30 Beats | Erika |
2010 | The Making of Plus One | Amber |
2009 | An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong | Mrs. Rundell |
2009 | Empire of Silver | Missionary |
2008 | Deal | Karen ‘Razor’ Jones |
2008 | Bart Got a Room | Melinda |
2008 | Return to Babylon | Clara Bow |
2007 | Intervention | Jane |
2005 | Tideland | Queen Gunhilda |
2005 | Bailey’s Billions | Dolores Pennington |
2004 | Lil’ Pimp | Miss De La Croix |
2004 | Home on the Range | Grace |
2004 | Perfect Opposites | Elyse Steinberg |
2004 | Seed of Chucky | Herself, Voice of Tiffany |
2004 | Second Best | Carole |
2004 | Saint Ralph | Nurse Alice |
2004 | Deluxe Combo Platter | Alma Kerns |
2003 | The Haunted Mansion | Madame Leota |
2003 | Hollywood North | Gillian Stevens |
2003 | Happy End. | Edna |
2001 | Monsters, Inc. | Celia |
2001 | The Cat’s Meow | Louella Parsons |
2001 | Ball in the House | Aunt Dot |
2001 | Dumber Than Dirt | The Hooker |
2000 | Crew (2000) | Ferris ‘aka Maureen’ Lowenstein |
2000 | Dancing At the Blue Iguana | Jo |
1999 | Stuart Little | Mr. Stout |
1999 | Muse | Self |
1998 | Bride of Chucky | Tiffany |
1998 | Relax… It’s Just Sex! | Tara Ricotto |
1997 | Liar Liar | Samantha Cole |
1996 | Bound (1996) | Violet |
1995 | Embrace of the Vampire | Marika |
1994 | Bullets Over Broadway | Olive Neal |
1994 | Double Cross | Melissa |
1993 | Made in America (1993) | Stacy |
1989 | The Fabulous Baker Boys | Blanche ‘Monica’ Moran |
1988 | High Spirits | Miranda |
1987 | Remote Control | Allegra James |
1984 | No Small Affair | Mona |
Jennifer Tilly in TV Shows
Jennifer Tilly has been out on the small screen too, and is still pushing her craft with both voice work and live-action roles. Here’s some examples of her notable television work since 2021:
- Tilly returned to her iconic role of Tiffany Valentine in Chucky, a series continuation that is receiving widespread recognition and acclaim for its campy horror and nostalgic sensibilities.
- Tilly’s voice acting continues to showcase her range as a performer in Bee and PuppyCat and SpongeBob SquarePants.
- Her willingness to participate in The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula and Queer for Fear further anchored her commitment to queer horror and cult entertainment, where she has embraced a legion of LGBTQ+ fans while also diversifying her career.
Year | Title | Role |
1983 | Oh Madeline | Laurie |
1983 | Boone | Sonia |
1984 | Shaping Up | Shannon Winters |
1984–1985 | Hill Street Blues | Gina Srignoli |
1985 | Remington Steele | Eva Wilson / Blitzen |
1986 | Stir Crazy | Karen |
Cheers | Candi Pearson | |
1987 | It’s Garry Shandling’s Show | Angelica |
1989 | Moonlighting | Nurse Saundra |
1992 | Dream On | Ryan |
1993 | At Home with the Webbers | Miranda Webber |
Key West | Savannah Sumner | |
1994 | Heads | Tina Abbot |
1997 | Gun | Phyllis |
Bella Mafia | Moyra Luciano | |
1999 | Family Guy | Bonnie Swanson (voice) |
2000 | Hey Arnold! | Lola (voice) |
2000–2003 | Scruff | Tricks (voice) |
2001 | Sister Mary Explains It All | Philomena Rostovich |
The Kid | Waitress (voice) | |
2002 | The Magnificent Ambersons | Fanny Minafer |
Stage on Screen: The Women | Crystal Allen | |
2004 | Frasier | Kim |
2005–2006 | Out of Practice | Crystal |
2006 | The Initiation of Sarah | Dr. Eugenia Hunter |
2009 | The Cleveland Show | Bonnie Swanson (voice) |
2010 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Terpsie Pratt |
2011 | Drop Dead Diva | Ginny |
2011, 2014 | Modern Family | Darlene |
2012 | RuPaul’s Drag Race | Herself – Guest Judge |
The Simpsons | Herself (voice) | |
2013, 2014 | Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja | Amanda Levay / The Sorceress (voice) |
2015 | Spun Out | Maggie Felgate |
2018 | SuperMansion | Marjorie (voice) |
2020 | JJ Villard’s Fairy Tales | Little Red Riding Hood (voice) |
2020, 2022–present | The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills | Herself |
2021 | Calls | Mother (voice) |
Monsters at Work | Celia Mae (voice)[40] | |
2021–2024 | Chucky | Tiffany Valentine / Herself (voice) |
2022 | Bee and PuppyCat: Lazy In Space | Violet (voice) |
Queer for Fear: The History of Queer Horror | Herself | |
2023 | SpongeBob SquarePants | Petunia (voice) |
2024 | The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula | Herself – Guest Judge |
2025 | Denise Richards & Her Wild Things | Herself |
Jennifer Tilly’s Last Film and Television shows
Jennifer Tilly’s impact goes beyond her performances. She is a cultural icon for her unapologetic choices as an actress, authenticity of complex female characters, and balancing glamour and satire. Working in lesbian cinema, horror cinema, and on the poker table affords Tilly a depth of character that few can match.Tilly continues to be a bold and boundary-pushing artist, whether she is lending her voice to a cartoon, playing a lead in a horror movie, or bluffing in poker. Tilly’s career is a testament to talent, reinvention, and perseverance.
Conclusion
From indie hits to mega mainstays, animated shows and award-winning horror franchises, Jennifer Tilly has openly rendered it evident that she is not solely a pretty face with a unique voice. Tilly is multi-faceted, multi-talented, and extremely charismatic. Tilly’s contributions to films and television are vast, influential, and are ever-changing. With new projects still being announced in 2025, Jennifer Tilly is highly visible among the stars in Hollywood’s constellation.
Faqs
What TV shows has Jennifer Tilly been in recently?
Jennifer Tilly has remained active in television over the past couple years, especially in television series doing voice work and acting in horror series. Tilly reprised her role as Tiffany Valentine in the Chucky TV series (2021-2024), which received acclaim for being scary and campy at the same time. Tilly voiced the character Violet in Bee and PuppyCat: Lazy In Space (2022), and voiced guest character Petunia in SpongeBob SquarePants (2023). Tilly appeared in The Boulet Brothers Dragula as a guest judge in 2024 and appeared as herself in Denise Richards & Her Wild Things in 2025.
Has Jennifer Tilly won any major awards?
Yes. Jennifer Tilly has received:
– A Saturn Award
– A GLAAD Award
– An Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress
She also won a WSOP bracelet in the 2005 World Series of Poker Ladies Even
What was Jennifer Tilly’s role in the Chucky series?
In the Chucky series, Jennifer Tilly plays Tiffany Valentine – the doll/serial killer and Bride of Chucky. Tilly’s performance is a mix of horror, humor, and sexy, which has captivated many. Tilly originally started the role in Bride of Chucky (1998) then in subsequent sequels like Seed of Chucky and Cult of Chucky; even her role got bigger when she played both Tiffany and a version of herself in the Chucky TV series (2021-2024) blurring the line between fantasy and reality in a refreshingly entertaining way.