Julie Kavner
Julie Deborah Kavner (born
September 7,
1950) is an
Emmy Award-winning
Jewish-American actress, best known for her role as Brenda Morgenstern on
Rhoda in the
1970s and for providing the voice of
Marge Simpson on the animated television show
The Simpsons.
Kavner was born in
Los Angeles, California and grew up entirely in
Southern California, a fact that comes as a surprise to many people who identify her with her role as New Yorker Brenda Morgenstern and who peg her creaky, somewhat nasally voice as sounding "East Coast." Kavner went to
Beverly Hills High School, and studied Theatre Arts and graduated with honors from
San Diego State University in
1971.
After
Rhoda ended, Kavner moved into film. In
1992 she starred in the
Nora Ephron comedy drama
This Is My Life. It was intended as her breakout role, but it got middling reviews and did not do well at the box office, and after that Kavner largely limited herself to supporting roles and
voice over work.
In
The Simpsons, Kavner provides the voices for
Marge Simpson,
Patty Bouvier,
Selma Bouvier,
Jacqueline Bouvier and
Gladys Bouvier.
Kavner has also appeared in several
Woody Allen films, including
Hannah and Her Sisters,
Radio Days and
Deconstructing Harry .
In Disney's
The Lion King 1½ (a.k.a.
The Lion King 3: Hakuna Matata), Kavner played
Timon's mother.
She also played a nurse in the film
Awakenings and
Adam Sandler's mother in
Click.
