Judith Light

Tony Award-winner Judith Light made her stage debut not long after graduating from the prestigious drama school at Carnegie Mellon University, appearing in Richard III at the California Shakespeare Festival in 1969. She then worked with the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and Seattle Repertory Theatre before making her Broadway debut in 1974 with a role in A Doll's House.

Tony Award-winner Judith Light made her stage debut not long after graduating from the prestigious drama school at Carnegie Mellon University, appearing in Richard III at the California Shakespeare Festival in 1969. She then worked with the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and Seattle Repertory Theatre before making her Broadway debut in 1974 with a role in A Doll's House.

Despite her early success in the theater, Light nearly quit acting before landing her big break: Karen Wolek on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. Light went on to win two Daytime Emmy Awards for the part, in 1980 and 1981, as well as two Soapy Awards and a Soap Opera Hall of Fame Award. She soon made the jump to primetime with a leading role on Who's the Boss opposite Tony Danza from 1984 - 1992.

In 2002, she began a recurring role on Law and Order, appearing in 25 episodes between that year and 2010. In 2006, she joined the cast of Ugly Betty, garnering an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. She was promoted to series regular for the second season, and stayed with the show until it ended in 2010. Most recently, Light has appeared in a regular role in the critically acclaimed Amazon original series Transparent. She received a Critics' Choice nomination for the part in 2014.

Light has also remained active in theater. In 2012 and 2013, she won back-to-back Tony Awards for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play, first for Other Desert Cities and then for The Assembled Parties. She also won the 2012 and 2013 Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play for those same roles. In 2015, Light was cast in a Broadway production of Therese Raquin alongside Keira Knightley.

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Awards & Nominations

5 Nominations | 1 Emmy
Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series - 2023
  • Winner
  • Judith Light, as Irene Smothers
  • Poker Face
  • "Time Of The Monkey"
  • Peacock
  • T-Street, MRC Television, Animal Pictures
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie - 2018
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series - 2017
  • Nominee
  • Judith Light, as Shelly Pfefferman
  • Transparent
  • Amazon
  • Amazon Studios
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series - 2016
  • Nominee
  • Judith Light, as Shelly Pfefferman
  • Transparent
  • Amazon
  • Amazon Studios
Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series - 2007
  • Nominee
  • Judith Light, as Claire Meade
  • Ugly Betty
  • ABC
  • ABC Studios

The Television Academy database lists prime-time Emmy information. Click here to learn more

Judith Light from Poker Face accepts the award for Outstanding Guest Actress In a Comedy Series at the 75th Creative Arts Emmy Awards
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JudithLightSusanCarpenterMcMillan
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2018 Performers Nominee Reception
2018 Performers Nominee Reception
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Judith Light on the red carpet at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards
Judith Light on the red carpet at the 67th Emmy Awards.
Bradley Whitford and Judith Light of Transparent arrive at the Eighth Annual Television Academy Honors, May 27 at the Montage Beverly Hills.Actor Jay Duplann and producer
Judith Light and Dana Delaney arrive at the Eighth Annual Television Academy Honors, May 27 at the Montage Beverly Hills.
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Judith Light from Poker Face accepts the award for Outstanding Guest Actress In a Comedy Series at the 75th Creative Arts Emmy Awards
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Judith Light of Poker Face accepts the Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series at the 75th Creative Arts Emmy Awards 

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Judith Light as Susan Carpenter-McMillan

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Judith Light as Susan Carpenter-McMillan

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Annaleigh Ashford as Paula Jones and Judith Light as Susan Carpenter-McMillan

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Judith Light as Susan Carpenter-McMillan

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(From left) Margo Martindale, Sarah Paulson, Judith Light, Edie Falco, Beanie Feldstein, Annaleigh Ashford, Cobie Smulders

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(Standing from left) Cobie Smulders, Beanie Feldstein, Edie Falco, Sarah Paulson, Margo Martindale (Seated from left) Judith Light, Annaleigh Ashford

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2018 Performers Nominee Reception
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Judith Light and Samira Wiley at the 2018 Performers Nominee Reception presented by the Television Academy at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, September 15, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California.

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2018 Performers Nominee Reception
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Adina Porter, Judith Light, and Naomi Grossman at the 2018 Performers Nominee Reception presented by the Television Academy at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, September 15, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California.

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Judith Light
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Judith Light on the red carpet at the 70th Emmy Awards.

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Judith Light on the red carpet at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards
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Judith Light on the red carpet at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards.

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Judith Light on the red carpet at the 67th Emmy Awards.
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Judith Light on the red carpet at the 67th Emmy Awards.  

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Bradley Whitford and Judith Light of Transparent arrive at the Eighth Annual Television Academy Honors, May 27 at the Montage Beverly Hills.Actor Jay Duplann and producer
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Bradley Whitford and Judith Light of Transparent arrive at the Eighth Annual Television Academy Honors, May 27 at the Montage Beverly Hills.

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Judith Light and Dana Delaney arrive at the Eighth Annual Television Academy Honors, May 27 at the Montage Beverly Hills.
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Judith Light and Dana Delaney arrive at the Eighth Annual Television Academy Honors, May 27 at the Montage Beverly Hills.

Invision/AP
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