Janet Varney

Last updated

Janet Varney
Janet Varney (53980505607).jpg
Varney at GalaxyCon Raleigh in 2024
Born (1976-02-16) February 16, 1976 (age 48)
Alma mater San Francisco State University (BA)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • writer
  • producer
Years active2003–present
Website janetvarney.com

Janet Varney (born February 16, 1976) is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer. She is known for voicing the character of Korra in the Nickelodeon animated television series The Legend of Korra , co-starring as Sheriff Evie Barret in the television series Stan Against Evil , and a recurring role as Becca Barbara in You're the Worst .

Contents

Varney has hosted The JV Club podcast since 2012 and is also the co-host of the Avatar: Braving the Elements podcast along with Dante Basco. She is the co-founder, creative director and producer of the long-running comedy festival SF Sketchfest in San Francisco.

Early life

Varney was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. She graduated as salutatorian from Rincon High School in 1993 [1] [2] and is an alumna of San Francisco State University, where she majored in theater, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1997. [3] She later pursued a career in interior design before eventually finding her way back into acting. [4] Varney was raised Mormon, but left the church at 17 and began to identify as an agnostic. [5] Varney is of English and Scottish descent. [6] [2]

Career

Television projects

Varney made her television debut in 2004 as a guest on the Comedy Central debate show Crossballs . She has appeared as a guest star in series including Bones , Better Off Ted , How I Met Your Mother , Hot in Cleveland, and Psych. Varney has had recurring roles on the shows Entourage (HBO), Burning Love (Yahoo! Screen), Country Comfort (Netflix), You're the Worst (FX), and Take My Wife (Seeso).

Varney at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con Janet Varney by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Varney at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con

In 2012, she co-created Neil's Puppet Dreams with Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka. That same year, Varney also began her role voicing the main character of Korra on the Nickelodeon animated series The Legend of Korra , a spin-off of the series Avatar: The Last Airbender . Varney voiced the character of Korra for all four seasons of the show, which ended in 2014. After a decade of voicing Korra in both the series and several video games, Varney later stepped down from the role with her final outing as the character being in Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway in 2022. [7]

In 2016, Varney was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for her role on Everyone's Crazy But Us, a web series produced on Funny or Die. [8]

Varney was a main cast member on IFC's Stan Against Evil , playing Sheriff Evie Barret. The show ran for three seasons from 2016 to 2018. [9] She was also the host of ESCAPE!, [10] a web series broadcast on Geek & Sundry where teams of celebrities work together to get out of an escape room. [11] The show ran for one season in 2017.

In 2018 Varney created, produced and starred in Fortune Rookie, an 8-episode web series presented by IFC. [12]

Dinner and a Movie

In 2005, Varney replaced Lisa Kushell as the host of the TBS cooking and entertainment show Dinner and a Movie . She appeared with Paul Gilmartin and Claud Mann in each episode, introducing films and injecting humor during the preparation of a creative dinner for some themes. The series was cancelled in 2011.

RiffTrax

Varney has written and performed several comedic audio commentaries for films along with fellow SF Sketchfest co-founder Cole Stratton. These appear on the RiffTrax website under the RiffTrax Presents branding, as they are officially sanctioned by RiffTrax founder and Mystery Science Theater 3000 alumnus Michael J. Nelson.

She has performed in Rifftrax commentaries for the following films:

Varney at the 2021 San Diego Comic-Con Janet Varney in 2021 in San Diego (sq cropped).jpg
Varney at the 2021 San Diego Comic-Con

Podcasts

In March 2012, Varney launched a podcast titled The JV Club, hosted on Nerdist.com [13] from 2012 to 2018. In November 2018, it was announced that The JV Club would be moving to the Maximum Fun network. [14] The podcast released its 500th episode in Jan 2023. [15]

Varney has participated on a regular basis on the improv comedy podcast Spontaneanation with Paul F. Tompkins, where she is referred to as "Little Janet" Varney. She is also one of the core cast members of the improvised SciFi podcast Voyage to the Stars, [16] and the podcast Thrilling Adventure Hour . [17]

Avatar: Braving the Elements, an official Nickelodeon companion podcast to Avatar: The Last Airbender , premiered on June 22, 2021, hosted by Varney (the voice of Korra) and Dante Basco (the voice of Zuko). Varney and Basco discuss key moments and behind-the scenes information from each episode. [18]

She has appeared on the podcast Hello from the Magic Tavern as the character Braidwynn the Warrior Elf, who disguises herself as Crone Bakeress. She is also a frequent guest on the puzzle, riddle and lateral thinking podcast Hey Riddle Riddle .

Since 2022, Varney has voiced the character of Janet Lubelle on Welcome to Night Vale .

Other professional projects

Varney is the co-founder, creative director and producer of SF Sketchfest, the San Francisco Comedy Festival, and is also the co-founder of the San Francisco sketch group Totally False People. She is a core member of the Los Angeles based improv group Theme Park Improv. [19] She performed with the Los Angeles and San Francisco-based group Sequel 4000.

Personal life

Varney dated comedian Chris Hardwick from 2004 to 2011. [20] [21] [22] In 2018, Varney came out as bisexual. [23] In young adulthood, Varney was diagnosed with depersonalization disorder. [24]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2003StuckJane
2004 Catwoman Party Girl
2007Humble PieJoleen
Dante's Inferno Cleopatra / Dis Intercom / Teacher / Ulysses' UsherVoice
2008BillAmelia Short film
Drilbit Taylor Attractive Blonde Woman
2009 Still Waiting... Haley Direct-to-video
2010Nic & Tristan Go Mega DegaSylvia Fishtickle - Mom
2011The SellingMary Best
Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer Mrs. Kate Moody
2014Present TenseCynthiaShort film
2016 Norm of the North JanetVoice
Diani & Devine Meet the ApocalypseShana
2021See You Next ChristmasLenora
Injustice Wonder Woman / Diana Prince [25] Voice
2023Urkel Saves Santa: the MovieOld Lady Buechler, Amber, and Woman

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004 Crossballs: The Debate Show Additional CharactersUnknown episodes
2005Back to NormChristine MacDonald Television film
2006 Free Ride MeganEpisode: "Up the Aunty"
Love, Inc. GlendaEpisode: "Full House"
Happy Hour MollyEpisode: "The Mix CD"
What About Brian CarolEpisode: "What About First Steps"
2007Home Purchasing ClubDebbie DriscollUnknown episodes
The Untitled Rob Roy Thomas ProjectEllie TennantTelevision film
Halfway Home Kimberly Costas2 episodes
Die Hardly WorkingHeroineTelevision film
Eternal WatersLead
How I Met Your Mother Stacey GusarEpisode: "Little Boys"
The WeekendMadelaineTelevision film
2008 Chocolate News Trina Johns2 episodes
Man Stroke Woman VariousTelevision film
2008, 2014 Psych Mindy Howland / Connie Camp2 episodes
2008–09Back on ToppsBev ClearySeries
Unknown episodes
Entourage Amy Miller3 episodes
2009Memory LanesTracy MorrisTelevision film
Bones Maureen PerotEpisode: "The Bones That Foam"
Better Off Ted LawyerEpisode: "Trust and Consequence"
Married Not DeadSusanTelevision film
2011 Hot in Cleveland EllenEpisode: "Bad Bromance"
Best Player Tracy SaundersTelevision film
2012 The Game Summer Grayson2 episodes
Sullivan & Son Kim ElliotEpisode: "The Bar Birthday"
Childrens Hospital StacyEpisode: "Ladies Night"
Neil's Puppet Dreams Patron3 episodes; Also co-creator, writer, and executive producer
2012–13 Burning Love CarlyRegular role (23 episodes)
Key & Peele Campaign Advisor / White Woman #12 episodes
2012–14 The Legend of Korra Korra Voice, main role (52 episodes)
The Exes Lorna2 episodes
2013 MyMusic Nancy Spackman2 episodes
2013–14 Kroll Show Wife / Mrs. Wilson / Jessica2 episodes
2014 Warehouse 13 EliseEpisode: "Secret Services"
Maron DelphineEpisode: "Therapy"
2014–19 You're the Worst Becca BarbaraRecurring role (28 episodes)
2014–16 Sanjay and Craig VariousVoice, 4 episodes
2015 Shameless Park MomEpisode: "Rite of Passage"
Other Space HostEpisode: "Getting to Know You"
2016 Comedy Bang! Bang! Movie Trailer WifeEpisode: "Kaley Cuoco Wears a Black Blazer and Slip on Sneakers"
American Housewife JennEpisode: "Power Couple"
ESCAPE!HostWeb series
2016–17 Mutt & Stuff Janine / PilotVoice, 3 episodes
2016–18 Take My Wife Melina Marquez5 episodes
Stan Against Evil Evie BarretMain role: 18 episodes
2017 Adam Ruins Everything MandyEpisode: "Adam Ruins Weight Loss"
Hidden America with Jonah Ray LeonaEpisode: "Cleveland: Can't Win Them All"
HarmonQuest SedonaEpisode: "The Barely Cursed Bazaar of Commerce"
2018 Bravest Warriors Ambulance DriverVoice, episode: "I Just Can't Cope Without My Soap"
2020 Dicktown TraceyEpisode: "The Mystery of the Moaning Ghost"
The Loud House Dr. Carol Linnaeus / Automated VoiceVoice, episode: "Blinded by Science"
The George Lucas Talk Show Self2 episodes
2021 Country Comfort Summer8 episodes
Bless the Harts Voice, episode: "Betty's Birthday"
2023-24 The Legend of Vox Machina VilyaVoice, 2 episodes
2023 Harley Quinn Mera Voice, episode: "A Very Problematic Valentine's Day Special"
2024 Um, Actually HerselfSeason 9, Episode 12

Video games

YearTitleVoice roleNotes
2014 The Legend of Korra Korra
Smite
2021 Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Voiceover added in the June 2022 update
2022 Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway Final time voicing Korra

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2016 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series Everyone's Crazy But UsNominated

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