Jen Ponton

Last updated
Jen Ponton
Born (1984-06-27) June 27, 1984 (age 38)
Alma mater Ramapo College of New Jersey
Occupations
  • Actress
  • screenwriter
  • producer
Years active2009–present
Height5 ft 3 in (160 cm)
Website JenPonton.com

Jennifer Ponton (born June 27, 1984) is an American actress, screenwriter and producer, best known for portraying Rubi in the AMC series Dietland .

Contents

Early life

Ponton is an only child raised in Bloomsbury, New Jersey; there she was a 2002 graduate of Phillipsburg High School, where she was active in the New Jersey Speech and Debate Forensics League, as well as drama club and musical groups. [1] [2] She is a 2006 graduate of Ramapo College of New Jersey, where she earned her BA in Theatre. [3]

Career

Ponton began her career in 2010 with a guest role on the episode "Reaganing" [4] on 30 Rock opposite Kelsey Grammer. [2] She went on to make recurring appearances on Law & Order: SVU, The Heart She Holler, and The Slap, as well as guest appearances on Boardwalk Empire , The Good Wife , The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, [5] [6] Blue Bloods, Deadbeat and The Blacklist. In 2018 she portrayed body positive activist Rubi on the AMC drama Dietland. [7] [8] Ponton also starred in the 2016 film Love on the Run opposite Steve Howey and Frances Fisher, and she has narrated Jennifer Weiner's The Littlest Bigfoot audiobook series. [9] On stage, she originated the role of Dorrie in Halley Feiffer's How to Make Friends and then Kill Them at Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre. [10] She is a member of the Television Academy.[ citation needed ]

She is a body positivity and fat acceptance activist, [11] having spoken at length about the importance of size inclusion in entertainment. [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] She was also a featured activist and speaker at the 2018 TCF Style Expo and the 2018 CurvyCon. [20] [21]

Ponton is also the co-creator and star of the puppet-led web series The Weirdos Next Door. [22]

Personal life

Ponton and her husband have been residents of the Budd Lake section of Mount Olive Township, New Jersey. [23]

Filmography

Film
TitleYearRoleNotes
King Kelly 2012AngelaOfficial selection of 2012 SXSW [24]
Jack & Diane 2012StacyOfficial selection of 2012 Tribeca Film Festival [25]
Free the Nipple 2014CharlieDistributed by Sundance Selects and IFC [26]
Enchantments2015Nancy
Wiener-Dog 2016KristyOfficial selection of 2016 Sundance [27]
Love on the Run2016Franny
Split2016Maria
Occupy, Texas2016Harley
Chuck 2016PAOfficial selection of 2016 Tribeca Film Festival [28]
Going in Style 2017Newlywed Wife
Come on In2018BeverlyBitch Pack Best in Show, Bluestocking Film Festival 2018 [29]
Beckys Through History2019Becky
Queens of Daytime2019Sara Jo 'Addy' AddersonTV movie
Pizza Party2020#1
She Came to Me 2023Elodie
Love Magick2023Nancy
Television
TitleYearRoleChannelNotes
Primetime: What Would You Do? 2009BrideABCEpisode: "Momzilla"
30 Rock 2010BrendaNBCEpisode: "Reaganing"Nominated for an Outstanding Writing Emmy [30]
Law & Order: SVU 2010MiaNBCEpisode: "Gray"
The Heart, She Holler 2011GrinderAdult Swim2 episodes
Boardwalk Empire 2012StudentHBOEpisode: "You'd Be Surprised"
The Good Wife 2014Emily BalsamCBSEpisode: "We, the Juries"
Believe 2014Hallway NurseNBCEpisode: Pilot
Blue Bloods 2014Kasia MazurskiCBSEpisode: "Exiles"
The Slap 2015JaniceNBC3 episodes
Law & Order: SVU 2015LaylaNBCEpisode: "Daydream Believer"
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt 2016Debbie WellsNetflixEpisode: "Kimmy Meets a Celebrity!"
Deadbeat 2016Duchess BeatrixHuluEpisode: "The Duchess of Stourbridge"
Orange Is the New Black 2016Correcticon Check-In GirlNetflixEpisode: "We'll Always Have Baltimore"
The Blacklist 2016MaisyNBCEpisode: "Mato"
Dietland 2018RubiAMC3 episodes
Helpsters 2020Cindy CircleApple TV+Episode: "Scatter/Sid Square"
Scratch This2021AngelicaEpisode: "Ommm My God"
Dickinson 2021Body HealerApple TV+Episode: "Forever - Is Composed of Nows"
Three Women 2023BarbaraStarz2 episodes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carol Kane</span> American actress and comedian (born 1952)

Carolyn Laurie Kane is an American actress. She became known in the 1970s and 1980s in films such as Hester Street, Dog Day Afternoon, Annie Hall, The Princess Bride and Scrooged.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tina Fey</span> American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright (born 1970)

Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright. Fey was a cast member and head writer for the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1997 to 2006. After her departure from SNL, she created the NBC sitcom 30 Rock and the Netflix sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2020), the former of which she also starred in. Fey is also known for her work in film, including Mean Girls (2004), Baby Mama (2008), Date Night (2010), Megamind (2010), Muppets Most Wanted (2014), Sisters (2015), Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016), Wine Country (2019), and Soul (2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bloomsbury, New Jersey</span> Borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States

Bloomsbury is a borough in Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 792, a decrease of 78 (−9.0%) from the 2010 census count of 870, which in turn reflected a decline of 16 (−1.8%) from the 886 counted in the 2000 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Budd Lake, New Jersey</span> Populated place in Morris County, New Jersey, US

Budd Lake is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Mount Olive Township, in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 9,784, its highest decennial census count ever and an increase of 816 (+9.1%) from the 8,968 enumerated at the 2010 census, which in turn reflected an increase of 868 (+10.7%) from the 8,100 counted at the 2000 census. Budd Lake was named for John Budd. Prior to that, it was called Hattacawanna Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna Chlumsky</span> American actress (born 1980)

Anna Maria Chlumsky is an American actress. She began acting as a child, and first became known for playing Vada Sultenfuss in the film My Girl (1991) and its sequel, My Girl 2. Following her early roles, she went on hiatus from 1999 to 2005 to attend college.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Hamm</span> American actor (born 1971)

Jonathan Daniel Hamm is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Don Draper in the period drama television series Mad Men (2007–2015), for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama in 2008 and 2016, two Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series, and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2015. He received 16 Primetime Emmy Award nominations for acting in and producing Mad Men and for his guest appearances on 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phillipsburg High School (New Jersey)</span> High school in Warren County, New Jersey, United States

Phillipsburg High School is a comprehensive, four-year public high school located in Phillipsburg, in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. The school was first established in 1871. For this reason, the school's nickname is the "Stateliners." The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 2000.

Allison Silverman is an American comedy writer and producer, known for her work on Russian Doll, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. She was the head writer and executive producer for The Colbert Report until 2009. In 2011, she was an executive producer and writer of Portlandia. She is co-creator of the comedy series Schmigadoon!, and was a writer for the television series At Home with Amy Sedaris, The Office, and The Daily Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Magnussen</span> American actor

William Gregory Magnussen is an American actor. He has been featured in the films Into the Woods (2014), Birth of the Dragon (2016), Game Night (2018), and Aladdin (2019), and has had supporting television roles in Get Shorty (2017) and Maniac (2018). In 2021, Magnussen starred in the sci-fi series Made for Love on HBO Max and appeared in the films The Many Saints of Newark and No Time to Die.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellie Kemper</span> American actress and comedian (born 1980)

Elizabeth Claire Kemper, professionally known as Ellie Kemper, is an American actress and comedian. She has been nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award, two Critics' Choice Television Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, three Satellite Awards, and seven Screen Actors Guild Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tituss Burgess</span> American actor and singer

Tituss Burgess is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in numerous Broadway musicals and is known for his high tenor voice. He is best known for starring as Titus Andromedon on the Netflix comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2020), for which he has received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

<i>Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt</i> American comedy television series

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is an American sitcom created by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, starring Ellie Kemper in the title role. It premiered on March 6, 2015 on Netflix and ran for four seasons, ending on January 25, 2019. An interactive special premiered on May 12, 2020.

Dylan Nicole Gelula is an American actress who is best known for her role of Xanthippe on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, as well as her work in independent film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ki Hong Lee</span> Korean-American actor

Ki Hong Lee is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Minho in the Maze Runner film series and Dong Nguyen in the Netflix sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

Mya Taylor is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Alexandra in the 2015 film Tangerine for which she won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jude Weng</span> American director

Jude Weng is a Taiwanese-born American director, writer and producer of episodic streaming/TV and feature films.

Erin Constance-Maja Darke is an American actress. She is known for her role as Cindy in the TV series Good Girls Revolt. She also plays Mary in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Leeta in the AMC series Dietland. She has appeared in the films Love & Mercy (2014), Beside Still Waters (2014), Still Alice (2014), and Don't Think Twice (2016).

Dietland is an American dark comedy drama television series created by Marti Noxon, based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Sarai Walker. The straight-to-series 10-episode first season premiered on AMC with back to back episodes on June 4, 2018.

Claire Elizabeth Scanlon is an American editor and director. She has been nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards, winning one, for editing work on The Office and The Apprentice. She won an American Cinema Editors Award in 2014 and was nominated in 2016. She has directed for numerous television shows, including Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Good Place, Fresh off the Boat, Glow, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. She made her directorial debut with the Netflix film Set It Up. Scanlon directed the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt interactive special for Netflix. She also directed the comedy-mystery series Mapleworth Murders for Quibi.

Eve Lindley is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in the television series Dispatches from Elsewhere and the film All We Had. In 2016, she was named in Out magazine's OUT100. As a model she has worked with Barneys New York.

References

  1. "Phillipsburg High School grad calls latest role a 'game-changer' for film industry". Dustin Schoof. Retrieved 2018-12-26.
  2. 1 2 Schoof, Dustin. "Bloomsbury native Jen Ponton to appear on NBC's '30 Rock'". lehighvalleylive.com. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  3. "Jen Ponton". Success Stories. Retrieved 2018-12-26.
  4. 30 Rock episode
  5. Jusino. "Jen Ponton Talks Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt". www.themarysue.com. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  6. "Actress Jen Ponton is Tragically Hysterical in 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'". TV.com. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  7. Loeb, Ashley Nguyen, Aviva. "Lily Lines: Nicole Maines to play a transgender superhero on the CW's 'Supergirl'" . Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  8. Petski, Denise (2018-03-29). "'Dietland': Campbell Scott, Alanna Ubach, Kelly Hu, 3 More Join Recurring cast Of AMC Series". Deadline. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  9. "Jen Ponton". Simon & Schuster. Retrieved 2018-12-26.
  10. "Bloomsbury native and Bergen resident Jen Ponton makes her off-Broadway debut". NJ.com. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  11. "'Dietland' actress Jen Ponton shares why fat women are more than just 'the funny sidekick'". www.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2018-12-26.
  12. ""Dietland" Star Jen Ponton on Her New Show, Sizeism, and Why She Wants to Play a Superhero". womenandhollywood.com. Retrieved 2018-12-26.
  13. "The Sugar Plum Interview: 3 Questions for Jen Ponton". Sarai Walker. Retrieved 2018-12-26.
  14. Schumer, Celey (2016-10-07). "Breakout Star Jen Ponton Is Out to Change the Narrative" . Retrieved 2018-12-26.
  15. Mazza, Melissa (2017-02-10). "Talking Body Love, Media Sizism and Weirdos With Jen Ponton!". Fattitude. Retrieved 2018-12-26.
  16. "What It's Like To Shoot Sex Scenes At A Size 22". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved 2018-12-26.
  17. Tonic, Gina. "'Love On The Run' Is A Plus Size Triumph In Film". Bustle. Retrieved 2018-12-26.
  18. "TV star's first sex scene at a size 22 is relatable IRL". Revelist.com. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  19. "Budd Lake actress ready to break out in". Daily Record. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  20. Italie, Leanne (10 September 2018). ""Women Celebrate Size Inclusivity at Alternative Fashion Week"". US News.
  21. "Jen Ponton – TCFSTYLE expo" . Retrieved 2018-12-26.
  22. "Puppet web series starring Bloomsbury native to begin its third season". NJ.com. 5 May 2015. Retrieved 2018-12-26.
  23. Izzo, Michael. "Budd Lake actress ready to break out in Free the Nipple", Courier News , November 17, 2014. Accessed September 4, 2019. "Mount Olive – Budd Lake's Jen Ponton has had a great few years, but she says the best is yet to come."
  24. "Meet the 2012 SXSW Filmmakers #22: Andrew Neel, 'King Kelly'". IndieWire. 2012-03-07. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
  25. "Jack and Diane: Tribeca Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
  26. "'Free The Nipple' Picked Up By Sundance Selects for North American Release". The Hollywood Reporter. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
  27. Lodge, Guy (2016-01-23). "Sundance Film Review: 'Wiener-Dog'". Variety. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
  28. "Chuck | Tribeca Film Festival". Tribeca. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
  29. "2018 Official Selections". Bluestocking Film Series. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
  30. "30 Rock". Television Academy. Retrieved 2019-01-02.