Jane Adams

Mel Karnofsky on the NBC sitcom Frasier (1999–2000) and co-starred as Nikki Katz on HBO's drama series The Idol (2023). For her role as Tanya Skagl on HBO's Hung (2009–2011) she received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award. She was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series – in 2021 and 2022 – for portraying Nina Daniels on the HBO series Hacks (2021). Adams made her Broadway debut in the original production of Paul Rudnick's I Hate Hamlet in 1991 and won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her portrayal of Sheila Birling in the revival of J. Priestley's An Inspector Calls (1994).

• Name — Jane Adams • Born — 1 April 1965 • Awards — Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play • Education — University of Washington Cornish College of the Arts Juilliard School (BFA) • Known for — * Frasier • Happiness • Hung • Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind • An Inspector Calls • All the Light in the Sky • Occupation — Actress, writer • Years Active — 1985–present

Jane Adams is the daughter of Janice, an administrative assistant, and William Adams, an engineer. She attended the University of Washington, where she studied political science, and the Cornish College of the Arts, where she took theater. She attended the Juilliard School's Drama Division (1985–1989, Group 18) where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1989.

Adams performed theatre at the Seattle Repertory Theatre. She turned down the chance to work in the hit movie Sister Act with Whoopi Goldberg for the opportunity to work with Arthur Miller onstage. She worked with Steve Martin and Diane Keaton in Father of the Bride Part II. She returned to the stage and won the 1994 Tony Award for best performance by a featured actress in a play for the Broadway revival of An Inspector Calls. She also won the Outer Critics Circle Award for best debut performance in a play in the Broadway production of Paul Rudnick's I Hate Hamlet. In 1996, Adams portrayed Karen Lukens in the ABC-TV drama series Relativity. In 1998, she starred in the misanthropic dark comedy Happiness with Philip Seymour Hoffman, playing the role of Joy, a sensitive single woman who is struggling with life. She and the cast won many ensemble awards. The next year, Adams got a recurring role on the comedy series Frasier from 1999 to 2000. She played Dr. Mel Karnofsky, who became Niles Crane's second wife. She also had a role in the 1999 film Mumford. In 2001, she acted in the independent film Songcatcher, with Janet McTeer, which won a Sundance Special Jury Prize. She also portrayed Reeva Baines Eidenberg in the CBS drama series Citizen Baines. Adams has also acted in mainstream films such as You've Got Mail (1998), Wonder Boys (2000), Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004), and Last Holiday (2006). In 2007, she appeared in The Sensation of Sight and The Brave One. From 2009 to 2011, Adams co-starred in the HBO series Hung opposite Thomas Jane. She starred in and co-wrote the 2012 film All the Light in the Sky with director Joe Swanberg. This performance earned her the Best Actress award at the Nashville Film Festival.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1986 — Tales from the Darkside — Charlotte Rose Cantrell — Episode: "Deliver Us from Goodness" • 1987, 1989 — Family Ties — First Love / Marty Brodie — 3 episodes • 1989, 1995 — ABC Afterschool Special — Elly Robinson / Michelle — 2 episodes • 1990 — Rising Son — Meg Bradley — Television film • 1993 — Lifestories: Families in Crisis — Beth — Episode: "Dead Drunk: The Kevin Tunell Story" • 1996 — Relativity — Karen Lukens — 7 episodes • 1997 — Liberty! — Sara Scott — 6 episodes • 1999 — The — Mona Bailey — Episode: "What Will The Neighbors Think" • 1999–2000 — Frasier — Dr. Mel Karnofsky — Recurring; 11 episodes • 2000 — Citizen Baines — Reeva Eidenberg — 9 episodes • 2000 — From Where I Sit — Ruth — Pilot • 2001 — Night Visions — Amanda — Episode: "The Doghouse" • 2003 — Carnivàle — Mother of Dead Baby — Uncredited; Episode: "Milfay" • 2003 — Law & Order: Criminal Intent — Sylvia Campbell — Episode: "The Gift" • 2005 — Stone Cold — Brianna Lincoln — Television film • 2007 — House — Bonnie — Episode: "House Training" • 2008 — In Plain Sight — Ruth Ferguson / Ruth Fraser — Episode: "Don of the Dead" • 2009–2011 — Hung — Tanya Skagle — 30 episodes • 2012 — Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — Joanne Parsons — Episode: "Learning Curve" • 2013 — Axe Cop — Red Headed Women — Voice; Episode: "Super Axe" • 2014 — CSI: Crime Scene Investigation — Belinda Goff — Episode: "Rubbery Homicide" • 2016–2019 — Easy — Annabelle Jones — 5 episodes • 2016 — Atlanta — Janice — Episode: "Nobody Beats the Biebs" • 2017 — Twin Peaks — Constance Talbot — 6 episodes • 2017 — Claws — Gladys Coleman Pirette — 4 episodes • 2018–2019 — Sneaky Pete — Maggie Murphy — 8 episodes • 2020 — Messiah — Miriam Keneally — 10 episodes • 2021–2026 — Hacks — Nina Daniels — 9 episodes • 2023 — The Idol — Nikki Katz — 5 episodes • 2025 — Good American Family — JJ — 2 episodes

• Year — Title — Role — Playwright — Venue — Ref. • 1991 — I Hate Hamlet — Deirdre McDavey — Paul Rudnick — Walter Kerr Theater, Broadway • 1992 — The — Mary Warren — Arthur Miller — Belasco Theater, Broadway • 1992 — The Glass Menagerie — Laura Wingfield — Tennessee Williams — La Jolla Playhouse, Los Angeles • 1994 — An — Sheila Birling — J.B. Priestley — Royale Theatre, Broadway • 2003 — Enchanted April — Rose Arnott (replacement) — Matthew Barber — Belasco Theater, Broadway • 2004 — Match — Lisa — Stephen Belber — Plymouth Theater, Broadway • 2006 — Resurrection Blues — Emily Shapiro — Arthur Miller — The Old Vic, West End

Jane Adams is recorded as having received Theatre World Award and Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play.