Who is Jenna Elfman? Find Net Worth, Quote, Awards, Fact, Wiki

Jennifer Mary Butala Wiki Biography

Jennifer Mary Butala was born on the 30th September 1971, in Los Angeles, California, USA and is an actress probably best known for her role in the sitcom “Dharma and Greg” (1997 – 2002). Now under her married name Jenna Elfman, she has been active in the entertainment industry since 1990.

How much is the net worth of Jenna Elfman? It has been estimated by authoritative sources that the overall size of her wealth is as much as $16 million, as of the data presented in the middle of 2016. Acting is the main source of Elfman’s wealth; her assets among others include a three bedroom house previously owned by Madonna, which is now valued $4 million.

Jenna Elfman Net Worth $16 Million

To begin with, she was raised in a family of three children, by parents Richard and Sue Butala. She was educated at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, and later graduated from California State University, Northridge.

Jenna started her career by turning up in commercials, so her career took off slowly, then appearing in shows and television series, mostly comedies. She landed her first lead role in the sitcom “Townies” (1996), in which she co-starred with the redhead Molly Ringwald and brown-haired Lauren Graham. The following year she debuted as the female lead role in the romantic series “Dharma and Greg” (1997 – 2002). Her performance earned the actress – among other awards – the Golden Globe, while meanwhile also starring in the comedy “Krippendorf’s Tribe” (1998), in which she played alongside Richard Dreyfuss. The success of the series allowed her to appear in the satirical comedy film “Edtv” (1999) co-produced and directed by Ron Howard, but the actress decided to focus on television, and starred in the television film “Obsessed” (2002). Afterwards, she was in the main cast of the sitcom “Courting Alex” (2006) created by Rob Hanning, which was followed by appearances on television in the family drama “Brothers & Sisters” (2007) and the comedy “My Name Is Earl” (2008). What is more, she landed the lead role in “Accidentally on Purpose” (2009 – 2010), in which she played Billie Chase. However, due to low watching ratings the series were cancelled. Following the failure, she participated in episodes of the comedy drama “Shameless” (2012) and “Damages” (2012), and her net worth was still growing.

She returned to the screens of television in early 2013 as a member of the main cast of “1600 Penn”, in which she played the wife of the USA president, played by Bill Pullman, but the series was a critical and commercial failure and was stopped after 13 episodes. The same happened the following year with the series “Growing Up Fisher” (2014), in which she played the wife of a father suffering from blindness, played by J.K. Simmons, as again the NBC cancelled the series after a season. It should be noted that the actress starred in the feature films “The Six Wives of Henry Lefay” (2009), “Love Hurts” (2009), “Friends with Benefits” (2011) and “Big Stone Gap” (2014), and most recently in 2015, Elfman landed a role in the television film “The Perfect Stanleys”.

To conclude, all the above mentioned roles have increased the total size of Jenna Elfman net worth.

Finally, in the personal life of the actress, Elfman has been married to actor Bodhi Elfman since 1995, and they have two sons.



Full Name Jenna Elfman
Net Worth $16 Million
Date Of Birth September 30, 1971
Place Of Birth Los Angeles, California, USA
Height 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
Profession Television and film actress
Education Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, California State University, Northridge
Nationality American
Spouse Bodhi Elfman (m. 1995-)
Children Story Elias Elfman, Easton Quinn Monroe Elfman
Parents Richard and Sue Butala
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jennaelfman
Twitter https://twitter.com/jennaelfman
Google+ http://plus.google.com/105059198620924938907
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jennaelfman/
IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001184
Awards Golden Globe Award for Best Actress (1999), TV Guide Award for Favorite Actress in a Comedy (1999, 2000)
Nominations Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress, Satellite Award for Best Actress (2000), Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (1998, 1999, 2000), American Comedy Award for Funniest Female Performer in a TV Series, Satellite Award for Best Actress (2000-2002)
Movies “Krippendorf’s Tribe” (1998), “Edtv” (1999), “Obsessed” (2002),“Brothers & Sisters” (2007), “My Name Is Earl” (2008), “Shameless” (2012), “Damages” (2012), “1600 Penn” (2013), “The Perfect Stanleys”
TV Shows “Townies” (1996), “Dharma and Greg” (1997-2002), “Courting Alex” (2006), “Accidentally on Purpose” (2009 – 2010), “Growing Up Fisher” (2014)
Title Salary
Accidentally on Purpose (2009) $125,000 /episode (2009-10)
Quote
1 I’ll probably stick to comedy for the time being. I mean, a great piece of work is a great piece of work, and I’m up for good work anytime. But I do love comedy!
2 It was the most pleasurable thing I’ve ever done, playing this character, and I just remember feeling so at home and so – I don’t know, I was just happy – and it just wasn’t ever work! It was like a sandbox for me, and I would crack myself up rehearsing.
3 Playing in front of an audience was just such a turn-on for me, and you have 200 people in the audience and it’s like doing live theater. And filming something that goes to millions of people several weeks later, it’s an interesting dynamic.
4 There’s a power in women being women. There’s a role for men, but we don’t have to be men, because we’re women. I think that representing that on television is a cool thing.
5 Yeah, I think the common denominator – and this is probably going to sound like Acting 101 – but the common denominator is belief in the character in the moment.
6 You know, she was a girl. She was a female. And she wasn’t like, trying to compete in a man’s world and she wasn’t trying to be in a man’s position, she was just who she was. And I think that was like, a good thing.
7 And as a character, what I found very inspiring about playing Dharma, especially at that time, is that the women on television were more neurotic than they were free. And I thought, this is a rare bird and this is unique on television and I think it’s really refreshing.
8 And I’m so excited to remind people and even gain new fans who find out about Dharma – a new generation who could find out about Dharma and enjoy her and all the characters on the show.
9 Not hippie – my parents were not hippies – but they were very supportive and encouraging, and that does a lot for someone, and it gives them a lot of confidence.
10 And you don’t want to just totally mess up the rhythm when you’re playing with Bob Dylan.
11 Drama is not hard for me. It just didn’t seem hard.
12 In comedy, something may be more absurd, but you have to believe just as much as you do when you’re doing drama.
13 It proved to me, though, that comedy is so much harder.
14 It’s such a pleasurable experience to look back, and all of the fun I had just comes rushing back.
15 Like, to do a pilot, you don’t know what’s going to happen with it.
16 The most memorable moment was playing drums with Bob Dylan.
17 And you know, we did it as an independent film, and we weren’t expecting it to be on television, and Lifetime ended up buying it. And the viewers responded intensely to that film.
18 Comedy is much more challenging, because you have to have the same level of belief but you have to make people laugh, and that’s definitely a challenge.
19 Especially while television I think is going through some growing pains or is in need of – I think current comedy is a bit, uh, not happening, you know?
20 I can’t say I can foresee the future and tell the stars, you know. But I do have an understanding for my own reality, just elements and things that I’ve learned from.
21 I got good notice from that show, and on the last day of filming Townies (1996), Twentieth Century Fox called, wanting to meet with me about a development deal.
22 I just kind of understood it, and I threw my love for others and love for life into the character, and was having a blast. I loved playing Dharma. I loved it!
23 I just think it’s fun to remind people that good television has exited and it can exist again and just to give them pleasure and enjoy it and make them laugh.
24 I just think that it’s such a good show and timeless and still very funny, and that just makes me happy to have that whole first season in one concentrated space for people to enjoy so that it’s not hit and miss trying to find it in syndication always.
25 I loved that about her because I knew it would open the door for a lot of comedy, because I knew that the conflict would come, because not many people live like the way she does.
26 I think that marriage is an amazing institution and should be preserved, and you can have great marriages, and you must because sharing your life with someone is like the greatest thing. And I loved being able to set a good example for that on television.
27 Creatively, you need to go live life. As an artist, you are representing life. So you have to rub elbows and be out in it.
Fact
1 Was to perform on Broadway in the musical “Nine”, as a replacement for Jane Krakowski. Citing lack of proper time, she left the show during rehearsals and was replaced by Krakowski’s understudy. [October 2003]
2 Returned to work four months after giving birth to her son Easton in order to begin filming Friends with Benefits (2011).
3 Was four months pregnant with her son Easton when she completed filming on the first series of Accidentally on Purpose (2009).
4 Gave birth to her son Easton Quinn Monroe Elfman, with husband Bodhi Elfman, in Los Angeles at 7.53am, weighing in at 7lbs 12oz (2 March 2010).
5 Turned down a role in Minority Report (2002).
6 Susan Sullivan, who played the mother-in-law of her character, Dharma, in the series Dharma & Greg (1997), also played the mother of her character Lizzie, in the series Brothers & Sisters (2006).
7 Gave birth to her son Story Elias Elfman, with husband Bodhi Elfman, in Los Angeles, weighing in at 7lbs 2oz (23 July 2007).
8 Was among the guests at Tom Cruise’s and Katie Holmes’ wedding ceremony in Italy.
9 Daughter-in-law of Richard Elfman and Marie-Pascale Elfman.
10 She is the daughter of Susan (Grace) and Richard Gregory Butala. Her father is of Croatian descent, and her mother has English, Scottish, and German ancestry.
11 Was listed as a potential nominee on the 2004 Razzie Award nominating ballot. She was suggested in the Worst Supporting Actress category for her performance in the film Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003); however, she failed to receive a nomination.
12 She started taking classical ballet at the age of five, but by nine, she suffered a serious ankle injury, and at age 12, the tendon came off the bone. She later gave up ballet at the age of 16.
13 Niece of singer Tony Butala, who founded and performs with the vocal group The Lettermen.
14 Graduated from Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, class of 1989. She was senior class representative (dance dept), on Student Arts Council.
15 Is a classically-trained ballet dancer.
16 Studied acting at The Beverly Hills Playhouse with Milton Katselas.

Actress

Title Year Status Character
Imaginary Mary 2017 TV Movie completed
Barry 2016/II
In Bed with Tammin 2016 TV Series
The Perfect Stanleys 2015 TV Movie Ellen
Gigi: Almost American – Season Two 2014 TV Movie Yoga Instructor
Big Stone Gap 2014 Iva Lou Wade
Gigi: Almost American 2014 TV Series Yogi Dendra
Growing Up Fisher 2014 TV Series Joyce Fisher
The Mindy Project 2013 TV Series Priscilla
Royal Pains 2013 TV Series Lacy
1600 Penn 2012-2013 TV Series Emily Nash Gilchrist
Damages 2012 TV Series Naomi Walling
Shameless 2012 TV Series Jill
Bad Mom 2011 TV Movie Julia
Matumbo Goldberg 2011 TV Series Matumba Goldberg
Two and a Half Men 2004-2011 TV Series Frankie Dharma
Friends with Benefits 2011 Annie
Accidentally on Purpose 2009-2010 TV Series Billie
Love Hurts 2009/I Darlene
The Six Wives of Henry Lefay 2009 Ophelia
Special Agent Oso 2009 TV Series Mom’s Maya
My Name Is Earl 2008 TV Series Kimmi Himler
Struck 2008 Short
Brothers & Sisters 2007 TV Series Lizzie Jones-Baker
Best of Chris Isaak 2006 Video segment “Somebody’s Crying” uncredited
Courting Alex 2006 TV Series Alex Rose / Bex Atwell
Touched 2005/I Angela Martin
United 2005 Video short Jenna Elfman
Clifford’s Really Big Movie 2004 Dorothy (voice)
Looney Tunes: Back in Action 2003 Kate
Obsessed 2002 TV Movie Ellena Roberts
Dharma & Greg 1997-2002 TV Series Dharma Finkelstein Montgomery
Town & Country 2001 Auburn
The Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas! 2000 Video Lorelei (voice)
CyberWorld 2000 Short Phig (voice)
Keeping the Faith 2000 Anna Riley
Anthrax: Return of the Killer A’s: Video Collection 1999 Video Black Lodge video character
Venus 1999 Venus
Edtv 1999 Shari
Doctor Dolittle 1998 Owl (voice)
Can’t Hardly Wait 1998 The Angel (uncredited)
Krippendorf’s Tribe 1998 Veronica
Grosse Pointe Blank 1997 Tanya
The Single Guy 1997 TV Series Jordan
Her Last Chance 1996 TV Movie Leslie
Almost Perfect 1996 TV Series Becky Toll
Murder One 1996 TV Series Angela Scalese
NYPD Blue 1996 TV Series Patty Snow
Townies 1996 TV Series Shannon
Roseanne 1995 TV Series Garland
The Monroes 1995 TV Series Lily
Pointman 1995 TV Series Mary Ellen
The George Carlin Show 1994 TV Series Psychedelic girl
Double Deception 1993 TV Movie Lisa Majorski (as Jenna Butala)
Freshman Dorm 1992 TV Series Tina
Murder, She Wrote 1992 TV Series Ballet Dancer in background
Depeche Mode: Strange Too 1990 Video short Tall Dancer in ‘Halo’ Video (as Jenna)

Producer

Title Year Status Character
Accidentally on Purpose 2009-2010 TV Series producer – 8 episodes
Courting Alex 2006 TV Series producer – 10 episodes
Touched 2005/I executive producer
Dharma & Greg 2001-2002 TV Series producer – 23 episodes

Soundtrack

Title Year Status Character
Rage 2008 TV Series 1 episode

Self

Title Year Status Character
In Bed with Tammin 2016 TV Series Herself
4th Annual Saving Innocence Gala: Live from the SLS Hotel 2015 TV Movie Herself – Host
Today 2014-2015 TV Series Herself
The View 2015 TV Series Herself
Home & Family 2013-2015 TV Series Herself
The Meredith Vieira Show 2015 TV Series Herself
Hollywood Game Night 2014-2015 TV Series Herself – Celebrity Player / Herself – Panelist
Hollywood Health Report 2015 TV Series Herself
AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Steve Martin 2015 TV Special Herself (uncredited)
Bystander Revolution 2014 TV Series documentary Herself
So You Think You Can Dance 2013-2014 TV Series Herself – Guest Judge
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson 2009-2014 TV Series Herself
The Wendy Williams Show 2014 TV Series Herself
Late Night with Seth Meyers 2014 TV Series Herself
Conan 2013-2014 TV Series Herself – Guest
The Queen Latifah Show 2014 TV Series Herself
Extra 2014 TV Series Herself
Rachael Ray 2013-2014 TV Series Herself
Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race 2013 TV Movie Herself
Good Day L.A. 2013 TV Series Herself
The Talk 2011-2013 TV Series Herself
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno 1997-2013 TV Series Herself
Watch What Happens: Live 2013 TV Series Herself
Chelsea Lately 2013 TV Series Herself
Larry King Now 2013 TV Series Herself
Fashion News Live 2012 TV Series Herself
Monster Man 2012 TV Series Herself
Booking Agents 2011 Short Herself
Comedy of a Sexomedy 2011 Video short Herself
Lopez Tonight 2011 TV Series Herself
Made in Hollywood 2011 TV Series Herself
Entertainment Tonight 2007-2010 TV Series Herself
Jimmy Kimmel Live! 2003-2010 TV Series Herself
Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show 2003-2010 TV Series Herself
The 36th Annual People’s Choice Awards 2010 TV Special Herself
Late Show with David Letterman 1999-2010 TV Series Herself
Tavis Smiley 2009 TV Series Herself
The Early Show 2009 TV Series Herself
Larry the Cable Guy’s Star-Studded Christmas Extravaganza 2008 TV Special Herself
Countdown to 111 Hits 2008 TV Movie Herself
The Merrick & Rosso Show 2008 TV Series Herself
Secret’s Out 2008 TV Series Herself
Speechless 2008 TV Movie documentary Herself
American Masters 2007 TV Series documentary Herself
2006 American Music Awards 2006 TV Special Herself – Presenter
AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Cheers: America’s Most Inspiring Movies 2006 TV Movie documentary Herself
The 48th Annual Grammy Awards 2006 TV Special Herself – Presenter
The 32nd Annual People’s Choice Awards 2006 TV Special documentary Herself
Ministry of Mayhem 2004 TV Series Herself
Great Women of Television Comedy 2003 TV Movie Herself
4Pop 2003 TV Series documentary Herself
Player$ 2003 TV Series Herself
Late Night with Conan O’Brien 1999-2003 TV Series Herself
HBO First Look 2003 TV Series documentary Herself
The Desilu Story 2003 TV Movie documentary Herself
The Rosie O’Donnell Show 1999-2002 TV Series Herself
My VH1 Music Awards 2001 TV Special Herself – Presenter
Hollywood Squares 1998-2001 TV Series Herself
Intimate Portrait 2001 TV Series documentary Herself
The 2001 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards 2001 TV Special Herself – Presenter (uncredited)
The 43rd Annual Grammy Awards 2001 TV Special Herself
Women Rock! Girls and Guitars 2000 TV Movie Herself
My VH1 Music Awards 2000 TV Special documentary Herself – Presenter
Howard Stern 2000 TV Series Herself
2000 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards 2000 TV Special documentary Herself – Presenter
The 14th Annual American Comedy Awards 2000 Herself
The 57th Annual Golden Globe Awards 2000 TV Special Herself
Edtv: Caught in the Camera’s Eye 1999 Video documentary short Herself
Influences: From Yesterday to Today 1999 TV Movie Herself
The 51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards 1999 TV Special Herself – Co-Host & Nominee: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
The Martin Short Show 1999 TV Series Herself
Woodstock ’99 1999 TV Special Herself – Presenter
The Daily Show 1999 TV Series Herself
The 56th Annual Golden Globe Awards 1999 TV Movie documentary Herself
1998 MTV Movie Awards 1998 TV Special Herself – Presenter
The 24th Annual People’s Choice Awards 1998 TV Special Herself
The 50th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards 1998 TV Special Herself – Presenter: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series and Introducing to Mel Brooks and Nominated: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Investigative Reports 1998 TV Series Herself
The 9th Annual American Teacher Awards 1998 TV Special Herself
Farewell: Live from the Universal Amphitheatre Halloween 1995 1996 Video documentary Herself (uncredited)
1996 VH1 Fashion Awards 1996 TV Special Herself – Presenter

Won Awards

Year Award Ceremony Nomination Movie
2000 TV Guide Award TV Guide Awards Favorite Actress in a Comedy Dharma & Greg (1997)
1999 Golden Globe Golden Globes, USA Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical Dharma & Greg (1997)
1999 TV Guide Award TV Guide Awards Favorite Actress in a Comedy Dharma & Greg (1997)
1998 Golden Apple Golden Apple Awards Female Discovery of the Year

Nominated Awards

Year Award Ceremony Nomination Movie
2002 Golden Satellite Award Satellite Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical Dharma & Greg (1997)
2001 Blockbuster Entertainment Award Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Favorite Actress – Comedy/Romance Keeping the Faith (2000)
2001 Golden Satellite Award Satellite Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical Keeping the Faith (2000)
2001 Golden Satellite Award Satellite Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical Dharma & Greg (1997)
2001 TV Guide Award TV Guide Awards Actress of the Year in a Comedy Series Dharma & Greg (1997)
2000 Golden Globe Golden Globes, USA Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical Dharma & Greg (1997)
2000 Primetime Emmy Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Dharma & Greg (1997)
2000 Golden Satellite Award Satellite Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical Dharma & Greg (1997)
1999 Primetime Emmy Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Dharma & Greg (1997)
1999 American Comedy Award American Comedy Awards, USA Funniest Female Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) Network, Cable or Syndication Dharma & Greg (1997)
1999 OFTA Television Award Online Film & Television Association Best Actress in a Comedy Series Dharma & Greg (1997)
1999 Q Award Viewers for Quality Television Awards Best Actress in a Quality Comedy Series Dharma & Greg (1997)
1998 Golden Globe Golden Globes, USA Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical Dharma & Greg (1997)
1998 Primetime Emmy Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Dharma & Greg (1997)
1998 OFTA Television Award Online Film & Television Association Best Actress in a Comedy Series Dharma & Greg (1997)
1998 TCA Award Television Critics Association Awards Individual Achievement in Comedy Dharma & Greg (1997)
1998 Q Award Viewers for Quality Television Awards Best Actress in a Quality Comedy Series Dharma & Greg (1997)

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