- Entertainment
ByShari Hirsch
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With an impressive entertainment career spanning decades, award-winning actor Allison Janney has unquestionable talent. So naturally, her stunning $14 million net worth, according to Celebrity Net Worth, reflects Janney's achievements. Though the actor is now a well-recognized figure in the industry, Janney's career didn't truly take off until the late '90s when she became prominently known for her captivating performance as C.J. Cregg on the popular series "The West Wing." In addition to gaining fame, Janney's work in the American political drama earned her multiple Primetime Emmy wins and nominations.
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Both during and after her role in the drama series, Janney's had notable roles in films such as "The Hours," in which she starred alongside the iconic Meryl Streep, and "How to Deal," in which she played the mother of Mandy Moore's character (via IMDb). As her popularity grew, Janney continued to amass impressive earnings thanks to her flourishing career. She's given award-winning performances, earning an Oscar for her unforgettable portrayal of LaVona in "I, Tonya," and she accrued wins and nominations for her work as Bonnie on "Mom." Showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon, it's no wonder that this actor's resume and earnings continue to impress.
Allison Janney originally wanted to be a figure skater
Nowadays, Allison Janney is known for her captivating award-winning roles on both the big and small screen; however, growing up, the actor had a very different career in mind. Originally Janney had hoped to be a figure skater. In an interview with NPR, the "Mom" actor described how a shocking accident that occurred when Janney was 17 years old ultimately ended this dream.
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While attending a party, Janney fell through a sliding glass door. She recalled, "I hit one of the windows, and it was — and sort of the lower part of my body, my right leg, went through. And then the glass kind of guillotined my right leg." Though Janney didn't realize the severity of her injury at the time, she confirmed that the accident almost resulted in her losing her leg.
While the horrifying ordeal ultimately caused her to change career plans, the accident wasn't the only thing that prompted Janney to work in the entertainment industry. As Janney told The Gentlewoman, she wanted to have her own comedy show like Carol Burnett's. The actor reaffirmed her love for the comedian while on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," stating that Burnett is "the reason I'm an actress." Ultimately, switching her focus to entertainment has worked out well for her, as she consistently appears in various roles — which undoubtedly contributes to Allison Janney's stunning net worth.
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Her career took off after The West Wing
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Even before her captivating role on "The West Wing" as C.J Cregg, Allison Janey had already built up quite an extensive acting resume (via IMDb). Some of her appearances included performances on series like "Morton & Hayes," "Law & Order," and "Guiding Light." Still, it wasn't until her work on the American drama series that the industry truly started to take note of Janney's talent. "The West Wing" was Janney's career-making role. The series itself notably won 26 Primetime Emmys (via IMDb), and Janney's performance earned her multiple wins and nominations throughout her seven-year run on the series.
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In addition to helping the actor gain more prominent roles, "The West Wing" also earned Janney a pretty penny. According to People, Janney earned an enviable $70,000 per episode at her peak, after a salary negotiation reportedly bumped up her earnings from her previous $30,000 average.
While her time on "The West Wing" might be in the past, Janney clearly still has plenty of love for her time on the series. In a 2020 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor said this about her role on the show: "She is my favorite character I've ever played because she's someone that I aspire to." Janney went on to say, "It's a great role to champion women."
She's currently living her best life, spouseless and childfree
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Currently, multi-award-winning actor Allison Janney is living her best life, and for her, that doesn't include a spouse or children. In April 2021, Janney stated on "The Drew Barrymore Show" that she has no regrets. "I think if I'd have found the right guy at the right time who wanted to have kids, I probably would have with the right partner because I wasn't ever really confident that I wanted to have kids," said Janney. "I would rather regret not having kids than have kids and regret that. I'm okay with it."
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Though Janney doesn't have to explain her personal choices, the actor added, "I really am, this time in my life, getting to know who I am and what I want." Janney, who has been in several serious relationships, continued,"I'd love to eventually find someone to share my life with, but if it doesn't happen, I think I'll be just fine." With such a positive outlook, Janney is clearly content with her choices. But, of course, the actor also has plenty to be proud of, with plenty of notable accomplishments and an ever-expanding career that only continues to flourish. And without a spouse or children to care for, her bank account must be pretty full.
Allison Janney's had some highs and lows with the housing market
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Outside of her thriving career, Allison Janney has experienced a mixed bag when it comes to real estate. According to the Capital Gazette, Janney purchased a single-story house in Studio City for $799,000 in 2001. Later in 2015, she sold the property for a reported $1.585million. The house, which boosted approximately 1,925 square feet of space, featured "a vaulted wood-beam ceiling and claw-foot tub," and was definitely a good investment for Janney.
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But, of course, the actor has also experienced the downside of the market. According to USA Today, the home that Janney purchased with restaurant consultant Gregg Rapp in 2006 for $3.9 million was lost to foreclosure in 2012 and later sold for $2.2 million. The property (which was designed by Hugh Kaptur) featured plenty of luxurious offerings such as a "fully paneled library, a separate Balinese-themed media room, an eat-in kitchen and a gigantic lower level entertainment room with built-in wet bar." In 2012, the house and land were valued at $3.6 million.
Janney also owns a five-bedroom house in Studio City, which she purchased in 2014 for $3.25 million. According to Variety, "the two-story residence in question, purchased via blind trust, sits on a reasonably roomy .6-acre parcel and has five bedrooms and five bathrooms in 4,829 square feet."
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She's made a pretty penny from Mom
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The fabulous Allison Janney has had quite a career in entertainment. With her extensive resume and multiple awards, naturally, the actor's salary has adjusted to match her experience. During the eight years that Janney starred on the CBS comedy "Mom," her earnings underwent quite the transformation. According to Deadline, in 2019, Janney, along with her co-star Anna Faris, renegotiated her contract. Previously, Janney was thought to earn less than $200,000 per episode. However, her revised agreement was estimated to be "north of $350,000 an episode." This no doubt boosted Allison Janney's net worth!
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Unfortunately, the popular series officially came to an end in May 2021, after running for an impressive eight seasons. In a March interview on "The Late Late Show," Janney told James Corden, "I wish that we'd had at least another year for the writers to have that much time to ramp up to the ending. We sort of found out sooner than we thought we would. We thought, surely, they're going to want more 'Mom.' And they decided not." In regards to the network's decision to cancel the show, Janney added, "There are so many reasons behind that, most of them probably money."
Allison Janney has made notable donations
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In addition to her impressive acting skills, former "Mom" star Allison Janney loves donating to a good cause. According to Variety, in 2017, "Mom" executive producer Chuck Lorre and the show's stars decided to donate their Emmy marketing campaign funds amounting to $250,000 to Planned Parenthood, an organization that Janney proudly supports. Lorre and Janney appeared on "CBS This Morning" to discuss their decision. Janney stated, "It makes sense because our show is all about women, and we don't shy away from dealing with all issues that affect women and families." She added, "It's such a critical time. It made sense that we stand up now and say something and encourage other people to donate to Planned Parenthood."
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In 2020, "Dayton 24/7 Now" reported that Janney donated $10,000 to the Dayton Foodbank in Ohio. At the time, the actor was staying with her parents due to a stay-at-home order and appeared virtually on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," where she won the $10,000. In September 2021, Dayton Daily News reported that Janney helped raise money to benefit Amelia Air Animal Rescue, a nonprofit founded by Janney's niece, Petra Janney, in 2019. In addition, those who donated were given a chance to win autographed "Mom" memorabilia. Previously, Allison Janney helped raise $32,000 for the nonprofit in 2020 with a "West Wing"-themed sweepstakes.
Allison Janney does voice-over work for Kaiser Permanente commercials
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In addition to her impressive skills on both the big and small screens, Allison Janney also uses her talents to endorse the healthcare company Kaiser Permanente. According to the group's YouTube Channel, "Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve."
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Though Janney doesn't appear in person, she can be recognized by her distinctive voice, which can be heard in the company's commercials, citing the benefits of choosing Kaiser Permanente for all your medical needs. As a spokeswoman for Kaiser, fans of the actor can listen to Janney in a variety of promotions. For example, in one Kaiser Permanente commercial that "encourages everyone to do their part in slowing the spread of COVID-19," Janney is heard promoting safe pandemic practices: "Let's stay at home, let's wash up, let's always keep our distance — please, six feet apart, at least."
While we don't know what she was paid for her work, we're sure it added to Allison Janney's net worth.