Alex Borstein | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

Highest Rated: 93% Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)

Lowest Rated: 8% Catwoman (2004)

Birthday: Feb 15, 1971

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA

A petite, dark-haired actress with an extensive background in improvisational and sketch comedy, Alex Borstein was best known for her work on the often outrageous sketch comedy series "Mad TV" (Fox, 1997-2009). An Illinois native, Borstein moved to Los Angeles with her family in 1980, going on to attend San Francsico State University and join the Los Angeles-based comedy troupe ACME Comedy Theater. While performing with the group at the Big Stinkin' International Improv and Sketch Festival in Austin, Texas, she was discovered by a "Mad TV" casting agent. Borstein began her work on the show in 1997 and soon became an audience favorite with memorable characterizations like that of obnoxious and indecipherable nail salon worker Ms. Swan. She proved a versatile and valuable member of the "Mad TV" team as a writer in addition to doing solid celebrity impersonations that ranged from Chelsea Clinton to Regis Philbin. She would remain with the series through the 2001-2002 season. Following a brief cameo in the feature "Coyote Ugly" (2000) Borstein had a recurring role on The WB's family drama "Gilmore Girls" (2000-07), playing Drella, a prickly harp player whose biting comments are in contrast to her beautiful music, throughout the first season, and she returned to the show in 2003 as a new character, Miss Celine. Borstein was initially cast as hyperactive chef Sookie, the role that proved Melissa McCarthy's breakout, but bowed out when she became pregnant with her first child with husband Jackson Douglas, who continued in his recurring role as Jackson, Sookie's produce man and eventual husband. Borstein's unique talent with voices made for a successful career in animation. A writer for such animated series as "Casper" (Fox) and "Pinky and the Brain" (The WB) earlier in her career, she took on voice work, portraying the character of Lois Griffin on Fox's "Family Guy" beginning in 1999. Here she brought life to the surprisingly calm, long-suffering wife of the boorish title character and mother of two trying teens and a maticidal infant. Beginning in the second season, Borstein would additionally contribute to the series as a staff writer. The comedienne also lauched a successful side career as a character actress in a variety of high profile films, including "Bad Boy" (2002), "Showtime" (2002), "The Lizzie Maguire Movie" (2003) and "Bad Santa" (2003). She had her most visible role as Halle Berry's man-crazy gal pal Sally in 2004's "Catwoman," providing a much-needed comic spark to her scenes in the otherwise dismal adventure. Borstein played a supporting role in George Clooney's period piece political drama "Good Night, and Good Luck" (2006), followed shortly by a part in the Marlon Wayans comedy "Littleman" (2006) and the Scott Frank thriller "The Lookout" (2007). After a supporting role in the Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl action comedy "Killers" (2007), Borstein co-starred in "For Christ's Sake" (2010), written and directed by her husband Jackson Douglas. As her defining role as Lois Griffin continued, Borstein also appeared in small roles on Seth MacFarlane's first two films, "Ted" (2012) and "Eight Million Ways To Die in the West" (2014), and appeared in several vocie roles on castmate Seth Green's stop-motion animated series "Robot Chicken" (Adult Swim 2005- ). Following recurring roles on the cable comedies "Shameless" (Showtime 2011- ) and "Workaholics" (Comedy Central 2011-17), Borstein landed a starring role on the dark hospital comedy "Getting On" (HBO 2013-15).

Highest rated movies

93% 83% Good Night, and Good Luck. Watchlist 89% 72% ParaNorman Watchlist 88% 93% The Bad Guys Watchlist 87% 74% The Lookout Watchlist 78% 75% Bad Santa Watchlist 69% 73% Ted Watchlist 60% 62% Family Guy Presents: It's a Trap Watchlist 43% 44% Extinct Watchlist 40% 49% The Lizzie McGuire Movie Watchlist 32% 41% A Million Ways to Die in the West Watchlist

Photos

View All Alex Borstein photos

Alex Borstein

Alex Borstein Alex Borstein Alex Borstein at arrivals for PaleyFest LA 2019 Opening Night Presentation: Amazon Prime Video THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL, The Dolby Theatre at Hollywood and Highland Center, Los Angeles, CA March 15, 2019. Photo By: Priscilla Grant/Everett Collection Alex Borstein attends the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globes, at Hotel Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, USA, on 06 January 2019. (115455089) Alex Borstein at arrivals for HBO''s THE COMEBACK Season 2 Premiere, El Capitan Theatre, Los Angeles, CA November 5, 2014. Photo By: Dee Cercone/Everett Collection Alex Borstein at arrivals for HBO Premiere of THE NORMAL HEART, The WGA Theater, Los Angeles, CA May 19, 2014. Photo By: Dee Cercone/Everett Collection Alex Borstein at arrivals for HBO Premiere of THE NORMAL HEART, The WGA Theater, Los Angeles, CA May 19, 2014. Photo By: Dee Cercone/Everett Collection Alex Borstein at arrivals for A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST Premiere, The Regency Village Theatre, Los Angeles, CA May 15, 2014. Photo By: Dee Cercone/Everett Collection Alex Borstein at arrivals for ANGRY BIRDS Premiere, The Regency Village Theatre, Los Angeles, CA May 7, 2016. Photo By: Michael Germana/Everett Collection Alex Borstein at arrivals for A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST Premiere, The Regency Village Theatre, Los Angeles, CA May 15, 2014. Photo By: Dee Cercone/Everett Collection View more photos

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet 77% Self,
Executive Producer
- 2023
88% 93% The Bad Guys Police Chief Misty Luggins (Voice),
Unknown (Character)
$97.2M 2022
43% 44% Extinct Mali (Voice) - 2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bombardier Blood Executive Producer - 2019
18% 36% Love the Coopers Angie (Character) $26.3M 2015
32% 41% A Million Ways to Die in the West Millie (Character) $42.6M 2014
89% 72% ParaNorman Mrs. Henscher (Voice) - 2012
69% 73% Ted John's Mom (Character) $218.6M 2012
60% 62% Family Guy Presents: It's a Trap Unknown (Character) - 2010
No Score Yet No Score Yet For Christ's Sake Mrs. Marcus (Character) - 2010
No Score Yet 76% Family Guy Presents: Something Something Something Dark Side Unknown (Character) - 2009
No Score Yet 82% Family Guy - Blue Harvest Unknown (Character) - 2008
87% 74% The Lookout Miss Lange (Character) $4.6M 2007
12% 55% Little Man Janet (Character) $58.3M 2006
93% 83% Good Night, and Good Luck. Natalie (Character) $31.5M 2005
No Score Yet 81% Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story Unknown (Character) - 2005
8% 18% Catwoman Sally (Character) $40.2M 2004
78% 75% Bad Santa Milwaukee Mom (Character) $60.1M 2003
40% 49% The Lizzie McGuire Movie Miss Ungermeyer (Character) $42.7M 2003
No Score Yet 26% Dawg Darcy Smits (Character) - 2002

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 64% Family Guy Lois Griffin / Pearl Burton (Voice),
Lois Griffin / Ellen DeGeneres (Character)
1999-2003 2005-2024
90% 84% The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Susie Myerson (Character) 2017-2019 2022-2023
No Score Yet 62% The Kelly Clarkson Show Guest 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Talk Guest 2023
No Score Yet 49% The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Guest 2022
No Score Yet 61% Late Night With Seth Meyers Guest 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter Guest 2019
43% 0% MADtv Guest 2016
39% 83% Bordertown Janice/Becky Buckwald (Voice) 2016
86% 84% Workaholics Colleen Walker (Guest Star) 2016
88% 91% Getting On Nurse Dawn (Character) 2013-2015
No Score Yet 83% Life in Pieces Lynette (Guest Star) 2015
No Score Yet 88% At Midnight With Chris Hardwick Guest 2015
84% 85% Masters of Sex Unknown (Guest Star) 2015
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Doctors Guest 2014
82% 82% Shameless Lou Deckner (Guest Star),
Writer
2011-2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Larry King Now Guest 2013
No Score Yet 64% The Cleveland Show Tyne Daly (Guest Voice) 2009-2013
100% 94% Bunheads Sweetie Cramer (Guest Star) 2013
No Score Yet 85% Robot Chicken Unknown (Guest Voice) 2005-2009 2012
No Score Yet 84% Hot in Cleveland Preshi (Guest Star) 2012
No Score Yet No Score Yet Inside the Actors Studio Guest 2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet MADtv Unknown (Character),
Unknown (Guest Star)
1996-2002 2005 2007 2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet Slacker Cats Unknown (Voice) 2009
No Score Yet 90% American Dad! Unknown (Guest Voice) 2006
No Score Yet 88% Gilmore Girls Drella (Guest Star) 2000 2003 2005
78% 93% Friends Bitter Woman on Stage (Guest Star) 2003
95% 95% Frasier Evelyn (Guest Star) 2003
Alex Borstein | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Roderick King

Last Updated:

Views: 5981

Rating: 4 / 5 (51 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Roderick King

Birthday: 1997-10-09

Address: 3782 Madge Knoll, East Dudley, MA 63913

Phone: +2521695290067

Job: Customer Sales Coordinator

Hobby: Gunsmithing, Embroidery, Parkour, Kitesurfing, Rock climbing, Sand art, Beekeeping

Introduction: My name is Roderick King, I am a cute, splendid, excited, perfect, gentle, funny, vivacious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.