Jean Louisa Kelly is an American actress. After making her film debut as Tia Russell in Uncle Buck alongside John Candy, she appeared in a wide range of other films including The Fantasticks and Mr. Holland's Opus. From 2000 to 2006, she was known for portraying Kim Warner on the CBS sitcom Yes, Dear.
Career
Before attending college, she already had roles in the original Broadway cast of Sondheim'sInto the Woods and as Tia Russell in the film Uncle Buck with John Candy. She also took roles in college productions, including with the Barnard CollegeGilbert and Sullivan Society. In the mid-1990s, after graduating from college, Kelly became well known for a series of television commercials she did for MCI long distance, in which she played a telephone operator who challenged AT&T. In 1995, she starred as Luisa in the musical film The Fantasticks with Joey McIntyre and Joel Grey, respectively, although the film was shelved until 2000. The same year, she appeared as Rowena Morgan, the muse for the title character of Mr. Holland's Opus. In the 1990s, other films followed. Later starring roles in films have included Landfall and Little Red Light. Kelly appeared Off Broadway at the York Theatre in the title role in Paul McKibbins and B.T. McNicholl's The It Girl, based on the 1927 movie It. She also appeared in the York's "Musicals in Mufti" series as Lois Lane in It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman. In 1996, Kelly voiced the title role in the second season of the animated seriesPrincess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders. After several made-for-TV movies, Kelly's broadest exposure came from her roles in situation comedies, first guest starring in such shows as Mad About You, and then as a cast member of the short-lived NBCversion of Cold Feet. From October 2, 2000 to February 15, 2006, she starred as Kim Warner on the long-running sitcom Yes, Dear. In 2006 she guest starred in the ABC drama Grey's Anatomy In 2010, she was cast in a guest starring role in an episode of the television spy drama Burn Notice, playing a widow who had been swindled out of her life savings by a con man. On March 7, 2006, CBS announced that Yes, Dear will cancel after 6 years of activities following Jean Louisa Kelly, Anthony Clark, Mike O'Malley, Liza Snyder and Joel Homan's decision not to renew their contracts with the program. She appeared as Bernice Pope in the Yahoo production of Sin City Saints. She released an album of children's music called Color of Your Heart in 2013. In 2015, she released a five-song EP called Willing, and in 2017 she released an album titled "For My Folks", which features a collection of standards. Kelly plays the role of Carole Bradshaw in the upcoming 2020 action drama movie , the role that had been originated by Meg Ryan in the first film.
