Lainie Kazan (born Lainie Levine; May 15, 1940) is an American actress and singer.
She was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for St. Elsewhere, a Golden Globe Award for her role in My Favorite Year (1982), and the 1993 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for reprising her role in the Broadway musical adaptation of My Favorite Year. Kazan is also known for having played Maria Portokalos in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
She also understudied Barbra Streisand for the lead role of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (1964), and took Streisand's place in a matinee and evening performance for one day of the show's run when Streisand could not perform due to a throat condition. Comic book fans might know her for how, after Kazan posed nude for the October 1970 issue of Playboy, her photographs inspired the look of Jack Kirby's superheroine Big Barda from his New Gods series.
She's not related to the family of Elia Kazan, "Kazan" is a stage name in her case.
Films with pages on TV Tropes:
- Lady in Cement (1968) as Maria Barreto
- One from the Heart (1982) as Maggie
- My Favorite Year (1982) as Belle Carroca
- Lust in the Dust (1985) as Marguerita Ventura
- The Journey of Natty Gann (1985) as Connie
- The Delta Force (1986) as Sylvia Goldman
- Harry and the Hendersons (1987) as Irene Moffitt
- The Associate (1996) as Cindy Mason
- The Big Hit (1998) as Jeanne Shulman
- What's Cooking? (2000) as Ruth "Ruthie" Seelig
- The Crew (2000) as Pepper Lowenstein
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) as Maria Portokalos
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) as Maria Portokalos
- Eight Crazy Nights (2002) as Oda (voice)
- Gigli (2003) as Mother Susie
- Bratz (2007) as Bubbie
- You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008) as Gail
- Pixels (2015) as Mickey Lamonsoff
TV series with pages on TV Tropes:
- Columbo (1978, episode: "Make Me a Perfect Murder") as Valerie Kirk
- St. Elsewhere (1987-1988, 3 episodes) as Frieda Fiscus
- Beverly Hills, 90210 (1992, episode: "Down and Out of District in Beverly Hills") as Rose Zuckerman
- Tales from the Crypt (1993, episode: "People Who Live in Brass Hearses") as Mrs. Grafungar
- Animaniacs (1994, episode: "Miami Mama-Mia/Pigeon on the Roof") as Molly (voice)
- Murder, She Wrote (1995, episode: "Crimson Harvest") as Anna Grimaldi
- The Nanny (1995–1998, 4 episodes) as Aunt Freida
- Touched by an Angel (1998, 2002; episodes "Deconstructing Harry" and "The Princeless Bride") as Doris Bernstein and Aunt Meg respectively
- Will & Grace (2001, episode: "Moveable Feast: Part 1") as Aunt Honey
- The King of Queens (2007, 2 episodes) as Ava St. Clair
- Boston Legal (2008, episode: "Dances with Wolves") as Judge Paula Stern
- 'Til Death (2010, 3 episodes) as Donna
- Desperate Housewives (2010, 5 episodes) as Maxine Rosen
- Jessie (2013, episode: "Throw Momma From the Terrace") as Wanda Winkle
- Grey's Anatomy (2013, episode: "Two Against One") as Catherine "C.J." Jackson
- RuPaul's Drag Race (2014, episode: "Glamazon") as Herself
- Young & Hungry (2018, episode: "Young and Third Wheel") as Susie Lowenstein
- The Kominsky Method (2018, episode: "Chapter 8: A Widow Approaches") as Norman's Grandmother
- Fuller House (2018, episode: "Angels' Night Out") as Irma
