|
Appearing at San Francisco's
Fairmont Hotel, she attracted the attention of Francis Ford Coppola who
offered her a role in "One from the Heart." The following year,
Kazan was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as "Best Supporting
Actress" in Richard Benjamin's "My Favorite Year" with
Peter O'Toole. Her other films include "Lust in the Dust" with
Tab Hunter and Divine, "Delta Force" with Chuck Norris, "Beach
es" with Bette Midler, "The Cemetery Club" with Diane Ladd
and Ellen Burstyn, "29th St." with Danny Aiello and Anthony
LaPaglia, "The Associate" with Whoopi Goldberg, "Love Is
All There Is" with Paul Sorvino, Renee Taylor and Angelina Jolie,
"The Big Hit" with Mark Wahlberg, Disney's "The Crew"
with Richard Dreyfuss and Burt Reynolds and "What's Cooking?"
with Mercedes Ruehl, Julianna Margulies, Joan Chen, Alfre Woodard, and
Kyra Sedgwick. Her latest film, the Tom Hanks' produced comedy "My
Big Fat Greek Wedding," just received the People's Choice Award for
Best New Comedy.
Kazan's new CBS series,
"My Big Fat Greek Life" based on the hit film premieres in February.
In March, Lainie can also be seen starring in Lifetime Television's Original
Movie, "Returning Lily." She was nominated for an Emmy Award
for her performance on "St. Elsewhere" and received a CableACE
Award nomination for "The Paper Chase." Kazan guest starred
on "Will & Grace" as Grace's Aunt Honey. She recurred on
"The Nanny" and played Kirstie Alley's mother on "Veronica's
Closet." Also, she guest-starred on a highly rated "Touched
By An Angel" and starred in the children's special "Safety Patrol"
for the "Wonderful World of Disney."
Kazan received a Tony
nomination for her reprisal of her original role in the musical version
of "My Favorite Year" at Lincoln Center. She produced and starred
on Broadway with Bette Midler, Madeline Kahn, Patti LuPone, Elaine Stritch
and Andrea Martin in "Doin' What Comes Naturally," an all star
tribute to Ethel Merman and benefit for the Gay Men's Health Crisis. She
has also appeared in Regional productions of "A Little Night Music,"
"The Rink," "Man of La Mancha," "The Rose Tattoo,"
"Gypsy," "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?," "He
llo Dolly," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Orpheus Descending,"
and "Plaza Suite," among others. Kazan recently completed a
sold out run of "The Vagina Monologues" on Broadway.
Kazan has sung with
the Boston Pops and the Cleveland Pops and performed to sold out houses
throughout Europe, Asia and Las Vegas and at such venues as The Greek
Theatre, Harrah's, Trump Castle and the hallowed stages of New York's
Rainbow and Stars, Tatou and Tavern on the Green. A recording artist,
her CDs include her jazz collections, "Lainie Kazan - In The Groove"
and "Body and Soul." She is a frequent headliner at The Algonquin
and Regency Hotel's in New York City and stages throughout the country.
Lainie serves on the board for the Young Musician's Foundation, AIDS Project
LA and B'nai Brith, to name just a few.
|
