Janney's career began to blossom in the mid-90s, when she won roles in several films, including "The Cowboy Way" and "Wolf", was featured in the Off-Broadway play "Fat Men in Skirts." Allison Janney also landed a recurring role as a wisecracking maid on the "Guiding Light."

After small roles in 1997's "The Ice Storm" and "Julian Po," Janney returned to the stage in triumph where she earned a Tony nomination for her turn as a longshoreman's wife in Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge". She was also seen to good effect as in "The Object of My Affection" and as a con woman in "The Imposters."

In 1998, she had a scene-stealing role as the trashy best friend of a Midwestern stage mother in the comedy "Drop Dead Gorgeous" and had similarly memorable turns in "10 Things I Hate About You" and "American Beauty" in 1999), playing a guidance counselor with romance novelist aspirations in the former and a chronically depressed middle-aged wife of a tyrannical husband in the latter.

Janney made her primetime series regular debut with a starring turn on the popular and critically lauded NBC political drama "The West Wing," where she portrayed Press Secretary C J Gregg. The smart and feisty, yet vulnerable character seemed tailor-made for the Janney, who won critical kudos in the series' impressive premiere season. Janney would take home the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2000 and 2001, then in an upgrade snared the trophies for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2002 and 2004.

She is set to star in a new CBS TV series titled "Mom" alongside Anna Farris.

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