Mimi Kennedy

Mary Claire "Mimi" Kennedy, born September 25, 1948, in Rochester, New York, is an American actress, author, and activist. The daughter of Nancy Helen (née Colgan) and Daniel Gerald Kennedy, she began her performing career early, appearing with the Rochester Community Players in Agatha Christie's Spider Web in October 1960 at the age of twelve. She graduated from Our Lady of Mercy High School in Rochester in 1966 and went on to attend Smith College.

Kennedy's theatrical roots deepened in the years that followed. She appeared in the Broadway musical Grease in 1972 and, during the 1970s, performed in the musical Rhinegold, which featured songs written by her friend Jim Steinman. She was also a member of the cast of The National Lampoon Show, directed by and starring John Belushi, and auditioned for Saturday Night Live, ultimately losing the spot to Jane Curtin.

Her television career began in earnest in 1977, when she joined the short-lived variety series 3 Girls 3 alongside Debbie Allen and Ellen Foley. She subsequently played the sister of Stockard Channing's character on Stockard Channing in Just Friends in 1979 and was a regular on The Big Show in 1980. Throughout the 1980s, Kennedy appeared in several short-lived sitcoms, including The Two of Us (1981–82), Spencer (1984–85), and Family Man (1988).

Kennedy's dramatic range was demonstrated through her role as Ruth Sloan on the critically acclaimed series Homefront, which ran from 1991 to 1993. She also co-starred in Joe's Life in 1993, was a regular on Savannah (1996–97) playing a wealthy socialite stepmother, and appeared in Pacific Palisades before that series was canceled after a single season. In 1997, she returned to comedy as Abby O'Neil, Dharma's mother, on the Chuck Lorre-created sitcom Dharma & Greg, a role she held until 2002.

During the 2000s, Kennedy accumulated guest appearances on series including Grey's Anatomy, House, ER, Scandal, In Plain Sight, Drop Dead Diva, and Veep. Her film work during this period included supporting roles in In the Loop (2009), Due Date (2010), Midnight in Paris (2011), and The Five-Year Engagement (2012). Earlier film credits include Pump Up the Volume (1990) and Erin Brockovich (2000).

In 2013, Kennedy joined the cast of the Chuck Lorre sitcom Mom, playing Marjorie, the twelve-step sponsor of the lead characters. She became a series regular in the second season and remained with the show until its conclusion in 2021. Her performance earned her a nomination for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series.

Beyond her acting career, Kennedy is an active participant in progressive political causes and serves as chairperson of the board of Progressive Democrats of America. She is also a regular contributor to the LA Progressive. Her memoir, Taken to the Stage: The Education of an Actress, was originally published by Smith & Kraus in 1996 and reissued in paperback by Hollygreen Books in 2023, with an audiobook version read by Kennedy available on Audible.