Voice for Equality: Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is an American actress and comedian best known for her role as Elaine Benes on the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, and her current role as the titular Christine Campbell on the sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine. She has won two Emmy Awards, five Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Golden Globe Award. Louis-Dreyfus was a cast member on NBC's Saturday Night Live from 1982 to 1985, and while on SNL, she met writer Larry David, who would later co-create Seinfeld. After Seinfeld, Louis-Dreyfus began a new NBC sitcom, Watching Ellie, which was canceled after two abbreviated seasons. Louis-Dreyfus came to be seen as a victim of the "Seinfeld Curse," a term applied to typecast actors who, after appearing in an enormously popular television series or movie, have trouble finding popularity in other roles. Her mid-to-late-2000s series, The New Adventures of Old Christine, however, received high ratings and Louis-Dreyfus won the Outstanding Actress Emmy Award for her work on the show's first season, exactly 10 years after her Seinfeld win. Referring to the curse, she stated in her acceptance speech, "I'm not somebody who really believes in curses, but curse this, baby!" She had a recurring guest role as the deceitful prosecutor and love interest of Michael Bluth, Maggie Lizer, on Arrested Development, and she has also appeared on The Simpsons, providing the voice for Snake's girlfriend Gloria on three episodes. Learn more here.

Ms. Louis-Dreyfus was photographed wearing a White Knot at the GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles, CA on April 18, 2009. The White Knot for Equality organization is dedicated to the idea of marriage equality. One of their quotes is “Everyone should have the right to tie the knot,” and they illustrate this point by producing and distributing White Knots nationally and worldwide. They encourage marriage equality supporters to “wear the White Knot every day to show support and to create conversation. Share the White Knot and spread the word that all loving couples deserve the same legal rights, benefits, and respect that civil marriage bestows." [Link]

Freedom to Marry salutes Julia Louis-Dreyfus as a Voice for Equality! Learn about other Voices for Equality here.

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