Julie Kavner (born September 7, 1950) is an Emmy Award-winning Jewish-American actress, best known for her role as Brenda Morgenstern on Rhoda in the 1970s and for providing the voice of Marge Simpson on the animated television show The Simpsons.
Kavner was born in Los Angeles, California and grew up entirely in Southern California, a fact that comes as a surprise to many people who identify her with her role as New Yorker Brenda Morgenstern and who peg her creaky, somewhat nasally voice as sounding "East Coast." Kavner went to Beverly Hills High School, and studied Theatre Arts and graduated with honors from San Diego State University in 1971.
After Rhoda ended, Kavner moved into film. In 1992 she starred in the Nora Ephron comedy drama This Is My Life. It was intended as her breakout role, but it got middling reviews and did not do well at the box office, and after that Kavner largely limited herself to supporting roles and voice over work.
In The Simpsons, Kavner provides the voices for Marge Simpson, Patty Bouvier, Selma Bouvier, Jacqueline Bouvier and Gladys Bouvier.
Kavner has also appeared in several Woody Allen films, including Hannah and Her Sisters and Deconstructing Harry.
In Disney's The Lion King 1½ (a.k.a. The Lion King 3: Hakuna Matata), Kavner played Timon's mother.
Awakenings (1990)
