Becky Ann Baker

Becky Ann Baker, originally named Becky Ann Gelke, is a seasoned American actress best known for the diversity and depth of her roles across multiple media. Born on February 17, 1953, she embarked on her acting journey in 1978. She gained considerable fame through her roles as Jean Weir on the NBC comedy-drama series Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000) and as Loreen Horvath on the HBO comedy-drama series Girls (2012–2017), with the latter earning her two Critics' Choice Television Award nominations and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.

In addition to her television successes, Baker's film credits span a variety of genres and roles, with notable movies like Jacob's Ladder (1990), In & Out (1997), A Simple Plan (1998), Stay (2005), Nights in Rodanthe (2008), Hope Springs (2012), Table 19 (2017), The Half of It (2020), and Holler (2020). Beyond the screen, Baker is also an accomplished stage performer, making her Broadway debut in the 1981 production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and bagging a Drama-Logue Award in 1994 for her work in Night and Her Stars. Baker is also a founding member of the New York-based theater company, The Drama Dept.