Editorial Staff
Who is Kristen Johnston?
Kristen Johnston is an American performer in the fields of film, television, and theater. She is most widely known for her performance as Sally Solomon in the television series 3rd Rock from the Sun, for which she twice won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Some of her TV work includes Ugly Betty, ER, The Exes, Bored to Death, and Sex and the City. In addition to her television appearances, she has also acted in a number of films, including Music and Lyrics, Finding Bliss, Life Happens, Bad Parents, and Hurricane Bianca 2: From Russia with Hate. Her first book was a New York Times Bestselling memoir, titled “GUTS: the endless follies and tiny triumphs of a giant disaster”. Born on September 20, 1967, in Washington, D.C., USA, to Rod Johnston, Kristen Angela Johnston spent a significant portion of her teenage years abroad, primarily as an exchange student in Sweden and South America. She completed her primary education at St. Eugene’s Catholic Grade School and Whitefish Bay High School, and later pursued her acting education at the Atlantic Theater Company Acting School in New York City.
| Real Name/Full Name | Kristen Angela Johnston |
| Date Of Birth | 20 September 1967 |
| Age | 58 years old |
| Birthplace | Washington, D.C., United States. |
| Nationality | American. |
| Religion | Christianity. |
| Zodiac sign | Virgo |
| Father Name | Rod Johnston. |
| Mother Name | N/A |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Eye Color | Green |
| Height | 6 feet 0 inch |
| Weight | 60 kg |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Spouse Name | N/A |
| Children Name | N/A |
| Siblings Name | N/A |
| Profession | Actress. |
| Net Worth | $6 Million TO $14 Million. |
Early Life & Education
Born on September 20, 1967, in Washington, D.C., U.S., is Kristen Angela Johnston. Her father, who was a former Republican state senator from Wisconsin, is named Rod Johnston. When she was an adolescent, her family relocated to Fox Point, Wisconsin.
St. Eugene’s Catholic Grade School was where she finished her elementary schooling, after which she attended Whitefish Bay High School. She was able to experience life in Sweden and South America through her exchange student program. Following her education, Johnston then embarked on a Bachelor of Fine Arts program at the Tisch School of the Arts, University of New York, completing it in 1989
Career
Kristen Johnston, before making a name for herself on television, started her acting career on stage with the Atlantic Theatre Company. ‘As You Like It’ and ‘Stage Door’ were among the plays she acted in. In addition to her roles in different plays, she performed for several production companies. A few of her acclaimed creations consist of ‘The Stand-in’, ‘Hot Keys’, and ‘Kim’s Sister’. The casting agent was impressed with her work on ‘The Lights’ and suggested her name for the role of Sally Solomon in the sitcom ‘3rd Rock from the Sun’. From 1996 to 2001, she worked on the show and was awarded two Emmy prizes for her performance.
In 1993, Johnston partook in a short movie under the title ‘The Debt’. The movie triumphed in the short film section of the 1993 Cannes Film Festival. In subsequent years, she appeared in movies including ‘Backfire’ (1995) and ‘Thrill Ride’ (2016). Some of her notable films include ‘Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me’ from 1999, a spy comedy; ‘Music and Lyrics’ from 2007, a romantic-comedy; and ‘Bride Wars’ from 2009, a romcom. In 2014, she portrayed a role in the Matt LeBlanc-starrer film ‘Lovesick’. In addition to her role as a voice-over artist, Johnston voiced the character for the 2002 animated film ‘Ice Age’. In addition to movies, she has starred in various sitcoms such as ‘Ugly Betty’ (2009-2010) and ‘The Exes’ (2011-2015). In the ‘Spatl!’ episode of ‘Sex and the City’ (2004), she made a guest appearance. By 2018, she was playing the recurring role of Tammy on the sitcom ‘Mom’.
The Exes, a sitcom aired by TV Land, starred her for four seasons, from November 30, 2011 to September 16, 2015. Franklin, the divorce attorney she played, lived across the hall from her former clients and friends, who were her tenants in an apartment she owned. The memoir titled Guts: The Endless Follies and Tiny Triumphs of a Giant Disaster, published by Gallery Books on March 12, 2012, was released. The book was listed among the New York Times bestsellers.
Since 2018, she has played Tammy Diffendorf, a recurring character on the CBS sitcom Mom, and in the show’s seventh and eighth seasons (2019–2020), she was cast as a series regular. In season 6, when Tammy, portrayed by Allison Janney, was released from prison, she joined the group’s AA meetings, her character Tammy being Bonnie’s foster sister. In an interview with The New York Post, Johnston characterized Tammy as saying: “She might just be the dullest of the clever individuals you’ll ever encounter.”. She juggles multiple roles simultaneously. She’s both a criminal and innocent, seemingly contradictory. She may be clumsy yet exceptionally sophisticated. She has no editing button and just lets her emotions guide her— and this often results in the wrong choice
Variety reported in May 2024 that Johnston was chosen to play Leanne in Netflix’s comedy series Leanne, starring Leanne Morgan. The series was developed by Morgan, Susan McMartin, and Chuck Lorre.
Filmography
Movies
- 1985 The Orkly Kid
- 1992 Amazonia
- 1993 The Debt
- 1995 Backfire!
- 1999 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
- 2000 The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas
- 2002 Austin Powers in Goldmember
- 2005 Strangers with Candy
- 2007 Music and Lyrics
- 2009 Bride Wars
- 2009 Finding Bliss
- 2011 Life Happens
- 2012 Vamps
- 2012 Bad Parents
- 2013 The Anonymous People
- 2014 Lovesick
- 2016 Thrill Ride
- 2018 Swiped
- 2019 The Wedding Year
- 2020 Small Town Wisconsin
- 2023 Loganberry Lane
- 2025 Maddie’s Secret
TV Series
- 1994 Chicago Hope (TV Series)
- 1994 The 5 Mrs. Buchanans (TV Series)
- 1995 Hearts Afire (TV Series)
- 1996 London Suite (TV Series)
- 1996–2001 3rd Rock from the Sun (TV Series)
- 1997 Microscopic Milton (TV Series)
- 1998–2000 Hollywood Squares (TV Series)
- 2004 Sex and the City (TV Series)
- 2005 ER (TV Series)
- 2007 Kim Possible (voice) (TV Series)
- 2009 The New Adventures of Old Christine (TV Series)
- 2009 Ab Fab (TV Series)
- 2009–2010 Ugly Betty (TV Series)
- 2010 Bored to Death (TV Series)
- 2011–2015 The Exes (TV Series)
- 2013 RuPaul’s Drag Race (TV Series)
- 2014 Kirstie (TV Series)
- 2014 Modern Family (TV Series)
- 2015 Getting On (TV Series)
- 2017 Daytime Divas (TV Series)
- 2018–2021 Mom (TV Series)
- 2019 Amphibia (voice) (TV Series)
- 2022 Our Flag Means Death (TV Series)
- 2023 The Righteous Gemstones (TV Series)
- 2025 Leanne (TV Series)
- 2026 Going Dutch (TV Series)
Personal Life
Kristen Johnston has consistently maintained a relatively private personal life throughout her career. Linked to several prominent relationships, she was in a brief relationship with actor Ryan Reynolds and another with David Newsom. She is currently single and has maintained this status. Johnston has openly acknowledged her battle with substance abuse, describing her opiate addiction as a “destructive relationship.” She has been in recovery for more than 14 years and frequently talks about her path to sobriety, hoping to motivate those going through similar struggles.
Net Worth
The range for Kristen Johnston’s net worth, according to various estimates, is from $6 million to $14 million. Her primary source of fortune is her thriving acting career, encompassing salaries from television series and movie premieres. During her time on “The Exes,” it was reported that she took home $50,000 per episode. Information regarding her personal holdings, including properties and investments, is not publicly divulged. Her lifestyle is a testament to Johnston’s commitment to her craft and her support for sobriety and health.
