Katie Finneran
A Broadway powerhouse whose scene-stealing comedic brilliance in supporting roles has twice earned her Tony Award glory.
Born 1971 (age 55)·American actress·Birthday: January 22·Generation X
Biography
Katie Finneran operates in the rarefied air of Broadway's most reliable show-stoppers. With a knack for finding the hilarious, human truth in outsized characters, she has built a career not on leading-lady status, but on delivering unforgettable featured performances that often become the talk of the town. Her breakthrough came in the 2001 revival of "Noises Off," where her portrayal of the hysterically inept actress Brooke Ashton earned her a Tony Award. Nearly a decade later, she did it again, winning a second Tony for her uproarious turn as Marge MacDougall in the revival of "Promises, Promises," a performance critics hailed as a masterclass in physical comedy and timing. Beyond the stage, she has brought her distinctive presence to television series like "The Michael J. Fox Show" and "I'm Dying Up Here." Finneran's talent lies in her fearless commitment, transforming what could be mere comic relief into richly detailed, achingly funny portraits that linger long after the curtain falls.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Katie was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Katie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Katie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance as Brooke Ashton in 'Noises Off' (2001 revival).
- Won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Marge MacDougall in 'Promises, Promises' (2010 revival).
- Received a Drama Desk Award for her performance in 'Noises Off'.
- Has appeared in numerous television series, including a recurring role on 'The Michael J. Fox Show'.
Did You Know?
She is married to actor Darren Goldstein.
She made her Broadway debut in 1995 in a revival of 'The Heiress' starring Cherry Jones.
She played the mother in the short-lived 2012 NBC television adaptation of the film 'The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas'.
She studied at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts.
“Comedy is about finding the real person inside the ridiculous.”
