Age: 45
Birthplace: Oak Park, Illinois, U.S.
Elizabeth Jean "Busy" Philipps (born June 25, 1979) is an American actress, known for her supporting roles on the television series Freaks and Geeks and Dawson's Creek. She has also performed significant roles in films like The Smokers (2000), as Karen Carter, the drama film Home Room (2002) as Alicia Browning, she appeared in White Chicks (2004), played a supporting role in Made of Honor (2008) and appeared in He's Just Not That Into You (2009). She played Laurie Keller in the TV series Cougar Town for which she won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011.
Elizabeth Jean Philipps was born in Oak Park, Illinois. Her parents gave her the nickname Busy because as an infant she was always moving. She attended Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Arizona. She attended Loyola Marymount University at the same time as Linda Cardellini and former boyfriend Colin Hanks.
Philipps worked the toy-fair circuit as a real-life Barbie before making her show-business debut. Her first major role was Kim Kelly in Freaks and Geeks, in which she appeared in all but one of its eighteen episodes (the exception being the episode titled "Chokin' & Tokin'"). She later made her film debut in comedy The Smokers in 2000, as well as various other cameos on television.
In 2001, Philipps was cast as Audrey Liddell in the teen drama Dawson's Creek. She was a series regular in seasons 5 and 6, appearing in 46 episodes, before the show finished in 2003. Her role of Audrey earned Philipps a Teen Choice Awards nomination in the category of "TV - Choice Sidekick". Philipps later appeared in two films, Home Room (2002) and White Chicks (2004). She was cast in the UPN sitcom Love, Inc., in a role originally intended for Shannen Doherty. The show lasted for one season (2005-2006) before being cancelled. In 2006, she had a major recurring role as Hope Bobeck on ER, alongside her Freaks and Geeks co-star Linda Cardellini. During her second year on ER, her character headed to South America to "fulfill her Christian mission". Philipps had a co-credit for the storyline of the 2007 comedy film Blades of Glory. A year later, Philipps returned to being in front of the camera with her supporting role in Made of Honor.
Philipps has also made appearances in He's Just Not That Into You as the character of Kelli Ann and on an episode of How I Met Your Mother. From 2009 to 2015, Philipps portrayed Laurie Keller in the television series Cougar Town. Philipps also routinely contributes to the Thrilling Adventure Hour, a live stage radio show. Her primary recurring character is the Red Plains Rider.
On a 2010 appearance on Chelsea Lately, Philipps commented that she auditioned for the hit television show Glee just one week after giving birth, following a pregnancy during which she gained 80 pounds.
Philipps will be starring in the upcoming HBO series Vice Principals, scheduled to premiere in 2016.
Philipps married screenwriter Marc Silverstein in 2007. They have two daughters: Birdie Leigh (born August 13, 2008), whose godmother is actress Lizzy Caplan; and Cricket Pearl (born July 3, 2013).
Philipps is the godmother of Matilda Rose Ledger, born in 2005 to actor Heath Ledger and Philipps's Dawson's Creek co-star Michelle Williams.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | Smokers, TheThe Smokers | Karen Carter | |
2002 | Home Room | Alicia Browning | |
2004 | Mummy an' the Armadillo | Carol Ann | |
2004 | White Chicks | Karen Googlestein | |
2005 | Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story | Additional Voices | Voice |
2008 | Made of Honor | Melissa | |
2009 | He's Just Not That Into You | Kelli Ann | |
2010 | Revolution | Emily | Short film |
2011 | I Don't Know How She Does It | Wendy Best | |
2012 | The Reef 2: High Tide | Cordelia | Voice |
2012 | Made in Cleveland | Shannon | |
2013 | A Case of You | Ashley | |
2014 | Jason Nash is Married | Busy Philipps | |
2015 | The Gift | Duffy |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | Saving Graces | Mindy | TV series |
1999-2000 | Freaks and Geeks | Kim Kelly | 18 episodes |
2000 | Malcolm in the Middle | Meghan | Episode: "High School Play" |
2001 | Anatomy of a Hate Crime | Chasity Pasley | TV movie |
2001 | Spring Break Lawyer | Jenny | TV movie |
2001 | Dead Last | Tracy Sallback | Episode: "Death Is in the Air" |
2001-2003 | Dawson's Creek | Audrey Liddell | 39 episodes |
2002 | Undeclared | Kelly | 2 episodes |
2003 | Criminology 101 | Polly | TV movie |
2004 | Foster Hall | Peg Hall | TV movie |
2005 | Life As We Know It | Alex Morrill | 2 episodes |
2005 | Testing Bob | Madison 'Maddie' West | TV movie |
2005 | American Dad! | Dana | Voice Episode: "Threat Levels" |
2005 | Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! | Korlianne | Voice Episode: "Girl Trouble" |
2005-2006 | Love, Inc. | Denise Johnson | 22 episodes |
2006-2007 | ER | Dr. Hope Bobeck | 19 episodes |
2007 | Entourage | Cheryl | Episode: "Dog Day Afternoon" |
2007 | How I Met Your Mother | Rachel | Episode: "Third Wheel" |
2008-2009 | Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles | Kacy Corbin | 5 episodes |
2009 | Kath & Kim | Whitney | Episode: "Competition" |
2009-2015 | Cougar Town | Laurie Keller | 96 episodes |
2011 | Community | Greendale Team Member (uncredited) | Episode: "For a Few Paintballs More" |
2011 | Fish Hooks | Clamanda | Voice Episode: "We've Got Fish Spirits" |
2012 | Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 | Herself | Episode: "A Reunion..." |
2012 | RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars | Herself (Guest Judge) | Episode: "RuPaul's Gaff In" |
2013 | Arrested Development | Joan | Episode: "Borderline Personalities" |
2014 | Drunk History | Elizabeth Waring | Episode: "Charleston" |
2014 | Garfunkel and Oates | Karen | Episode: "Hair Swap" |
2015 | Bottom's Butte | Beverly Bottom | Voice Pilot |
2016 | Vice Principals | Gale Liptrapp | Upcoming series |
Year | Award | Work | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2003 | Teen Choice Awards | Dawson's Creek | "Choice TV: Sidekick" | Nominated |
2011 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Cougar Town | Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Won |