Connie Britton

Constance Elaine "Connie" Britton (née Womack; born March 6, 1967) is an American actress, singer and producer. Britton made her feature film debut in the critically acclaimed independent comedy-drama film The Brothers McMullen (1995) and the following year, she was cast as Nikki Faber on the ABC sitcom Spin City (1996–2000). She later starred in the short-lived sitcoms The Fighting Fitzgeralds (2001) and Lost at Home (2003), and appeared in several films, most notable are Friday Night Lights (2004) and The Last Winter (2006). Britton received positive reviews from critics for her performance as Tami Taylor on the NBC/DirecTV drama series Friday Night Lights (2006–2011). For this role she was nominated for two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. In 2011, she starred as Vivien Harmon in the first season of FX horror-drama series American Horror Story, for which she was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie. In 2012, Britton began playing the leading role of country singer Rayna Jaymes in the ABC musical drama series Nashville, for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama in 2012. In 2014, Britton was named UNDP Goodwill Ambassador. Britton starred in the 2014 comedy-drama film This Is Where I Leave You and set to appear in the upcoming action comedy American Ultra (2015). Early life Britton was born Constance Elaine Womack in Boston, Massachusetts, the daughter of Linda Jane (née Cochran) and Edgar Allen Womack, Jr., who was a physicist. When she was seven years old, she moved with her parents and her fraternal twin sister Cynthia to Lynchburg, Virginia where she attended E.C. Glass High School. She majored in Asian studies at Dartmouth College. After graduating in 1989, she moved to New York City, where she spent two years at the Neighborhood Playhouse studying with Sanford Meisner. Career While studying at the Neighborhood Playhouse, Britton (then Womack) made her New York theatrical debut in Caroline Kava's The Early Girl at The Courtyard Playhouse. Britton played seasoned prostitute Laurel opposite Cooper Lawrence, who played Joan. Britton's performance, while well received, nearly got her ousted from the Neighborhood Playhouse program, which prohibited students from taking professional employment during their course of study. After graduating, Britton spent two more years working in off-Broadway theatre productions. She moved to Los Angeles after the success of The Brothers McMullen. Britton had a regular role in Spin City as Nikki Faber from 1996 to 2000. Her character was written out of the show when Charlie Sheen replaced Michael J. Fox as the main character. She had a recurring role on 24 during its fifth season as Diane Huxley, the landlady and girlfriend of protagonist Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland). She co-starred in the indie-thriller The Last Winter in 2006. Britton performed in the critically acclaimed network TV series Friday Night Lights. Throughout the series' five-year run, Britton developed a devoted following for her portrayal of Tami Taylor, the head coach's wife – described by The New York Times as "something of an icon, a 40-something sex symbol and role model." She was first cast in this role in the film version of the series, Friday Night Lights (2004). Personal life Britton uses her married name as her stage name. She met John Britton at Alpha Delta House at Dartmouth College. They moved to Manhattan together in 1989, married in 1991, and divorced in 1995. She dated comedian Jason Mantzoukas. In November 2011, Britton adopted a son Eyob "Yoby" Britton from Ethiopia. Britton studied Chinese in college. In a 2012 interview on NPR she said of the experience: "I always wanted to be an actor. But when I went to college, I had to fulfill a language requirement and so I thought it would be really cool to do it speaking Chinese. My Chinese these days is real, real shaky. Let's put it this way: These days, my singing is better than my Chinese." Britton moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 2012 when she signed to star in the ABC musical drama Nashville.