Busy Philipps Biography

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.

Early life

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 Freaks and Geeks costar Linda Cardellini and former boyfriend Colin Hanks.

Career

Philipps worked the toy-fair circuit as a real-life Barbie ("Cool Teen Skipper") 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 stars on the HBO series Vice Principals, which premiered in 2016.

In 2017, Philipps signed on as co-lead opposite Casey Wilson in Tina Fey's comedy pilot The Sackett Sisters for NBC. She has also served as guest cohost on Kelly Ripa's show.

Personal life

Philipps dated Colin Hanks in the 1990s, while in college. 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 2, 2013).

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2000	'	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
2018	I Feel Pretty		Filming

Television

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"
2014-2016	Drunk History	Elizabeth Waring / Eleanor Roosevelt	2 episodes
2014	Garfunkel and Oates	Karen	Episode: "Hair Swap"
2015	Bottom's Butte	Beverly Bottom	Voice Pilot
2016	New Girl	Connie	Episode: "300 Feet"
2016	Angie Tribeca	Courtney Woodpatch-Newton	Episode: "Miso Dead"
2016-present	Vice Principals	Gale Liptrapp	7 episodes
2016	Bajillion Dollar Propertie$	Cate Kates	Episode: "Spiritual Gurus"
2017	The Odd Couple	Natasha	Episode: "Should She Stay or Should She Go?"
2017	Chopped Junior	Herself (Guest Judge)	Episode: "Curry Hurry"
2017	The Sackett Sisters	Mandy Sackett	NBC sitcom pilot

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Work	Category	Result
2003	Teen Choice Awards	Dawson's Creek	"Choice TV: Sidekick"
2011	Critics' Choice Television Awards	Cougar Town	Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series