Actress Jenna Elfman, born Jennifer Mae Butala, was born on September 30, 1971 in Los Angeles, California. Already somewhat exposed to the performing industry as a kid—her uncle is Tony Butala, who formed part of the singing group the Lettermen—she was first attracted to dancing, eventually graduating from the Los Angeles County High School of the Arts in 1989 as a dance major. She first worked as a dancer, mostly appearing with different musical groups—for instance, she toured as a dancer with band ZZ Top, and also danced in a music video for Depeche Mode. She switched to acting in the early 1990s, doing mostly commercial work.

Elfman’s first television acting work came during that time, eventually progressing to guest spots in shows such as Almost Perfect, NYPD Blue and Roseanne. In 1996, she took her first regular television role, in the comedy series Townies. While it didn’t last a season, it was enough to raise her profile; network executives were impressed with her work, and later gave her a new project. That project would turn out to be Dharma & Greg, a much more successful comedy which premiered in 1997. Her portrayal of the free-spirited Dharma Montgomery endeared her to viewers and critics alike; it earned her a Golden Globe and two Emmy nominations. The series ended its run in 2002.

Her success on Dharma & Greg led to her pursuing a movie career. Highlights include Edtv and Looney Tunes: Back in Action, as well as a voice role in Doctor Doolittle. It would take four years until she returned to television in a regular capacity: the sitcom Courting Alex premiered in 2006, but was cancelled before it could finish its run. (However, she had a guest run on Two and a Half Men, from the same creator of Dharma & Greg.) Her next television project is the upcoming comedy Accidentally on Purpose.