Jane Lynch celebrates 53rd birthday

Currently known as the villainous (yet loveable) Sue Sylvester on Fox’s Glee, Jane Lynch is an actress, singer, and comedian. The 53-year-old actress has won notable awards for her portrayal of the tougher-than-nails cheerleading coach such as an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG award, and a People’s Choice award.

Lynch was born July 14, 1960 in Dolton, Illinois. She graduated from Thornridge High School and later went on to study theater at Illinois State University. After receiving her BFA, she went on to get her MFA in theater from Cornell University.

Moving back to the home of comedy theater, Lynch spent fifteen years in Chicago where she acted in the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Second City, and the Annoyance Theater. She began to take on small film roles, often comedic. She made numerous television commercials for Frosted Flakes, which targeted an adult audience, and also appeared alongside Jennifer Coolidge in a dog show mockumentary, Best In Show.

It wasn’t until she appeared in Judd Apatow’s where she became more noticed as a comedic actress. Steve Carell’s wife Nancy Walls urged the director to offer Lynch the part, which was originally intended for a man. Lynch proved that she could pull off the role even better, and people immediately began to take notice and casted her in more roles.

Her television credits are all over the map. From Arrested Development to Psych to Dawson’s Creek, Lynch has guest starred in a variety of popular network and cable shows. In 2009, she scored the role of Sue Sylvester and received a ton of appraisal for her portrayal of the humorously evil character.

Lynch even has experience in being a television host. In 2010, she hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live. Furthermore, NBC signed her on to host a new game show, Hollywood Games in which members of the public face off celebrities in various party games in competition for up to $25,000. The show recently premiered on NBC July 11.

As for Lynch’s personal life, it was announced July 13 that Lynch is divorcing her wife and clinical psychologist, Lara Embry. According to TMZ, Lynch filed the documents and cited that the she and Embry had “irreconcilable differences.” The couple met in 2009 and married one-year later in Massachusetts. They registered for a domestic partnership in California, however, they have been separated since February.

Lynch was previously named in Power Up’s “10 Amazing Gay Women in Showbiz.” And amazing she is!

Image: Fox