Téa Leoni Explained

Téa Leoni
Birth Name:Elizabeth Téa Pantaleoni
Birth Date:1966 2, mf=yes[1]
Birth Place:New York City, U.S.
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:1988–present
Partner:Tim Daly (2014–)
Children:2, including West Duchovny
Relatives:Amram Ducovny
(former-father-in-law)

Téa Leoni (; born Elizabeth Téa Pantaleoni; February 25, 1966)[1] is an American actress. In her early career, she starred in the television sitcoms Flying Blind (1992–93) and The Naked Truth (1995–1998). Her breakthrough role was in the 1995 action comedy film Bad Boys. In later years, Leoni had lead roles in films such as Deep Impact (1998), The Family Man (2000), Jurassic Park III (2001), Spanglish (2004), and Fun with Dick and Jane (2005). From 2014 to 2019, she starred as Elizabeth McCord in the CBS political drama series Madam Secretary.

Early life and family

Leoni was born on February 25, 1966, in New York City. Her mother, Emily Ann (née Patterson),[2] [3] was a dietitian and nutritionist, and her father, Anthony Pantaleoni, was a corporate lawyer with the firm Fulbright & Jaworski.[4] Her paternal grandfather was of Italian, English, and Irish descent; he was a nephew of Italian economist and politician Maffeo Pantaleoni.[5] [6] [7] Leoni's paternal grandmother, American silent film actress and humanitarian Helenka Adamowska Pantaleoni, was born in Brookline, Massachusetts to Polish musicians Józef Adamowski and Antonina Szumowska-Adamowska.[5] [8] Leoni's mother is a native of Amarillo, Texas, and a niece of actor Hank Patterson.[9]

Leoni grew up in Englewood, New Jersey, and New York City, and attended two private schools, Brearley School and The Putney School in Vermont.[10] She attended but did not complete studies at Sarah Lawrence College.

In a 2017 episode of Finding Your Roots, hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., Leoni discovered that her mother Emily, who was adopted, is the biological daughter of Mavis Abilene Gindratt from Vick, Louisiana, and Sumpter James Daniel, whose ancestors originated in Ireland, settled in Virginia in the early 18th century, and had a farm in Fairfax County, seven miles from George Washington.[11] Her mother's adoptive parents were Florry Elizabeth (née Roberts) and Virgil Pearson Patterson.[12] [13] [14]

Career

In 1988, Leoni was cast as one of the stars of Angels 88, an updated version of the 1970s show Charlie's Angels.[15] After production delays, the show never aired. The following year, she was cast as Lisa DiNapoli in the NBC daytime soap opera Santa Barbara. In 1991, she made her film debut with a small role in the comedy Switch and later played another small part in A League of Their Own (1992).

From 1992 to 1993, Leoni starred with Corey Parker in the short-lived Fox sitcom Flying Blind. In February 1995, she appeared in the sitcom Frasier, a spinoff from Cheers, as the fiancée of Sam Malone (played by Ted Danson). Later in that year, she landed the lead role in the ABC/NBC sitcom The Naked Truth, playing Nora Wilde, a tabloid news journalist. The show ran through 1998. She was also offered to play the role of Rachel Green on the hit sitcom Friends which she then turned down to star in The Naked Truth. Leoni had the female lead role in the 1995 action comedy film Bad Boys, which was a box office success, grossing over $141 million worldwide.[16]

After leaving television, Leoni had a leading role in Deep Impact (1998), a big-budget disaster film about a comet hurtling towards Earth. The film received mixed reviews from critics but was a success at the box office, grossing $349 million worldwide.[17] She later had main roles in two other big budget movies: romantic comedy The Family Man (2000), co-starring alongside Nicolas Cage, and science fiction film Jurassic Park III (2001) as William H. Macy's character's ex-wife. In 2002, she starred as a film studio executive in Hollywood Ending, directed by Woody Allen and had a supporting role in the box office bomb crime drama People I Know. In 2004, she appeared as the wife of Adam Sandler's character in the financially unsuccessful comedy-drama Spanglish. In 2005, Leoni starred alongside Jim Carrey in the comedy film Fun with Dick and Jane. The movie grossed $202 million at the box office worldwide.[18]

Leoni co-starred in a number of small films in the late 2000s, including You Kill Me and The Smell of Success. She co-starred opposite Ricky Gervais in the 2008 supernatural comedy-drama Ghost Town. In 2011, she had a supporting role in the heist comedy film, Tower Heist. In 2011, she was also cast alongside Hope Davis as leads in the HBO comedy pilot, Spring/Fall; however, the pilot was not picked up.[19] Leoni starred as Elizabeth McCord in the CBS political drama Madam Secretary, which ran from September 21, 2014, to December 8, 2019.[20]

Personal life

Leoni married Neil Joseph Tardio Jr., a television commercial producer, on June 8, 1991, at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Hope Township, New Jersey.[21] They divorced in 1995.[22]

Leoni married actor David Duchovny on May 13, 1997, after an eight-week courtship.[23] [24] They have two children, daughter Madelaine West Duchovny[25] [26] and a son.[27] [28] In 2008, Leoni and Duchovny separated;[29] Duchovny received treatment for sex addiction from August to October.[30] [31] [32] The couple reconciled in 2009 but separated again in June 2011.[33] [34] Duchovny filed for divorce in June 2014, and the couple had agreed to settlement terms by that August.[35] [36] After splitting from Duchovny, Leoni moved to Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side of New York City.[37]

Leoni began dating her Madam Secretary co-star Tim Daly, another alumnus of The Putney School, in December 2014.[38] [39]

Humanitarian work

Leoni was named a UNICEF goodwill ambassador in 2001.[40] Helenka Pantaleoni, her paternal grandmother, was the president of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF for more than 25 years.

Asteroid

Asteroid 8299 Téaleoni, discovered by Eric Elst at La Silla in 1993, was named after Leoni.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991SwitchConnie the Dream Girl
1992Racine 1st Base
1994Wyatt EarpSally
1995Bad BoysJulie Mott
1996Flirting with DisasterTina Kalb
1998Deep ImpactJenny Lerner
There's No Fish Food in Heaven[41] LandeeneAlso executive producer
2000The Family ManKate Reynolds
2001Jurassic Park IIIAmanda Kirby
2002People I KnowJilli Hopper
Hollywood EndingEllie
2004House of DMrs. Warshaw
SpanglishDeborah Clasky
2005Fun with Dick and JaneJane Harper
2007You Kill MeLaurel PearsonAlso executive producer
2008Ghost TownGwen
2009The Smell of SuccessRosemary Rose
2011Tower HeistSpecial Agent Claire Denham
TBADeath of a UnicornPost-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1989Santa BarbaraLisa DiNapoli Temporary replacement for Tawny Kitaen
1992–1993Flying BlindAliciaMain cast
1994The Counterfeit Contessa[42] Gina Leonarda NardinoTelevision film
1995FrasierSheilaEpisode: "The Show Where Sam Shows Up"
1995–1998The Naked TruthNora WildeMain cast
2000The X-FilesHerselfEpisode: "Hollywood A.D."
2014–2019Madam SecretaryElizabeth McCordMain cast; also producer

Awards and nominations

YearNominated workAwardCategoryResult
1998Deep ImpactBlockbuster Entertainment AwardsFavorite Actress – Sci-Firowspan=2
2000The Family Man
Saturn AwardsBest Actress
2006HerselfTV Land AwardsLittle Screen/Big Screen Star – Femalerowspan=3
2014Madam SecretaryPeople's Choice AwardsFavorite Actress in a New TV Series
2016CBS MVP AwardsBest Motivational Speech

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Téa Leoni. July 12, 2021. Biography.com (FYI/A&E Networks).
  2. Web site: Téa Leoni . https://web.archive.org/web/20140904092144/https://ca.movies.yahoo.com/person/tea-leoni/biography.html . September 4, 2014 . October 20, 2014 . Yahoo! Movies Canada.
  3. Stated on Finding Your Roots, November 21, 2017
  4. Web site: Anthony Pantaleoni: Of Counsel . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104110121/http://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/people/90718/anthony.pantaleoni . November 4, 2013 . August 14, 2014 . Fulbright.com.
  5. Web site: LoSchiavo . LindAnn . June 2005 . Take Téa . https://web.archive.org/web/20120708012524/http://www.lideamagazine.com/taketea.htm . July 8, 2012 . October 21, 2010 . L'idea Magazine.
  6. News: Matheou . Demetrios . July 17, 2001 . It's Téa time for T-Rex . Daily Telegraph . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4724601/Its-Tea-time-for-T-Rex.html . January 12, 2022 . subscription . live . August 20, 2011.
  7. News: Mitchell . Sean . April 28, 2002 . A Habit of Lying Taught Téa Leoni the Truth of Acting . . August 14, 2014.
  8. News: January 7, 1987 . Helenka A. Pantaleoni . The New York Times .
  9. Web site: GertieBeth . The Articles – Elle Magazine . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120426062446/http://leonionline.com/articles/elle.htm . April 26, 2012 . August 31, 2012 . Leoni Online.
  10. Web site: Diamond . Jamie . April 21, 1996 . UP AND COMING: Tea Leoni;Playing Golf, Wearing Pearls, Taking Pratfalls . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160306045210/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/21/movies/up-and-coming-tea-leoni-playing-golf-wearing-pearls-taking-pratfalls.html . March 6, 2016 . November 30, 2014 . The New York Times.
  11. Finding Your Roots Series 4 Episode 8
  12. Web site: Emily Ann Pantaleoni . 2020-05-24 . geni_family_tree .
  13. Web site: 2019-06-10 . Adoption in PBS' "Finding Your Roots" . 2020-05-24 . Adoptions With Love . en-US.
  14. Web site: Leoni . Téa . 2019-03-26 . The episode of #FindingYourRoots including my family is reairing tonight. This experience inspired a new chapter for our family after Mom, West, & I flew to meet this new family! They're deeply kind, loving, good people. We're forever indebted to the team that made this happen. . 2020-05-24 . @tealeoni.
  15. Web site: 2016 . Téa Leoni - About This Person - Movies & TV - NYTimes.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160305131245/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/530752/T-a-Leoni . March 5, 2016 . February 20, 2017 . . Movies & TV Dept..
  16. Web site: Bad Boys (1995) . October 20, 2014 . Box Office Mojo.
  17. Web site: Deep Impact (1998) . October 20, 2014 . Box Office Mojo.
  18. Web site: Fun with Dick and Jane (2005) . October 20, 2014 . Box Office Mojo.
  19. Web site: November 8, 2011 . 'Spring/Fall' Not Going Forward At HBO . October 20, 2014 . Deadline Hollywood.
  20. Web site: CBS Picks Up "Madam Secretary" With Bebe Neuwirth and Patina Miller . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140513123200/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/191058-CBS-Picks-Up-Madam-Secretary-With-Bebe-Neuwirth-and-Patina-Miller-Plus-McCarthys-Comedy-With-Laurie-Metcalf . May 13, 2014 . August 14, 2014 . Playbill.
  21. News: June 9, 1991 . Miss Pantaleoni, Actress, Marries . The New York Times . live . March 3, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160308204454/http://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/09/style/miss-pantaleoni-actress-marries.html . March 8, 2016.
  22. Web site: Schillaci . Sophie . June 29, 2011 . Tea LeoniI: 5 Things About the Newly Single Actress . March 12, 2016 . The Hollywood Reporter.
  23. News: Gliatto . Tom . May 19, 1997 . Altared State: David Duchovny and Téa Leoni Tie the Knot . 47 . . 19 . August 10, 2014 . August 12, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140812203554/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20122178,00.html . dead .
  24. Web site: June 29, 2011 . David Duchovny and Tea Leoni – Separated . TMZ.com.
  25. March 16, 1999 . Duchovnys: Baby Makes 3 . live . . 0093-7673 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161220234241/http://people.com/celebrity/duchovnys-baby-makes-3/ . December 20, 2016 . Actors David Duchovny of 'The X-Files' and Tea Pantaleoni of 'Deep Impact' have welcomed their first child, a girl.... The baby was born Saturday [March 13, 1999] at an undisclosed Southern California hospital, said the couple's publicist, Annett Wolf..
  26. News: Tucker . Ken . September 19, 2014 . Téa Leoni on Her New Role as Madam Secretary and Co-Parenting With Her Ex David Duchovny . . live . March 8, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141111001458/http://parade.com/336650/kentucker/tea-leoni-on-her-new-role-as-madam-secretary-and-co-parenting-with-her-ex-david-duchovny . November 11, 2014.
  27. Silverman . Stephen M. . June 18, 2002 . Leoni, Duchovny: And Baby Makes Four . live . . 0093-7673 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170308174415/http://people.com/celebrity/leoni-duchovny-and-baby-makes-four/ . March 8, 2017 . March 8, 2017 . Tea Leoni and David Duchovny welcomed their second child Saturday [June 15, 2002], a baby boy weighing 7 lbs., 10 oz. [{{cvt|7|lb|10|oz|kg|1|disp=out}}], according to a statement issued to Reuters on Monday by the actors' publicist, Annett Wolf. No other details, including the newborn's name, were released.
  28. News: February 15, 2008 . Téa Leoni and Kyd Miller spend a fun day in Malibu . People . live . March 8, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150123061939/http://celebritybabies.people.com/2008/02/15/tea-leoni . January 23, 2015.
  29. Web site: Fleeman . Mike . October 15, 2008 . David Duchovny & Téa Leoni Separated 'For Several Months' . March 21, 2011 . People.
  30. Web site: July 18, 2011 . Scoop – Vol. 76 No. 2 . December 10, 2016 . People.
  31. News: February 10, 2008 . David Duchovny's Sex Rehab Not Because Of Affair: Report . Huffington Post .
  32. News: August 28, 2008 . Duchovny enters rehab for sex addiction . MSNBC .
  33. Web site: September 19, 2014 . Téa Leoni Breaks Her Silence After David Duchovny Divorce . E! Online.
  34. http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/29/tea-leoni-and-david-duchovny-split/?hpt=hp_c2 "Tea Leoni and David Duchovny split"
  35. Web site: August 9, 2014 . David Duchovny, Tea Leoni Quietly Divorced . March 8, 2017 . TMZ.com.
  36. News: Leon . Anya . August 9, 2014 . David Duchovny and Téa Leoni Are Divorcing . . August 10, 2014.
  37. News: Alberts . Hana B. . April 18, 2013 . After Split From Duchovny, Leoni Buys Own UWS Pad For $5.1M . Curbed NY . March 7, 2019.
  38. Web site: . April 27, 2015 . Téa Leoni, Tim Daly Make Their Red Carpet Debut at White House Correspondents' Dinner . May 22, 2015 . Huffington Post.
  39. Web site: Hargrave . Hannah . January 25, 2017 . 'Madam Secretary' Star Tim Daly Breaks Both Legs in Skiing Accident in Sundance . Us Weekly.
  40. Web site: UNICEF Ambassadors: Téa Leoni . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20140830092631/http://www.unicefusa.org/supporters/celebrities/ambassadors/tea-leoni . August 30, 2014 . March 8, 2017 . UNICEF.
  41. Web site: Bhob Stewart . Bhob Stewart . 2008 . There's No Fish Food in Heaven (1998) . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080527010512/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/173816/There-s-No-Fish-Food-in-Heaven/overview. May 27, 2008. October 8, 2011. . Movies & TV Dept..
  42. Hiltbrand . David . April 4, 1994 . Picks and Pans Review: The Counterfeit Contessa . People . 41 . 12 . 0093-7673 . October 8, 2011.