Allison Janney is looking back on some unusual advice she received when she was trying to establish herself in Hollywood. The 66-year-old actress recalled an agent telling her that her height meant she could only play “aliens and lesbians.” Meanwhile, co-star Julia Louis-Dreyfus has debuted chin-length gray hair in advance of her Broadway role starring opposite Janney.
Allison Janney Recalls the Bizarre Advice
According to Parade, Janney shared the story during an interview for CNN’s “Coming Up,” hosted by Elizabeth Wagmeister. The actress was discussing her early career.
“I remember when I was very young trying to find an agent,” Allison Janney said. During a meeting with a potential agent, the agent looked at Janney and asked, “What can you play?” She then answered the question herself: “Aliens and lesbians.”
The comment was connected to Janney’s height. The actress is six feet tall, and the agent apparently believed her height would limit the kinds of characters she could portray.
Janney has since played lesbian characters. She has also joked about the one part of the prediction that has yet to happen.
“I’ve played lesbians,” Allison Janney said. “I haven’t played an alien yet.”
She then considered whether it might be time to change that.
“So maybe I’ll play an alien!” Janney added. “Yeah, why not.”
Building Her Career
As reported by PinkNews, Janney also reflected on the assumptions people make because of her height.
“People think because I’m so tall and imposing that must be the way I feel inside,” Janney said. “And it never has been.”
The actress explained that she has always been shy. She also said she has not always felt comfortable speaking as herself.
“I think that’s why I love acting so much,” Allison Janney said. Acting allows her to step into another character rather than simply being herself.
Her career ultimately gave her the chance to take on a wide range of roles. Janney became widely known as C.J. Cregg on “The West Wing.” She later starred as Bonnie Plunkett on “Mom” and appeared in films including “I, Tonya,” “Juno” and “The Hours.”
Her role in “The Hours” also included a lesbian storyline. PinkNews noted that Janney played Sally, the lover of Meryl Streep’s character in the 2002 film.
The actress eventually became one of television’s most decorated performers. Business Insider reported in September 2026 that Allison Janney has won eight Emmys from 16 nominations.
Her latest Emmy came in 2026 for “The Diplomat.” She won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her work on the Netflix political thriller.
A Career that Improved With Age
The actress has also found reason to be optimistic about getting older in Hollywood.
According to Parade, Allison Janney said her career has actually improved as she has aged. She acknowledged that ageism and inequality for women remain issues in the entertainment industry.
Still, she believes the roles available to women have become more interesting.
“My career has only gotten better as I’ve gotten older,” Janney said.
She added that she is grateful for that progress, while recognizing that Hollywood still has work to do.
For Allison Janney, the career she built looks very different from the narrow possibilities suggested during that early meeting. The actress went on to earn major awards, headline successful television shows and take on roles across comedy and drama.
In other news, Rami Malek’s identical twin brother, Sami Malek, has chosen a life outside the Hollywood spotlight.
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Allison Janney Says Agent Told Her She Could Only Play ‘Aliens’ or ‘Lesbians’