Jane Krakowski excels at taking the biggest prima donnas—from 30 Rock to the Broadway smash Oh, Mary!—and turning them into lovable divas. From the rejoicing that broke out across the internet last year when the actor announced she would play Mary Todd Lincoln, it’s clear that audiences want more Jane.
What are you looking forward to this year?
Saying yes. Saying yes to things I haven’t done before. Most recently, I said yes to Oh, Mary!, and it was an experience full of firsts: taking over a role, rehearsing for just two weeks, and having my first performance on opening night. Even seeing my picture on the poster and merch was entirely new for me. The Oh, Mary! experience and satisfaction was unmatched!
What do you think is your biggest contribution to culture?
Well, it probably has to be “Muffin Top” from 30 Rock. And to be honest, I’m not mad about it. I’m very proud of 30 Rock. One year when the whole cast was lucky enough to be at the Emmy Awards, after the In Memoriam happened, I leaned over and whispered to Scott Adsit, “They’re gonna play ‘Muffin Top’ for my In Memoriam, aren’t they?” That exchange later became part of the inspiration for the episode “Jackie Jormp-Jomp.”
What do you want to see more of in your industry?
Selfishly, more and more quality roles for women over 40, 50, 60. There are more and more of these parts being written every day. Thank you Jean Smart, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jennifer Coolidge, and one of my comedy heroes, Catherine O’Hara.
What grounds you?
Being a mom and caring for my mom: the sandwich generation. It guarantees a balance of the yin and yang every day.
And what invigorates you?
Celsius and poppers. Just kidding, that was my goodbye gift from the Oh, Mary! cast.
What’s something people get wrong about you?
People think that I’m much more of an extrovert than I am, especially socially. I’ve become more socially selective now and that really helps with my social insecurities. As does professional hair and makeup.
What question do you ask yourself most often while you’re making work?
Will I learn this in time? Just having worked with one of my favorite people, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, on Here We Are at the National Theatre, he reminds me quite often that in the first two weeks of rehearsals, every day at around 4 p.m., I would get a bit stressed saying, “This isn’t possible!?! How are we going to learn all this?” Well, we did, and all actors always do. It’s just part of the journey.
What would you wear to meet your greatest enemy?
Anything and everything that Jordan Roth wears. Because, hit it Tom Jones, “She’s got style, she’s got grace, she’s a winner.” And where would I like to run into my enemy dressed like this? I’m running down the aisle of Radio City Music Hall to accept my third Tony Award while people’s arms are reaching out to congratulate me on the way.
What would you be doing if you weren’t working in your field?
Most likely I’d be a retired professional ice skater. Or ambassador to London.
To read more from the 2026 CULT100 honorees, see the full list here.
in your life?
