This article is about the actress. For the singer, see Jenn Grant. For the United States Air Force general, see Jennifer L. Grant.
Jennifer Grant
Birth nameJennifer Diane Grant
Birth dateFebruary 26, 1966 (age 60)
Birth placeBurbank, California, U.S.
EducationStanford University
OccupationActress
Years active1993–present
SpouseRandy Zisk (m. 1993; div. 1996)
FatherCary Grant
MotherDyan Cannon
RelativesDavid Friesen (uncle)

Jennifer Diane Grant (born February 26, 1966) is an American actress. The daughter of actors Cary Grant and Dyan Cannon, she is best known for roles in the television series Beverly Hills, 90210 and Movie Stars.

Early life

Grant was born on February 26, 1966, at Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, to actors Dyan Cannon and Cary Grant.[1] Her parents divorced when she was two years old. Jennifer had a close relationship with her father for the rest of his life.

Partly because her father did not want her to become an actress, she tried other things for several years. As a teenager during high school at Santa Catalina School in Monterey and on break from college, she worked as a babysitter, stock clerk at the Village store in Pacific Palisades, grocery store checkout cashier at the Rainbow Grocery in Malibu, and waitress at the Pioneer Boulangerie restaurant in Santa Monica.[2] After graduating from Stanford University in 1987 with a degree in American Studies, she worked for a law firm, and followed that with a job as a chef at Wolfgang Puck's Spago restaurant in Beverly Hills.[2] When her father died in 1986, he left her half of his $60 million estate; the other half of the estate went to her stepmother Barbara Harris.[3]

Career

In 1993, seven years after her father's death, Grant played her first acting role in the Aaron Spelling television drama Beverly Hills, 90210, in the recurring role of Celeste Lundy. She appeared as a guest star in a variety of shows including Friends and Ellen, and appeared in several movies, including The Evening Star (1996). In 1999, she was the lead actress in the WB television sitcom Movie Stars.

Grant's memoir, Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant (2011), is a portrait of her relationship with her father, who was 62 when she was born and who died 20 years later.[4] The title refers to a favorite expression of his, said in reference to things he approved of or situations he was happy about.[2]

Personal life

Grant has two children.[5][6][7] She was married to director Randy Zisk from 1993 to 1996.[8]

Grant has volunteered as an actress and mentor with the Young Storytellers Foundation.[5][6]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1996SavageNicky Carter
1996The Evening StarEllen
1998Erasable YouStephanie
1998My Engagement PartyNoa Roth
2000The View from the SwingJocelyn Whitaker
2005Going ShoppingQuinn
2005Welcome to CaliforniaActress / Jennifer
2015Little LoopersAttorney Landers
2015Ghost SquadCarol
2015Christmas TradeTrishVideo
2017Becoming Cary GrantHerselfDocumentary
2022BabylonMildred Yates
2025A Big Bold Beautiful JourneyDavid’s mother

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1993Moon Over MiamiSusie KnightEpisode: "Careless Dentist Blues"
1993–1994Beverly Hills, 90210Celeste LundyRecurring role (8 episodes)
1994Robin's HoodsEpisode: "To Heir Is Human"
1994Time TraxLindaEpisode: "The Crash"
1995Super Dave's Vegas SpectacularSandi CosgroveTV series
1995FriendsNina BookbinderEpisode: "The One with Two Parts: Part 1"
1997Chicago SonsJaneEpisode: "To Have and to Hold"
1997Walker, Texas RangerEllen Jordan GarrettEpisode: "Days Past"
1997EllenErinEpisode: "Roommates"
1998Guys Like UsLeahEpisode: "Maestro's First Crush"
1999–2000Movie StarsJacey WyattMain role (21 episodes)
2006'Sedona WylieEpisode: "Spellbound"
2007My Daughter's SecretDeniseTelevision film

References

  1. ^ Parish, James Robert & Stanke, Don E. (1975). The Debonairs. Arlington House. ISBN 978-0-87000-293-9.
  2. ^ Grant, Jennifer (2011). Good Stuff: a Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant. New York City: Alfred A. Knopf/Random House, Inc. ISBN 978-0-307-26710-8.
  3. ^ Decker, Cathleen (December 4, 1986). "Cary Grant Will Leaves Bulk of Estate to His Widow, Daughter" (Home-Collections). Los Angeles Times
  4. ^ Calhoun, Ada (June 3, 2011). "A Daughter Remembers Cary Grant". The New York Times
  5. ^ Oldenburg, Ann (August 22, 2008). "A new Cary Grant is born". USA Today
  6. ^ "Update: Jennifer Grant Gives Birth to Son Cary Benjamin". People. Orlando Sentinel. August 25, 2008. Archived from the original on September 22, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  7. ^ "Dyan Cannon Gushes Ex-Husband Cary Grant Was an 'Amazing Man': 'I Appreciate Him'". Closer. November 16, 2019.
  8. ^ Koski, Lorna (May 3, 2011). "Cary Grant: Life With Father". Women's Wear Daily