Jen Ponton
{{Short description|American actress, screenwriter and producer}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jen Ponton
| image =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1984|06|27}}
| birth_place = Bridgewater, New Jersey, U.S.
| alma_mater = Ramapo College of New Jersey
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Actress
- screenwriter
- producer}}
| years_active = 2009–present
| height = 5 ft 3 in
| website = {{URL|jenponton.com|JenPonton.com}}
}}
Jennifer Ponton (born June 27, 1984) is an American actress, screenwriter and producer, best known for portraying Rubi in the AMC series Dietland.
Early life
Ponton is an only child raised in Bloomsbury, New Jersey; there she was a 2002 graduate of Phillipsburg High School, where she was active in the New Jersey Speech and Debate Forensics League, as well as drama club and musical groups.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dustinschoof.com/scene-in-the-valley/2016/8/22/watch-phillipsburg-high-school-grad-stars-in-indie-film-love-on-the-run|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829133947/http://www.dustinschoof.com/scene-in-the-valley/2016/8/22/watch-phillipsburg-high-school-grad-stars-in-indie-film-love-on-the-run|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 29, 2016|title=Phillipsburg High School grad calls latest role a 'game-changer' for film industry|website=Dustin Schoof|access-date=2018-12-26}} She is a 2006 graduate of Ramapo College of New Jersey, where she earned her BA in Theatre.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ramapo.edu/success-stories/success-story/jen-ponton/|title=Jen Ponton|website=Success Stories|access-date=2018-12-26}}
Career
Ponton began her career in 2010 with a guest role on the episode "Reaganing"30 Rock episode on 30 Rock opposite Kelsey Grammer.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/tv/2010/10/bloomsbury_nj_native_jen_ponto.html|title=Bloomsbury native Jen Ponton to appear on NBC's '30 Rock'|first=Dustin|last= Schoof |website=lehighvalleylive.com|access-date=2018-12-28}} She went on to make recurring appearances on Law & Order: SVU, The Heart She Holler, and The Slap, as well as guest appearances on Boardwalk Empire, The Good Wife, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,{{Cite web|url=https://www.themarysue.com/interview-jen-ponton-kimmy-schmidt/|title=Jen Ponton Talks Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt|last=Jusino|website=www.themarysue.com|access-date=2018-12-28}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/unbreakable-kimmy-schmidt/community/post/actress-jen-ponton-is-tragically-hysterical-in-unbreakable-kimmy-schmidt-1468456612/|title=Actress Jen Ponton is Tragically Hysterical in 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'|last=|website=TV.com|access-date=2018-12-28|archive-date=2019-02-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218022654/http://www.tv.com/shows/unbreakable-kimmy-schmidt/community/post/actress-jen-ponton-is-tragically-hysterical-in-unbreakable-kimmy-schmidt-1468456612/|url-status=dead}} Blue Bloods, Deadbeat and The Blacklist. In 2018 she portrayed body positive activist Rubi on the AMC drama Dietland.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thelily.com/lily-lines-nicole-maines-to-play-a-transgender-superhero-on-the-cws-supergirl/|title=Lily Lines: Nicole Maines to play a transgender superhero on the CW's 'Supergirl'|last=Loeb|first=Ashley Nguyen, Aviva|access-date=2018-12-28}}{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/03/dietland-campbell-scott-alanna-ubach-kelly-hu-marc-blucas-ami-sheth-jen-ponton-amc-series-1202354962/|title='Dietland': Campbell Scott, Alanna Ubach, Kelly Hu, 3 More Join Recurring cast Of AMC Series|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=2018-03-29|website=Deadline|access-date=2018-12-28}} Ponton also starred in the 2016 film Love on the Run opposite Steve Howey and Frances Fisher, and she has narrated Jennifer Weiner's The Littlest Bigfoot audiobook series.{{Cite web|url=https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Jen-Ponton/2119722229|title=Jen Ponton|website=Simon & Schuster|access-date=2018-12-26}} On stage, she originated the role of Dorrie in Halley Feiffer's How to Make Friends and then Kill Them at Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2013/10/bloomsburys_jen_ponton_makes_h.html|title=Bloomsbury native and Bergen resident Jen Ponton makes her off-Broadway debut|website=NJ.com|access-date=2018-12-28}} She is a member of the Television Academy.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}
She is a body positivity and fat acceptance activist,{{Cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/actress-jen-ponton-shares-fat-women-just-funny-sidekick-120501678.html|title='Dietland' actress Jen Ponton shares why fat women are more than just 'the funny sidekick'|website=www.yahoo.com|access-date=2018-12-26}} having spoken at length about the importance of size inclusion in entertainment.{{Cite web|url=https://womenandhollywood.com/dietland-star-jen-ponton-on-her-new-show-sizeism-and-why-she-wants-to-play-a-superhero/|title="Dietland" Star Jen Ponton on Her New Show, Sizeism, and Why She Wants to Play a Superhero|website=womenandhollywood.com|access-date=2018-12-26}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.saraiwalker.com/updates/2018/6/11/the-sugar-plum-interview-3-questions-for-jen-ponton|title=The Sugar Plum Interview: 3 Questions for Jen Ponton|website=Sarai Walker|access-date=2018-12-26}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.culturesonar.com/jen-ponton/|title=Breakout Star Jen Ponton Is Out to Change the Narrative|last=Schumer|first=Celey|date=2016-10-07|access-date=2018-12-26}}{{Cite web|url=https://fattitudethemovie.wordpress.com/2017/02/10/talking-body-love-media-sizism-and-weirdos-with-jen-ponton/|title=Talking Body Love, Media Sizism and Weirdos With Jen Ponton!|last=Mazza|first=Melissa|date=2017-02-10|website=Fattitude|access-date=2018-12-26}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/11/130943/sex-scenes-plus-size-actress-jen-ponton|title=What It's Like To Shoot Sex Scenes At A Size 22|website=www.refinery29.com|access-date=2018-12-26}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/180641-love-on-the-run-movie-features-a-plus-size-lead-defying-plus-size-stereotypes|title='Love On The Run' Is A Plus Size Triumph In Film|last=Tonic|first=Gina|website=Bustle|access-date=2018-12-26}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.revelist.com/movies/jen-ponton-sex-scene-essay/6071|title=TV star's first sex scene at a size 22 is relatable IRL|website=Revelist.com|access-date=2018-12-28}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailyrecord.com/story/news/local/2014/11/17/budd-lake-actress-ready-break-free-nipple/19045455/|title=Budd Lake actress ready to break out in|website=Daily Record|access-date=2018-12-28}} She was also a featured activist and speaker at the 2018 TCF Style Expo and the 2018 CurvyCon.{{Cite news|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/entertainment/articles/2018-09-07/women-celebrate-size-inclusivity-at-alternative-fashion-week|title="Women Celebrate Size Inclusivity at Alternative Fashion Week"|last=Italie|first=Leanne|date=10 September 2018|work=US News}}{{Cite web|url=https://tcfstyleexpo.com/plus-size-on-the-big-small-screen/jen-ponton/|title=Jen Ponton – TCFSTYLE expo|access-date=2018-12-26}}
Ponton is also the co-creator and star of the puppet-led web series The Weirdos Next Door.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2015/05/puppet_web_series_starring_bloomsbury_native_to_be.html|title=Puppet web series starring Bloomsbury native to begin its third season|website=NJ.com|date=5 May 2015 |access-date=2018-12-26}}
Personal life
Ponton and her husband have been residents of the Budd Lake section of Mount Olive Township, New Jersey.Izzo, Michael. [https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/entertainment/2014/11/17/budd-lake-actress-ready-break-free-nipple/19048571/ "Budd Lake actress ready to break out in Free the Nipple"], Courier News, November 17, 2014. Accessed September 4, 2019. "Mount Olive – Budd Lake's Jen Ponton has had a great few years, but she says the best is yet to come."
Filmography
| class="wikitable"
|+Television !Title !Year !Role !Channel !Notes ! |
| Primetime: What Would You Do?
|2009 |Bride |ABC |Episode: "Momzilla" | |
| 30 Rock
|2010 |Brenda |NBC |Episode: "Reaganing" |Nominated for an Outstanding Writing Emmy{{Cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/shows/30-rock|title=30 Rock|website=Television Academy|access-date=2019-01-02}} |
| Law & Order: SVU
|2010 |Mia |NBC |Episode: "Gray" | |
| The Heart, She Holler
|2011 |Grinder |Adult Swim |2 episodes | |
| Boardwalk Empire
|2012 |Student |HBO |Episode: "You'd Be Surprised" | |
| The Good Wife
|2014 |Emily Balsam |CBS |Episode: "We, the Juries" | |
| Believe
|2014 |Hallway Nurse |NBC |Episode: Pilot | |
| Blue Bloods
|2014 |Kasia Mazurski |CBS |Episode: "Exiles" | |
| The Slap
|2015 |Janice |NBC |3 episodes | |
| Law & Order: SVU
|2015 |Layla |NBC |Episode: "Daydream Believer" | |
| Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
|2016 |Debbie Wells |Netflix |Episode: "Kimmy Meets a Celebrity!" | |
| Deadbeat
|2016 |Duchess Beatrix |Hulu |Episode: "The Duchess of Stourbridge" | |
| Orange Is the New Black
|2016 |Correcticon Check-In Girl |Netflix |Episode: "We'll Always Have Baltimore" | |
| The Blacklist
|2016 |Maisy |NBC |Episode: "Mato" | |
| Dietland
|2018 |Rubi |AMC |3 episodes | |
| Helpsters
|2020 |Cindy Circle |Apple TV+ |Episode: "Scatter/Sid Square" | |
| Scratch This
|2021 |Angelica | |Episode: "Ommm My God" | |
| Dickinson
|2021 |Body Healer |Apple TV+ |Episode: "Forever - Is Composed of Nows" | |
| Three Women
|2023 |Barbara |Starz |2 episodes | |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official}}
- {{IMDb name}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ponton, Jen}}
Category:21st-century American actresses
Category:Ramapo College alumni
Category:American television actresses
Category:American film actresses
Category:Actresses from New Jersey
Category:People from Bridgewater Township, New Jersey
Category:People from Mount Olive Township, New Jersey
Category:Actors from Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Category:Phillipsburg High School (New Jersey) alumni