# Jennifer Elise Cox
**Jennifer Elise Cox** (born 1969) is an American actress best known for playing Jan Brady in *The Brady Bunch Movie* (1995) and *[A Very Brady Sequel](https://www.edgepedia.org/a-very-brady-sequel)* (1996), and for improvised comedy roles on television series such as *[Web Therapy](https://www.edgepedia.org/web-therapy)*, *Lovespring International*, and *10 Items or Less*.[1](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=7292) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1969, New York City, New York, USA[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078) |
| Signature role | Jan Brady in *The Brady Bunch Movie* (1995) and *A Very Brady Sequel* (1996)[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jennifer_elise_cox) |
| Early training | Began acting in commercials at age 4; a trained ballerina who performed in New York stage operas including *Don Giovanni* and *Madame Butterfly*[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078) |
| Improv series roles | Tiffany Riley Clarke on *Lovespring International*; Amy Anderson on *10 Items or Less* (13 episodes); Gina Spinks on *Web Therapy* (22 episodes, 2011–2015)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/26880/jennifer-elise-cox) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078) |
| Film appearances | *Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas* (1998), *Edtv* (1999), *Bewitched* (2005), *The Back-up Plan* (2010)[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jennifer_elise_cox) |
| Behind the camera | Screenwriter of *Space Station 76* (2014); producer of *Out West* (2013), in which she also played Prissy Alcott[5](https://www.fandango.com/people/jennifer-elise-cox-141816/film-credits) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078) |
| Spouse | Lee Brownstein, married November 17, 2006[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078) |
## Early life and training
Cox grew up on New York City's Lower East Side and began acting in commercials at age 4.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078) She attended the High School of Performing Arts, where she performed serious dramatic material, including [Sam Shepard](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-shepard) plays, and expected to pursue dramatic acting.[6](https://jeffisfunny.com/2026/06/jan-brady-tells-all-jennifer-elise-cox-on-the-brady-bunch-movie-and-beyond/) Before her film career she was a highly trained ballerina and performed dramatic roles in New York stage operas such as *Don Giovanni* and *Madame Butterfly*.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078)
## Jan Brady and the Brady Bunch films
Cox's first film audition won her the role of Jan Brady, the middle Brady daughter, in *The Brady Bunch Movie* (1995), a Paramount comedy adaptation starring [Shelley Long](https://www.edgepedia.org/shelley-long) and [Gary Cole](https://www.edgepedia.org/gary-cole), and she reprised the role in *A Very Brady Sequel* (1996).[6](https://jeffisfunny.com/2026/06/jan-brady-tells-all-jennifer-elise-cox-on-the-brady-bunch-movie-and-beyond/) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jennifer_elise_cox) She has said she lied about her age to land the part, and that the audition nearly fell apart before it began.[6](https://jeffisfunny.com/2026/06/jan-brady-tells-all-jennifer-elise-cox-on-the-brady-bunch-movie-and-beyond/) Having worked only in theater and commercials before, she was unfamiliar with film-set conventions and credited her co-star [Christine Taylor](https://www.edgepedia.org/christine-taylor), an experienced film actress, with helping her learn the mechanics of shooting takes.[6](https://jeffisfunny.com/2026/06/jan-brady-tells-all-jennifer-elise-cox-on-the-brady-bunch-movie-and-beyond/) In the sequel, RuPaul played Jan's guidance counselor, and the two performers shared a wig that Cox has said she still keeps.[6](https://jeffisfunny.com/2026/06/jan-brady-tells-all-jennifer-elise-cox-on-the-brady-bunch-movie-and-beyond/) She also played Jan Brady in a guest appearance on *Moesha*.[1](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=7292)
## Television comedy
Cox became a recurring comic performer on improvised television comedies. On *Lovespring International*, a fully improvised Lifetime series about a dysfunctional dating service, she played Tiffany Riley Clark, an entitled office secretary.[7](https://starrymag.com/jennifer-elise-cox-springing-forth/) On TBS's improvised grocery-store sitcom *10 Items or Less* she starred as Amy Anderson across 13 episodes.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/26880/jennifer-elise-cox) Her longest television run was as Gina Spinks on *Web Therapy*, the [Lisa Kudrow](https://www.edgepedia.org/lisa-kudrow) improvisation-based series, appearing in 22 episodes from 2011 to 2015.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078)
Her guest appearances span a wide range of series, including *Will & Grace* (as Nurse Pittman), *CSI: NY*, *Nip/Tuck*, *Six Feet Under*, *Pushing Daisies*, *The Comeback*, *2 Broke Girls*, *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia*, *In Plain Sight*, and *The Client List*.[1](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=7292) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/26880/jennifer-elise-cox) On *Will & Grace*, her scene was later named by [Debra Messing](https://www.edgepedia.org/debra-messing) as her most memorable moment from the entire series, which Cox described as a career highlight.[7](https://starrymag.com/jennifer-elise-cox-springing-forth/) More recent guest roles include Gale on *Mr. Mayor* (2021), Sister Fiona on the mini-series *Mrs. Davis* (2023, 2 episodes), and Joan on *Abbott Elementary* (2024, 1 episode).[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/26880/jennifer-elise-cox) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078)
## Film work
After the Brady films, Cox appeared in supporting roles in *Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas* (1998), *Edtv* (1999), *Dropping Out* (2000), *Testosterone* (2004), *Hard Pill* (2005), and *Bewitched* (2005), and played the Babyland salesgirl in *The Back-up Plan* (2010).[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jennifer_elise_cox) • [5](https://www.fandango.com/people/jennifer-elise-cox-141816/film-credits) She also worked behind the camera: she is credited as screenwriter of *Space Station 76* (2014) and as a producer of the indie comedy *Out West* (2013), in which she played Prissy Alcott.[5](https://www.fandango.com/people/jennifer-elise-cox-141816/film-credits) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078) Holiday-themed credits include *Spooky Buddies* (2011, as Mrs. Carroll), *Blending Christmas* (2021, as Tina), and *Back to Christmas* (2014, as Ginny).[5](https://www.fandango.com/people/jennifer-elise-cox-141816/film-credits) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078)
## Personal life
Cox married Lee Brownstein on November 17, 2006.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078) She is 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m) tall, and her listed trademark is her smile and quirky humor.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078) In interviews she has described playing poker, a game her father taught her at age 4, as a pastime that also supported her when she was a struggling actress.[6](https://jeffisfunny.com/2026/06/jan-brady-tells-all-jennifer-elise-cox-on-the-brady-bunch-movie-and-beyond/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078)
## References
1. [Jennifer Elise Cox, TVSA actor profile](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=7292)
2. [Jennifer Elise Cox, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0185078)
3. [Jennifer Elise Cox Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jennifer_elise_cox)
4. [Jennifer Elise Cox, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/26880/jennifer-elise-cox)
5. [Jennifer Elise Cox Filmography and Movies, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/jennifer-elise-cox-141816/film-credits)
6. [Jan Brady Tells All: Jennifer Elise Cox on The Brady Bunch Movie and Beyond, Classic Conversations with Jeff Dwoskin](https://jeffisfunny.com/2026/06/jan-brady-tells-all-jennifer-elise-cox-on-the-brady-bunch-movie-and-beyond/)
7. [Jennifer Elise Cox – Springing Forth, StarryMag (January 30, 2014)](https://starrymag.com/jennifer-elise-cox-springing-forth/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Co to C*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license