# Joely Fisher
**Joely Fisher** (born 1967 in [Burbank, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/burbank-california)) is an American actress, singer, and director, and since 2021 the Secretary-Treasurer of the actors' union [SAG-AFTRA](https://www.edgepedia.org/sag-aftra). The daughter of singer [Eddie Fisher](https://www.edgepedia.org/eddie-fisher) and actress Connie Stevens and half-sister of Carrie Fisher, she is best known for playing Paige Clark on the ABC sitcom *Ellen* and Joy Stark on the Fox sitcom *'Til Death*.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1967, Burbank, California[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joely_fisher) |
| Parents and siblings | Daughter of Eddie Fisher and Connie Stevens; half-sister of Carrie Fisher[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher) • [3](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/joely-fisher-78730) |
| Breakout role | Paige Clark on ABC's *Ellen*, 1994–1998, 95 episodes[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004921/) |
| Golden Globe | Nominated for her supporting role on *Ellen*; named Miss Golden Globe at the 1992 ceremony[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher) • [5](https://abilitymagazine.com/joely-fisher-dream-foundations-wild-card/) |
| Broadway | Betty Rizzo in the 1994 revival of *Grease*; Sally Bowles in the 1998 Roundabout revival of *Cabaret* and its 1999 national tour[3](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/joely-fisher-78730) |
| Union role | SAG-AFTRA Secretary-Treasurer, elected 2021 and re-elected 2023[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher) |
| Memoir | *Growing Up Fisher*[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher) |
## Family background
Fisher was born at [St. Joseph's Hospital](https://www.edgepedia.org/st-josephs-hospital) in Burbank, directly across the street from The Walt Disney Studios, to Eddie Fisher, a 1950s crooner with hits including "Wish You Were Here" and "Oh My Pa-Pa", and [Connie Stevens](https://www.edgepedia.org/connie-stevens), a film, television, and Broadway star who later built a cosmetics business[5](https://abilitymagazine.com/joely-fisher-dream-foundations-wild-card/) • [2](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher). Her parents separated two years after she was born[5](https://abilitymagazine.com/joely-fisher-dream-foundations-wild-card/). Through her father she is the half-sister of *Star Wars* actress [Carrie Fisher](https://www.edgepedia.org/carrie-fisher)[3](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/joely-fisher-78730), and she is the niece of actor John Megna[3](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/joely-fisher-78730).
She grew up in the Los Angeles area, attended about a dozen LA schools, and studied at the Université de Paris/Sorbonne and [Emerson College](https://www.edgepedia.org/emerson-college) in Boston before leaving college to pursue acting full time; Emerson later awarded her its Alumni of Distinction honor[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004921/) • [5](https://abilitymagazine.com/joely-fisher-dream-foundations-wild-card/). In childhood she toured and appeared on stage alongside her mother, and at 12 she was already singing internationally, taking part in a Bob Hope USO tour amid the Persian Gulf War and entertaining President and Mrs. [George H. W. Bush](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-h-w-bush) at the Kennedy Center.[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher)
## Television career
Fisher's early screen work consisted of guest roles, including small parts on *Growing Pains* and *Blossom* and a role in the 1994 [Jim Carrey](https://www.edgepedia.org/jim-carrey) comedy *The Mask*[5](https://abilitymagazine.com/joely-fisher-dream-foundations-wild-card/). She has described being turned down for nearly thirty television pilots before landing her first major part. At twenty-six she was cast as Paige Clark, the Hollywood executive, on *Ellen*[5](https://abilitymagazine.com/joely-fisher-dream-foundations-wild-card/). She appeared on the series from 1994 to 1998 in 95 episodes[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004921/). The show, which the ABILITY interview describes as the first series centered on a lesbian character, brought her a Golden Globe nomination[5](https://abilitymagazine.com/joely-fisher-dream-foundations-wild-card/).
**Sitcom work after *Ellen*.** She starred opposite [John Goodman](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-goodman) in the Fox series *Normal, Ohio*, then spent two seasons leading the Lifetime series *Wild Card*[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher). In 2005 she joined *Desperate Housewives* as Nina Fletcher, the tough boss of [Felicity Huffman](https://www.edgepedia.org/felicity-huffman)'s character[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher). Her longest sitcom run was as Joy Stark opposite [Brad Garrett](https://www.edgepedia.org/brad-garrett) on Fox's *'Til Death*, from 2006 to 2010 across 81 episodes[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004921/). Later credits include *Desperate Housewives* predecessor appearances in the ABC series *Last Man Standing* opposite Hector Elizondo, along with guest roles on *Modern Family*, *Scorpion*, *S.W.A.T.*, *9-1-1*, *Station 19*, *Fantasy Island*, and *How I Met Your Father*[6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/joely-fisher/). Metacritic records 46 television credits, with *Modern Family* holding her highest show score at 87 and *'Til Death* her lowest at 37[6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/joely-fisher/).
## Stage and film
On Broadway, Fisher replaced the actress playing Betty Rizzo in the 1994 revival of *Grease* (which ran from May 11, 1994 to January 25, 1998), then took over the role of [Sally Bowles](https://www.edgepedia.org/sally-bowles) in the Roundabout Theatre Company revival of *Cabaret*, playing the part on Broadway and with the 1999 national tour[3](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/joely-fisher-78730) • [2](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher). She has described her *Cabaret* turn, staged by [Sam Mendes](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-mendes) and [Rob Marshall](https://www.edgepedia.org/rob-marshall), as earning rave reviews[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004921/).
Her film credits include *Mixed Nuts* with Steve Martin, *I'll Do Anything* with Nick Nolte, *The Mask* with Jim Carrey, and her leading role as Dr. Brenda Bradford in Disney's *Inspector Gadget* (1999) opposite Matthew Broderick[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher). Independent films she has appeared in include *Perfect Prey*, *Slingshot*, *Search Engines*, and *Killing Winston Jones*[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004921/). On the Rotten Tomatoes scale her highest-rated film is *I'll Do Anything* (1994) at 65 percent and her lowest is *The Disappointments Room* (2016) at 0 percent[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joely_fisher). Recent and upcoming screen work includes *Swiped* (2025), *The Disappearance of Mrs. Wu*, and the post-production film *Nosferatu*[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004921/) • [7](https://www.movieinsider.com/p29842/joely-fisher).
## Directing and writing
In recent years Fisher has moved into directing, working in television and short films. Her short film *Sunset Fever* comments on reality television and the Hollywood family, and her first music video, "Sonte" by the European artist MIRUD, has more than a million views. She has directed public service campaigns for the International Fund for Animal Welfare and Welcome US, and she announced a feature directorial debut with the family adventure film *Oliver Storm*[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher). Her memoir *Growing Up Fisher* addresses her family history and, she says, how the sudden loss of her sister Carrie Fisher inspired her creativity and gave her the strength to write[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher).
## SAG-AFTRA leadership
Fisher was elected Secretary-Treasurer of SAG-AFTRA in 2021 and re-elected in 2023, continuing a union legacy from her mother, a former Screen Actors Guild Secretary-Treasurer[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher). As Secretary-Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair she led the acquisition of SAG-AFTRA's future headquarters in North Hollywood, California, described by the union as a fiscally responsible move that will ultimately save the union millions, and she serves on the union's TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee, which represents the union's nearly 160,000 members in contract negotiations[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher).
## Personal life
Fisher married cinematographer and director Christopher Duddy in 1996[8](https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/joely-fisher-home-sold-living-estate-sale-viral-tiktok/). The couple have five children: Cameron, Collin, Skylar Grace, True Harlow, and Olivia Luna[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher).
## References
1. [Joely Fisher Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joely_fisher)
2. [Joely Fisher, SAG-AFTRA](https://www.sagaftra.org/joely-fisher)
3. [Joely Fisher, IBDB (Internet Broadway Database)](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/joely-fisher-78730)
4. [Joely Fisher, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004921/)
5. [Joely Fisher – Dream Foundation's Wild Card, ABILITY Magazine](https://abilitymagazine.com/joely-fisher-dream-foundations-wild-card/)
6. [Joely Fisher, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/joely-fisher/)
7. [Joely Fisher Film Credits, Movie Insider](https://www.movieinsider.com/p29842/joely-fisher)
8. [EXCL: '90s Sitcom Star Joely Fisher Sells Calabasas Home for $2.9 Million, Realtor.com](https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/joely-fisher-home-sold-living-estate-sale-viral-tiktok/)
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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 Ev to F*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: 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