Actor, comedian, singer, host, and producer Jane Lynch ’82 sits down with Redbird Buzz to discuss the latest addition to her long list of titles—director. Lynch is visiting the Illinois State University campus this spring as an artist in residence, directing School of Theatre and Dance students in a staged reading of the Neil Simon comedy Lost in Yonkers.
Lynch is best known for her Emmy Award-winning role as Sue Sylvester on the musical TV comedy hit Glee, but she rose to fame with her breakout role in Christopher Guest’s mockumentary Best in Show. She has played numerous roles on TV shows, including Two and a Half Men, Criminal Minds, and Only Murders in the Building. She has also appeared in several movies, including The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Role Models, and Julie and Julia. Most recently, Lynch starred on stage in the 2022 Broadway revival of Funny Girl.
Tune in to this episode to hear Lynch discuss her experience as a student at Illinois State and how her time in the School of Theatre and Dance prepared her for a decades-long career in Hollywood. Lynch also discusses how a Frosted Flakes commercial kick-started her career, what prompted her return to campus as a director, and she shares advice for aspiring actors.
Redbird Buzz is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Transcripts of each episode are available online at Alumni.IllinoisState.edu/Podcast.
