November 21, 2007 | Events

Julia Louis-Dreyfus to Speak at Northwestern Commencement

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the two-time Emmy Award-winning actress best known as Elaine from the hit show "Seinfeld," will address graduates, parents and guests at Northwestern University's 149th annual commencement exercises Friday, June 15, 2007.

By Charles R. Loebbaka

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the two-time Emmy Award-winning actress best known as Elaine from the hit show "Seinfeld," will address graduates, parents and guests at Northwestern University's 149th annual commencement exercises Friday, June 15, 2007.

Louis-Dreyfus will receive an honorary doctor of arts degree at the ceremony in Ryan Field on the University's Evanston campus.

"We are very pleased to have Ms. Louis-Dreyfus as our commencement speaker," said University President Henry S. Bienen. “She has on numerous occasions spoken of the importance of Northwestern to her career and her life. We look forward to welcoming her back.”

Louis-Dreyfus, who attended the School of Communication, went on to earn critical acclaim and recognition for her portrayal of Elaine Benes in the hit television series "Seinfeld." She received an Emmy award in 1996 as Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. During the show's nine-year run, she also received a Golden Globe award, five Screen Actors Guild awards and four American Comedy Awards. Most recently, she won an Emmy Award as Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for her lead role in "The New Adventures of Old Christine."

Prior to moving to Los Angeles, Louis-Dreyfus studied theater at Northwestern. As a student, she performed twice in the Mee-Ow Show, Northwestern's satirical comedy theater group. She was a member of the Practical Theater Company and subsequently joined Chicago's famed Second City comedy troupe.

Louis-Dreyfus first made her mark on television in 1982 when she began a three-year stint on "Saturday Night Live" opposite the likes of Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest and Eddie Murphy.

She starred in the series "Watching Ellie" and had a recurring role on "Arrested Development." She also lent her voice to the television movie "Animal Farm." Her feature film credits include Woody Allen's Academy Award-winning "Hannah and Her Sisters;" "Deconstructing Harry;" "North;" "Fathers' Day;" "Jack the Bear;" and the animated hit "A Bug's Life," to which she lent her voice for the character Princess Atta.