Jennifer Jason Leigh was born Jennifer Lee Morrow in Los Angeles, California, to a family with a rich cultural heritage. Her father, Vic Morrow, was a renowned actor of Russian Jewish descent, while her mother, Barbara Turner, was a writer of Austrian Jewish ancestry. Leigh is the sister of Carrie Ann Morrow and the half-sister of actress Mina Badie, showcasing her strong family ties.
Leigh's early life was marked by her parents' divorce when she was just two years old. Despite this, she began her acting career at a tender age of nine, appearing in a nonspeaking role in the film Death of a Stranger (1973). As she grew older, she attended summer acting workshops given by the renowned Lee Strasberg, which further honed her skills. Her breakout role came at the age of 14 in the Disney TV movie The Young Runaways (1978).
By the time she was 16, Leigh had already received her Screen Actors Guild membership for her appearance in the TV series Baretta (1975). She went on to appear in several TV movies, eventually dropping out of Pacific Palisades High School six weeks short of graduation to pursue her major role in the film Eyes of a Stranger (1981).
Leigh's big break came with her role as the female lead in the iconic film Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). This marked the beginning of her successful career, which would see her take on a wide range of roles in film and television.
In her personal life, Leigh was married to writer/director Noah Baumbach from 2005 to 2013, and the couple shares a son.
