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Elizabeth Jean " Busy" Philipps (born June 25, 1979) is an American actress, singer and comedian. She is best known for her roles on the television series Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000), Dawson's Creek (2001–2003), and ER (2006–2007), and for her portrayal of Laurie Keller on the ABC series Cougar Town (2009–2015), for which she received the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
Phillips has also appeared in supporting roles in films, including The Smokers (2000), Home Room (2002), White Chicks (2004), Made of Honor (2008), He's Just Not That Into You (2009), The Gift (2015), and I Feel Pretty (2018). From 2018 to 2019, Philipps hosted her own television talk show Busy Tonight, on E!. From 2021 to 2024, she starred on the Peacock / Netflix original series Girls5eva.
Philipps attended Loyola Marymount University at the same time as Colin Hanks and Freaks and Geeks costar Linda Cardellini. She then dated Hanks for several years, after they left school.
Her first major role was Kim Kelly in the 1999–2000 comedy-drama TV series Freaks and Geeks; Philipps appeared in all but one of the show's 18 episodes (the episode "Chokin' & Tokin'"). She made her film debut in the comedy The Smokers in 2000, and had various small appearances on television.
In 2001, Philipps was cast as Audrey Liddell in the teen drama Dawson's Creek.
Philipps appeared in several films, including Home Room (2002) and White Chicks (2004). She was cast in the UPN sitcom Love, Inc. in a role originally intended for Shannen Doherty. The show lasted one season (2005–2006). In 2006, she had a major recurring role as Hope Bobeck on ER, alongside her Freaks and Geeks co-star Linda Cardellini. During her second year on ER, her character was written out as heading to South America to "fulfill her Christian mission".
Philipps had a co-credit for the storyline of the 2007 comedy film Blades of Glory. A year later, she appeared in a supporting role in Made of Honor.
She made appearances in He's Just Not That into You as Kelli Ann and on an episode of How I Met Your Mother.
From 2009 to 2015, Philipps portrayed Laurie Keller in the television series Cougar Town. She routinely contributed to the Thrilling Adventure Hour, a live stage radio show. Her primary recurring character was the Red Plains Rider.
On a 2010 appearance on Chelsea Lately, Philipps said that she auditioned for the hit television show Glee just one week after giving birth, following a pregnancy during which she gained 80 pounds.
Philipps starred on the HBO series Vice Principals (2016–2017).
In 2017, she signed on as co-lead opposite Casey Wilson in Tina Fey's comedy pilot The Sackett Sisters for NBC, but it was not picked up.
In 2018 and 2019, Philipps played Sheba Goodman in season 4 of Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
She had a late-night talk show called Busy Tonight, which aired on E! from October 28, 2018, to May 16, 2019. It was cancelled the same day Philipps was nominated for a 2019 Critics Choice Award. In August 2020 she began hosting a podcast, Busy Philipps is Doing Her Best, along with former Busy Tonight writers Caissie St. Onge and Shantira Jackson.
In October 2020, it was announced that she had joined the main cast of Peacock's Girls5eva, a musical comedy about a female pop group that reunites 20 years after it flamed out. In its third season the show, created by Meredith Scardino, shifted to Netflix.
In February 28, 2023, Philipps was announced as Mrs. George in the 2024 film adaptation of the musical Mean Girls, based on the 2018 Broadway musical.
In 2024, Phillips began hosting a talk/shopping show called "Busy This Week" on the QVC+/HSN+ streaming service.
On June 4, 2019, Philipps gave a testimonial before the House Judiciary Committee defending women's right to access more abortion clinics. She spoke of her own experience with abortion: "I am a human being that deserves autonomy in this country that calls itself free, and choices that a human being makes about their own bodies should not be legislated by strangers who can't possibly know or understand each individual's circumstances or beliefs."
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| 2000 | Karen Carter | ||
| 2002 | Home Room | Alicia Browning | |
| 2004 | Mummy an' the Armadillo | Carol Ann | |
| White Chicks | Karen Googlestein | ||
| 2005 | Additional Voices (voice) | ||
| 2008 | Made of Honor | Melissa | |
| 2009 | He's Just Not That Into You | Kelli Ann | |
| 2010 | Revolution | Emily | Short film |
| 2011 | I Don't Know How She Does It | Wendy Best | |
| 2012 | Cordelia (voice) | ||
| Made in Cleveland | Shannon | ||
| 2013 | A Case of You | Ashley | |
| 2014 | Jason Nash is Married | Busy Philipps | |
| 2015 | The Gift | Duffy | |
| 2016 | FML | Amanda | |
| 2018 | I Feel Pretty | Jane | |
| 2022 | DC League of Super-Pets | Foofy Dog (voice) | |
| 2024 | Mean Girls | Mrs. George |
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| 1999 | Saving Graces | Mindy | TV series |
| 1999–2000 | Freaks and Geeks | Kim Kelly | 18 episodes |
| 2000 | Malcolm in the Middle | Meghan | Episode: "High School Play" |
| 2001 | Anatomy of a Hate Crime | Chasity Pasley | Television film |
| Spring Break Lawyer | Jenny | ||
| Dead Last | Tracy Sallback | Episode: "Death Is in the Air" | |
| 2001–2003 | Dawson's Creek | Audrey Liddell | Main role (season 6); recurring (season 5) |
| 2002 | Undeclared | Kelly | 2 episodes |
| 2003 | Criminology 101 | Polly | Television film |
| 2004 | Foster Hall | Peg Hall | |
| 2005 | Life As We Know It | Alex Morrill | 2 episodes |
| Testing Bob | Madison 'Maddie' West | Television film | |
| Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! | Korlianne (voice) | Episode: "Girl Trouble" | |
| 2005–2006 | Love, Inc. | Denise Johnson | 22 episodes |
| 2005, 2018 | American Dad! | Dana / Blanch (voices) | 2 episodes |
| 2006–2007 | ER | Dr. Hope Bobeck | 19 episodes |
| 2007 | Entourage | Cheryl | Episode: "Dog Day Afternoon" |
| How I Met Your Mother | Rachel | Episode: "Third Wheel" | |
| 2008–2009 | Kacy Corbin | 5 episodes | |
| 2009 | Kath & Kim | Whitney | Episode: "Competition" |
| 2009–2015 | Cougar Town | Laurie Keller | Main role |
| 2011 | Community | Greendale Team Member | Episode: "For a Few Paintballs More" |
| Fish Hooks | Clamanda (voice) | Episode: "We've Got Fish Spirits" | |
| 2012 | Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 | Herself | Episode: "A Reunion..." |
| RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars | Episode: "RuPaul's Gaff In" | ||
| 2013 | Arrested Development | Joan | Episode: "Borderline Personalities" |
| 2014 | Garfunkel and Oates | Karen | 2 episodes |
| 2014–2018 | Drunk History | Various | 3 episodes |
| 2015 | Bottom's Butte | Beverly Bottom (voice) | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2016 | New Girl | Connie | Episode: "300 Feet" |
| Angie Tribeca | Courtney Woodpatch-Newton | Episode: "Miso Dead" | |
| Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ | Cate Kates | Episode: "Spiritual Gurus" | |
| 2016–2017 | Vice Principals | Gale Liptrapp | Main role |
| 2017 | The Odd Couple | Natasha | Episode: "Should She Stay or Should She Go?" |
| Chopped Junior | Herself (guest judge) | Episode: "Curry Hurry" | |
| The Sackett Sisters | Mandy Sackett | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| Beat Bobby Flay | Herself (guest judge) | Episode: "Tame the Flame" | |
| 2018 | Camping | Allison | Episode: "Up All Night" |
| 2018–2019 | Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | Sheba Goodman | 2 episodes |
| Busy Tonight | Herself | Main role; also executive producer | |
| 2019 | Episode: "Full House But Black" | ||
| 2021 | Search Party | Donna | Episode: "Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity-Jig" |
| 2021–2024 | Girls5eva | Summer Dutkowsky | Main role |
| 2023 | With Love | Amanda | Episode: "Lily's Double Quinceañera" |
| Single Drunk Female | Darby | 3 episodes | |
| 2024–present | Busy This Week | Herself/Host | Main role |
| 2003 | Teen Choice Awards | Dawson's Creek | Choice TV: Sidekick | |
| 2010 | Entertainment Weekly | Cougar Town | Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | |
| 2011 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| Gold Derby Awards | Comedy Supporting Actress |
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