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Ginnifer Goodwin (born Jennifer Michelle Goodwin; May 22, 1978) is an American actress. She starred as Margene Heffman in the HBO drama series Big Love (2006–2011), Snow White / Mary Margaret Blanchard in the ABC fantasy series Once Upon a Time (2011–2018), Judy Hopps in Zootopia (2016) and its 2025 sequel, and Beth Ann Stanton in Why Women Kill (2019).
Goodwin appeared in films, including the drama Mona Lisa Smile (2003), the musical biopic Walk the Line (2005), the romantic comedy He's Just Not That Into You (2009), the family comedy Ramona and Beezus (2010), the romantic comedy Something Borrowed (2011), and the biopic Killing Kennedy (2013). She also voiced the lead role of Fawn in the Disney animated fantasy film Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast (2014).
Goodwin's mother is American Jews. Goodwin was raised attending both the First Unitarian Church and Temple Israel. As a child, she attended the Henry S. Jacobs Camp, a summer camp for Reform Judaism children in Utica, Mississippi. She was Baptism as a child and also studied to have a bat mitzvah service, in the Jewish custom of recognizing her coming of age. Ginnifer Goodwin . W Magazine. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
In her youth, Goodwin was affiliated with the North American Federation of Temple Youth. She was active in BBYO at the Jewish Community Center in Memphis. She attended the private St. Mary's Episcopal School in Memphis, Tennessee. She graduated from Lausanne Collegiate School in 1996.
She attended Hanover College (majoring in theater) for one year before transferring and completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Boston University. While a student at BU, she performed in numerous student short films, as well as several college and local stage productions. Goodwin was given the "Excellence in Acting: Professional Promise Award" by the Bette Davis Foundation, and graduated with honors. After her time at Boston University, she lived for a time in England and studied at Stratford on Avon's Shakespeare Institute, in conjunction with the Royal Shakespeare Company. The following year, she earned an Acting Shakespeare Certificate from London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
In 2008, Max Mara honored Goodwin with a "Face of the Future" award, an award recognizing up-and-coming women in film.
Goodwin played Gigi in He's Just Not That Into You (2009). For this role, she received a nomination for the People's Choice Award for Breakout Movie Actress. In April 2009, she began filming Ramona and Beezus, playing "Aunt Bea". The film was released on July 23, 2010.
Goodwin voiced Judy Hopps, the protagonist rabbit police officer in 2012 Disney's Zootopia, as well as Fawn in Disney's 2011 animated film Tinker Bell and the Legend of the Neverbeast. She also voiced Gwen, a kitchen maid who wants to be an inventor, in the animated series Sofia The First.
In January 2017, Goodwin was cast as Marianne in the Los Angeles production of Constellations. The play ran from June 14 to July 23, 2017, at the Geffen Playhouse.
In 2019, Goodwin appeared in episodes of the anthology series The Twilight Zone and Heartstrings. Also in 2019, she starred as Beth Ann in the first season of the CBS All Access dark comedy-drama series Why Women Kill.
Archive audio of Goodwin as the character Judy Hopps was used in the animated anthology series Zootopia+, streamed on Disney+ in 2022. She reprised her voice role in Disney's Zootopia 2, released in November 2025.
In 2013, Goodwin said that after leaving Memphis, she "up and left Judaism for a very long time," and that "for 10 years, there was nothing. No ritual. No tradition. No community." She later reconnected with her faith, and has said, "I was a Jew by birth, and now I'm a Jew by choice."
Career
1996–2010: Early work
Goodwin first had roles in the NBC television programs Law & Order and Ed before appearing in the Comedy Central television movie Porn 'n Chicken. She later had substantial roles in the films Mona Lisa Smile, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!, Walk the Line—in which she portrayed Vivian Cash, Johnny Cash's first wife—and Birds of America. She also played Dori Dumchovic in the dark comedy Love Comes to the Executioner. Goodwin played a leading role as Margene Heffman, the third wife in a polygamy family, on the HBO original series Big Love, which concluded on March 20, 2011. Goodwin has done voice work in the Adult Swim series Robot Chicken, where her younger sister Melissa works as an animator.
2011–2021: Independent roles
From 2011 to 2017, Goodwin played a leading role in the ABC fantasy drama series Once Upon a Time. She played both the fairy tale heroine Snow White and her real-world counterpart, schoolteacher Mary Margaret Blanchard. "Once Upon a Time's Jennifer Morrison, Ginnifer Goodwin & Co. on Their Literal "Dream" Project" , TV Line (July 25, 2011) Goodwin and husband Josh Dallas left the show at the end of its sixth season to move back to Los Angeles with their family. They both returned to the series for its finale at the end of the seventh season.
2022–present: Breakthrough and Post-Zootopia
Goodwin played Jodie in the Fox comedy series Pivoting, which premiered on January 9, 2022. The show was cancelled after one season.
Personal life
Goodwin dated actor Joey Kern beginning in April 2009 and they became engaged in December 2010. They ended the engagement in May 2011. Goodwin subsequently began dating her Once Upon a Time co-star Josh Dallas in late 2011. They got engaged in October 2013 and married on April 12, 2014, in California. They have two sons, born in May 2014 and June 2016.
Politics
Following the 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, Goodwin has been vocal about her support for Israel on social media, calling for the return of hostages on her Instagram account. Goodwin also filmed a video for the American Jewish Committee in which she said that the phrase "Globalize the Intifada" is a call for widespread violence against Jews. In February 2024, Goodwin signed an open letter by Creative Community for Peace rejecting calls for Israel to be banned from Eurovision 2024. In September 2024, Goodwin attended Zionism activist Hen Mazzig's seminar Jews Talk Justice Laboratories in Los Angeles.
Filmography
Film
2000 Zelda: An Extrospective Journey Zelda Short film 2003 Mona Lisa Smile Constance Baker 2004 Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! Cathy Feely 2005 Walk the Line Vivian Cash 2006 Love Comes to the Executioner Dori Dumchovic 2007 In the Land of Women Janey Day Zero Molly Rifkin 2008 Birds of America Ida Tanager 2009 He's Just Not That Into You Gigi Phillips A Single Man Mrs. Strunk 2010 Ramona and Beezus Aunt Beatrice 2011 Take Me Home Tonight Banky Something Borrowed Rachel White 2014 Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast Fawn Voice role 2016 Zootopia Judy Hopps 2023 Celia Once Upon a Studio Judy Hopps Voice role; short film 2025 Zootopia 2 Voice role
Television
2001 Law & Order Erica Episode: "Myth of Fingerprints" 2001–2003 Ed Diane Snyder Main role (seasons 2–3), 25 episodes 2002 Porn 'n Chicken Maya Television film 2005-2014 Robot Chicken Various voices Recurring voice role, 7 episodes 2006–2011 Big Love Margene Heffman Main role 2007 Big Love: In the Beginning 2 episodes 2009 Crappy Holidays Presents... Girlfriend Episode: "Crappy Easter" 2011 SpongeBob SquarePants Purple Haired Mermaid Voice role; episode: "Welcome to the Bikini Bottom Triangle" Margene's Blog Margene Henrickson Episode: "Crush Story" Five Charlotte Television film 2011–2018 Once Upon a Time Mary Margaret Blanchard / Snow White Main role (seasons 1–6), Special Guest Star (Season 7) 2012 Electric City Jean Marie St. Cloud Voice role 2013 Killing Kennedy Jacqueline Kennedy Television film 2014 Sofia the First Gwen Voice role; episode: "Gizmo Gwen" 2015 Who Do You Think You Are? Herself Episode: "Ginnifer Goodwin" 2019 Jeanne Kerr Television film; also Executive producer The Twilight Zone Eve Martin Episode: "Point of Origin" Heartstrings Genevieve Episode: "These Old Bones" Why Women Kill Beth Ann Stanton Lead role (season 1) 2021 Earth to Ned Herself Episode: "Dream a Little Dream of Ned" 2022 Pivoting Jodie Main role Zootopia+ Judy Hopps Voice role; archival recordings 2025 SuperKitties Pamster Glamster Recurring voice role
Video games
Theater
Awards and nominations
2010 People's Choice Award Favorite Breakout Movie Actress Herself 2011 Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Actress: Romantic Comedy Something Borrowed 2012 Once Upon a Time 2013 People's Choice Award Favorite TV Drama Actress 2014 Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actress Teen Choice Award 2015 People's Choice Awards Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy Actress Favorite TV Duo (along with Josh Dallas) 2016 Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy Actress 2016 Voice Arts™ Awards Outstanding Motion Picture Animation, Best Voiceover Zootopia 2016 Alliance of Women Film Journalists Best Animated Female 2017 People's Choice Awards Favorite Animated Movie Voice 2017 Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Frenemies (shared with Jason Bateman) 2025 EDA Awards Best Voiced Performance in Animated Feature Zootopia 2 St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards Best Vocal Performance Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards Best Voice Performance
Notes
External links
Categories: 1978 Births, 21st-century American Actresses, Actresses From Memphis, Tennessee, Alumni Of The London Academy Of Music And Dramatic Art, American Film Actresses, American People Of Jewish Descent, American Television Actresses, American Voice Actresses, American Shakespearean Actresses, American Stage Actresses, American Unitarians, Boston University College Of Fine Arts Alumni, Hanover College Alumni, Jewish American Actresses, Jews From Tennessee, Lausanne Collegiate School Alumni, Living People
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