Busy Philipps, born Elizabeth Jean Philipps on June 25, 1979, is best known for her supporting roles on both Freaks and Geeks and Dawson's Creek. An Illinois native, the star -- given her nickname in for her boundless childhood energy -- first took on the role of Wilbur the Pig in an elementary school production of Charlotte's Web and was later voted Best Actress of her class senior year in high school. Honing her acting skills at England's Oxford School of Drama, Philipps' first professional gig was as a real-life Barbie at Mattel's Toy Fair in New York.
In addition to her notable TV works, the actress has appeared in White Chicks, Home Room and TV's Love, Inc. and ER. She currently appears opposite pal Courteney Cox as Laurie Keller on Cougar Town.
Married to screenwriter Marc Silverstein since 2007, Philipps has two daughters: Birdie, born in 2008, and Cricket, born in 2013.
ABOUT VICE PRINCIPALS : SEASON ONE (On Digital HD on 10/17)
Called “summer’s best new comedy” (Rolling Stone) when it premiered this July, HBO’s VICE PRINCIPALS got straight A’s as HBO’s smash hit darkly comic series starring Danny McBride (“Eastbound & Down,” This Is the End) and Walton Goggins (Emmy® nominee for “Justified”; The Hateful Eight”) hilariously spun the tale of two vice principals competing for the top spot at North Jackson High School.
When the longtime principal (Bill Murray in a cameo) of a suburban high school steps down, ambitious vice principals Neal Gamby (McBride) and Lee Russell (Goggins) both set their sights on the vacated top spot – only to see new rival Dr. Belinda Brown enter the picture. Putting their mutual disdain aside, these bitter antagonists form an unholy alliance to bring down the outsider by any means necessary. Created by McBride and Jody Hill, who also created HBO’s “Eastbound & Down,”, VICE PRINCIPALS tells the story of North Jackson High School and the two people who almost run it. VICE PRINCIPALS co-stars Kimberly Hebert Gregory (“Devious Maids”) as Dr. Brown; Georgia King (“The New Normal”) as English teacher Amanda Snodgrass and Busy Phillips (“Cougar Town”) as Gale, Gamby’s hot, trashy ex-wife.
Winner of the 2016 Audience Award at SXSW, the first nine episodes of VICE PRINCIPALS: SEASON ONE will be available on Digital HD on October 17th.