kathy najimy

Kathy Najimy is proud to have been named Ms. Magazine Woman of the Year. Najimy is internationally known for her activism and her roles in over 25 films including blockbuster hits Sister Act I & 2 (Hollywood Women’s Discovery of the Year), Hocus Pocus, Ratrace, The Fisherking and the Oscar-winning Pixar film Wall-E.  Audiences enjoyed Kathy for 14 season as Peggy Hill in the Emmy winning Television show King of the Hill, and as Olive opposite Kirstie Alley in  NBC’s Veronica’s Closet for 3 seasons.

Najimy filmed with Barbra Streisand the soon-be-released My Mother's Curse, as well as Lifetimes Project 5: short films exploring breast cancer, directed by Jennifer Aniston. Kathy is currently filming the starring role, Alvirah, in TNT’s Deck the Halls, which is based on a Mary Higgins Clark mystery novel.

With Mo Gaffney, Kathy wrote and starred in the Kathy and Mo Show—a long running Off-Broadway original feminist play that was later filmed for 2 HBO specials (Obie Award & Ace Awards). Najimy is an award-winning director of several projects both in LA and off-Broadway.  On Broadway, Kathy starred in the title role as Mae West in Dirty Blonde (Outer Critics Circle Award).

Najimy frequently travels around the country as a keynote speaker for Choice, AIDS, Women and Girls Rights and self- esteem, Gay and Lesbian rights,  Arabic pride, body image and animal rights. Najimy has lent her support to a variety of worthy organizations that include: Human Rights Campaign Fund, Broadway Cares, Equity Fights AIDS, The Ms Foundation, AMFAR, Planned Parenthood, Voters for Choice, and NARAL. For her over 30 years of AIDS activism, Najimy has been honored with the L.A. Shanti's Founder award as well as the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center's Distinguished Achievement award. As a proud Lebanese American, Najimy has been honored with the Arabic Comedy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Najimy has posed twice for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals popular campaign, "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur,” and was named PETA’s Humanitarian of the Year.  She has performed on Broadway and at Madison Square Garden to benefit V Day and one of the original performer/supporters of the "Vagina Monologues.  Najimy has been published in The New York Times, as well as several national magazines.  She contributed a chapter to the book The Choices We Made. Najimy is shamefully proud of the gold chip she won as tournament champion of Celebrity Poker Showdown, winning $100,000 for V-DAY and also winning another $100,000 for at-risk teen girls as the first champion of Game Show Marathon. She is married to Dan Finnerty and has a glorious teen daughter, Samia.

TOPICS:
• Advocating for Rights of Girls and Women
• Women supporting Each Other Locally and Globally
• Women and Body Image
• Reproductive Rights
• AIDS
• Gay and Lesbian Rights
• Violence against Women and Girls
• Animal Rights
• Women and Girls' Self-esteem
• Being and actress/activist
• Arabic Pride
• Feminism