Many people wonder if Jenna Elfman, the actress best known for her role as Dharma on the sitcom Dharma & Greg, is related to Danny Elfman, the composer famous for his scores for movies like The Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, and Batman. They share the same last name, but are they family? The answer is not as simple as you might think.
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Jenna Elfman’s Background
Jenna Elfman was born Jennifer Mary Butala on September 30, 1971 in Los Angeles, California. She is the youngest of three children born to Sue Butala, a homemaker, and Richard Butala, a Hughes Aircraft executive. Her paternal uncle is Tony Butala, the lead singer of the vocal trio The Lettermen. She is of Croatian ancestry on her father’s side and was raised Roman Catholic.
Jenna Elfman started her professional career as a dancer, appearing in music videos for Depeche Mode, Anthrax, and Chris Isaak. She also toured with the rock band ZZ Top as a \”Legs Girl\”. She then transitioned to acting, appearing in commercials and TV shows like Townies and Murder One. Her breakthrough role came in 1997 when she was cast as Dharma Freedom Finkelstein Montgomery on the ABC sitcom Dharma & Greg, opposite Thomas Gibson. The show was a hit and ran for five seasons until 2002. Jenna Elfman won a Golden Globe Award and three Emmy nominations for her performance as the free-spirited yoga instructor who marries a conservative lawyer.
Jenna Elfman has also appeared in several movies, such as Grosse Pointe Blank, Dr. Dolittle, EDtv, Keeping the Faith, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, and Big Stone Gap. She has also starred in other TV shows like Courting Alex, Accidentally on Purpose, 1600 Penn, Growing Up Fisher, Imaginary Mary, and Fear the Walking Dead. She is currently working on a new comedy series called The Ugly Truth with her husband Bodhi Elfman.
Danny Elfman’s Background
Danny Elfman was born Daniel Robert Elfman on May 29, 1953 in Los Angeles, California. He is the son of Blossom Elfman, a novelist and teacher, and Milton Elfman, a teacher who was in the Air Force. He has an older brother named Richard Elfman, who is a filmmaker and actor. He also has two younger sisters named Molly Elfman and Jillian Elfman.
Danny Elfman grew up in a Jewish family and was interested in music from an early age. He learned to play the violin and later taught himself to play the guitar and piano. He dropped out of high school and traveled around the world with his brother Richard. He then joined his brother’s musical theater group called The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo as a songwriter and performer. The group later evolved into a new wave rock band called Oingo Boingo in 1979. Danny Elfman was the lead singer and songwriter of the band until they disbanded in 1995.
Danny Elfman also started composing music for movies and TV shows in the early 1980s. His first film score was for his brother Richard’s movie Forbidden Zone in 1980. He then met director Tim Burton, who hired him to compose the score for his debut film Pee-wee’s Big Adventure in 1985. This marked the beginning of a long-lasting collaboration between the two artists that spanned over 17 films, including Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mars Attacks!, Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland, and Dumbo.
Danny Elfman has also composed music for other directors such as Sam Raimi (Spider-Man trilogy), Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting), Ang Lee (Hulk), Brian De Palma (Mission: Impossible), David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook), and Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy II: The Golden Army). He has also written theme songs for TV shows such as The Simpsons, Desperate Housewives, Tales from the Crypt, and The Flash. He has won four Grammy Awards and received two Academy Award nominations for his work.
How are Jenna Elfman and Danny Elfman Related?
Jenna Elfman and Danny Elfman are not related by blood, but they do share a unique connection through marriage. Jenna Elfman is married to Bodhi Pine Elfman, who is Danny Elfman’s nephew. Bodhi is the son of Richard Elfman and Marie-Pascale Elfman, who are both filmmakers and actors. Jenna met Bodhi in 1991 during an audition for a Sprite commercial. They got married in 1995 and have two sons named Story Elias Elfman and Easton Quinn Monroe Elfman.
Jenna and Bodhi are both followers of Scientology, a controversial religion founded by L. Ron Hubbard. They credit Scientology for their successful marriage and career. They also host a podcast called Kicking and Screaming by Jenna and Bodhi Elfman, where they talk about their relationship, parenting, and other topics.
Danny Elfman, on the other hand, is not a Scientologist. He has been married twice, first to Geri Eisenmenger, with whom he has two daughters named Lola Elfman and Mali Elfman. He then married actress Bridget Fonda in 2003, with whom he has a son named Oliver Elfman.
Conclusion
Jenna Elfman and Danny Elfman are not related by blood, but they are connected through their shared family. Jenna is married to Danny’s nephew Bodhi, making them uncle-in-law and niece-in-law. They both have successful careers in the entertainment industry, but they have different beliefs and lifestyles. They are both talented and creative artists who share the same last name, but they are not direct relatives..
