Jennifer Tilly

Born in Los Angeles, California on September 16, 1958 with the surname Chan, Tilly was the second of four children of Chinese American, Harry Chan, and former actress and school teacher Patricia Tilly. When she was five years old, her parents divorced and she moved to Canada to live with her Mother who remarried several times throughout her childhood.

As a teenager she got her start acting at the Stephen's College in Missouri and in 1983 she began to land small roles on TV and in movies. Over the years she has starred in such popular TV Shows and films as Hill Street Blues, Let it Ride, Bullets Over Broadway, Liar Liar, and Bride of Chucky. She has provided vocal work for such popular titles as Family Guy, Monsters Inc., Stuart Little, Hey Arnold, and The Haunted Mansion.

In 2004, Tilly attended the World Poker Tour Invitational tournament at the Commerce Casino where she met her long time partner, professional poker pro Phil Laak. The two hit it off instantly but it took a few smooth moves on Laak's part before the two finally made it official.

Tilly had always had an interest in poker but prior to meeting Laak she lacked the skills to win anything on the professional level. Their relationship would change all that, as she learned to master the game from him. Tilly is quoted saying "When you're living with Phil, you kinda learn by osmosis,” which must be true because in 2005 she made waves on the tournament scene winning a gold bracelet at the 2005 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Ladies No Limit Hold'em Event and coming in first at the World Poker Tour (WPT) Ladies Invitational Tournament.

Later that year she told reporters that she was more interested in playing poker professionally than acting but in 2008 she reversed her decision telling Bluff Magazine that, "I love poker but greatness in poker is an elusive dream. There are too many variants. Trying to find validation in poker is like trying to find a virgin in a whorehouse. I’m not giving up poker entirely — gambling is an addiction after all. I’m just going to treat it more like a hobby and less like a career."

From 2006-2008 Tilly cashed several times at events around the world and appeared in several televised poker programs. Following her announcement that she would be putting poker on the back burner, Tilly appeared to take a break from the sport in 2009 before returning to the felt in 2010.

Fresh off her hiatus Tilly finished 16th at the 2010 L.A Poker Classic and then went on to win the WPT Bellagio Cup VI.

With a sweet voice and calm demeanor it’s easy to underestimate Tilly as a poker player, but those who make that mistake often find themselves hitting the rails early. Tilly has proven herself to be a very formidable player and we expect to see a lot more from her in the years to come.

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