Brooklyn-born Lainie Kazan (born May 15, 1940) is an American actress and singer. She was nominated for the 1988 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for St. Elsewhere, and the 1993 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for My Favorite Year. She had previously received a Golden Globe Award nomination for the film version of My Favorite Year (1982). Her other film appearances include The Delta Force (1986), Harry and the Hendersons (1987), Beaches (1988), My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016).
Lainie Kazan was born Lanie Levine in Brooklyn, the daughter of Carole and Ben Levine. Her mother was from a Sephardic Jewish family from Jerusalem, and her father, of Russian Ashkenazi Jewish descent, worked as a bookie. She graduated from Hofstra University.