Optimistic and down-to-earth, Jenna Elfman (1971–) was born Jennifer Mary Butala on this day in Los Angeles, California. As a child and classically trained ballerina, she rehearsed big dreams early—“practicing” acceptance speeches in the bathroom mirror.

That stage-ready spark carried her from the dance world to acting. She landed ABC’s Townies (1996) and soon after her first feature film, Grosse Pointe Blank (1997). Her compass stayed simple and kind: “If what you’re doing is going to actually create a good effect on someone, good. Do it!”

Then came liftoff. As Dharma—the free spirit married to a buttoned-up lawyer—on Dharma & Greg, Elfman danced joyfully into America’s living rooms, earning a Golden Globe in 1998 and anchoring the series through 2002. Her credo matched the role: “If you get excited about something, it’s totally okay to show it.”

Through it all, she’s kept her unique voice: “I think I’m good at being me and not worrying how I come off.” That authenticity carried to Broadway in 2003, when she played Carla in the Tony-winning revival of Nine, inspired by Federico Fellini’s 1963 film 8½.

Offstage, Elfman champions literacy through the Hollywood Education and Literacy Project (H.E.L.P.), helping children and adults discover the confidence that reading brings.

And she’s back in the sitcom spotlight, starring in ABC’s Shifting Gears as choreographer Eve Drake, and lighting up red carpets at events like the Dark Winds Season 3 premiere. Joy in motion, heart in action—that’s Jenna.