Jennifer Tilly (born September 16, 1958 in Harbor City, California) is an American actress who has starred in many major films as well as independent features. She has a younger sister, Meg, who is also an actress (albeit currently retired), another sister, Rebecca and an older brother.

Tilly was born Jennifer E. Chan to a Chinese stockbroker and was raised in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. ("Tilly" is her mother's maiden name.) She attended Belmont High School along with her two sisters. She began her acting career as a teenager, putting herself through the theater program at Stephens College in Missouri.