Jennifer Jason Leigh Joins Cast of ‘Revenge’ as Emily’s Mom

Jennifer Jason Leigh is joining the cast of the ABC drama Revenge, and it has been revealed that the actress will be playing the mom of main character Emily.

Jennifer Jason Leigh is joining Revenge in its second season, alongside Emily VanCamp as Emily Thorne and Madeleine Stowe as Victoria Grayson in the Hamptons-based drama. Leigh is perhaps best known for grittier roles to most viewers, having shot to fame in the 80’s in the seminal film Fast Times at Ridgemont High, playing the character Stacy.

Jennifer Jason Leigh is only one of several actors who became notable after Fast Times at Ridgemont High, as she starred alongside Phoebe Cates, Judge Reinhold, Eric Stoltz, Sean Penn, Nicolas Cage, Forest Whitaker and Anthony Edwards in the groundbreaking Cameron Crowe film. (The film was later deemed by the Library of Congress to be “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”)

Leigh was also well-regarded for her role in sleeper 90’s hit Single White Female, for her portrayal of the swagger-jacking best friend of Bridget Fonda. Through the 90’s and 00’s, Leigh worked on a series of indie films and projects, so her new TV role is somewhat of a departure.

Of Leigh’s new gig, Revenge creator Mike Kelley says:

“What you’re going to discover about the woman who was Emily’s mother is the circumstances under which they were separated, and you’re going to find that there’s some deep psychological issues with her, which I think is going to be fun for us to explore.”

Jennifer Jason Leigh to play Emily Thorne’s mother on Revenge. Good or bad choice? Deliciously unexpected & disturbing. #faveshow

— Lisa Tant (@LisaTant) July 21, 2012

Kelley continues:

“For Emily… she’s going to start seeing some of the psychological damage that her mother has in herself.”

You can catch Jennifer Jason Leigh in Revenge when it returns to ABC in September.