The Simpsons is the longest-running American animated series, sitcom, and scripted primetime television series. However, a little-known fact is that a crucial main character of the animated show could have sounded completely different.

A recent Collider piece revealed that Marge Simpson, the blue-haired matriarch of the Simpson family, was almost voiced by horror icon Jennifer Tilly. Since the cartoon’s success as a series of short films on The Tracey Ullman Show, Julie Kavner has played the role of Marge Simpson. However, Julie Kavner considered moving to New York at the time, which meant they needed a replacement for Marge’s voice.

Jennifer Tilly, then married to Simpsons co-creator Sam Simon, was a serious contender for the voice of Marge Simpson at the time. Of course, Kavner didn’t move to New York, and Tilly ended up voicing Bonnie Swanson on Family Guy instead. She also became a horror icon in 1998 for her role as Tiffany Valentine, the girlfriend of homicidal cursed doll Chucky.

Today, Jennifer Tilly is known for her distinct, airy voice. Aside from her voice acting and horror work, Tilly is also a proficient professional poker player. In this post, we’ll look at Jennifer Tilly’s work in horror, her professional poker career, and what’s next for the horror queen:
 

 

Jennifer Tilly in horror

In 1998, Jennifer Tilly enjoyed a boost to her popularity after her voice work and portrayal of serial killer Tiffany Valentine in several of the Child’s Play horror movie series. In a recent interview, Tilly acknowledged that Tiffany has undoubtedly become her signature character, and the role she’ll best be remembered for. This, despite having an Oscar nomination for Bullets Over Broadway.
 

 
With the rise of the Internet, the Chucky and Bride of Chucky films grew an even more passionate fanbase and cult following for horror enthusiasts. Tilly describes this fandom as “very fanatical, but they’re very, very, loyal, and they’re really smart.” Tilly even went so far as to quip about fans leaving Chucky dolls on her grave after she passes away.
Today, Chucky and Tiffany’s impact on horror and doll-related horror is undeniable. Our post highlighting the Hollenbeck House Haunt cites owner Ron Weihe’s experience of being scared by a neighborhood kid in a Chucky costume, who asked him to do a haunted house with him. The 14-year-old haunt operation now features scares like animatronics, dummies, and plenty of scare actors.

Tilly’s role in horror also extends beyond the Chucky-verse. In 1996, prior to landing the role as Tiffany Valentine, Tilly starred opposite Gina Gerson in the Wachowski sisters’ lesbian thriller Bound, which, while not necessarily a spooky horror, is still a nail-biting watch (and rewatch) for many today. More in line with her run as Tiffany Valentine is her role in Hide and Seek, in which a knife-wielding Tilly kidnaps a pregnant Darryl Hannah because she wants her child. Later, Tilly starred in the more kid-friendly The Haunted Mansion in 2003, as a medium whose head is trapped in a crystal ball. Whichever Tilly film you pick, you’re bound to get a taste of Jennifer Tilly’s world of horror, camp, and thrills.

Jennifer Tilly and poker

Tilly is famously a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner after becoming the first celebrity to win such a tournament in 2005. She also won in the third World Poker Tour (WPT) Ladies Invitational Tournament in 2005 and was nominated for PokerListings’ Spirit of Poker Living Legend Award in 2014.
 

 
Most recently, she was inducted into the Women in Poker Hall Of Fame Class of 2022 in recognition of her impressive poker career, having taken down some of the biggest names in the game, all while maintaining a successful Hollywood career. Tilly joins fellow professionals Vanessa Selbst, Terry King, and Angelica Hael in the list of 2022 inductees. Tilly has also surrounded herself with skilled company, having been in a long-term relationship with fellow poker pro and WSOP bracelet holder Phil Laak.

Of course, the WSOP remains the biggest poker tournament today and is responsible for many poker icons’ careers. This includes 2003 WSOP Champion Chris Moneymaker. Currently an ACR Poker pro, Moneymaker aims to continue his online poker legacy by making poker more accessible through Twitch livestreams. As a leading online poker provider, ACR Poker also focuses on poker tournaments in the hopes of finding “the next Moneymaker.” While Tilly has previously spoken about considering poker a hobby, her caliber puts her up with the best players in the game, like Moneymaker. In 2008, Tilly crossed paths with Moneymaker in the poker film Deal, where her boyfriend Phil Laak also appeared.

Jennifer Tilly as a Real Housewife

Horror icon and poker pro aside, Tilly still enjoys the glitz and glam of Hollywood. The actress and poker pro recently joined the 14th season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills as a “friend of” the Housewives. This role involves listening to the women in the show recall their fights over brunch. Tilly has also guested in previous seasons of the show.
 

 
On the show, Tilly is always fashionably dressed and seems well-suited to the role of “friend of.” In a recent interview with The Cut, Tilly was asked if she’d ever consider becoming a Real Housewife beyond her role as “friend of.” The actress confidently said it “might be the best route for her moving forward.”

Tilly explained this would help her “get to know the other girls better,” and the interview may have come just in time, with cast member Garcelle Beauvais recently announcing her exit. Previously, Tilly has described her Housewives experience as completely different from playing high-stakes poker and acting due to a “poker face” being out of place on the Housewives set since it thrives on drama. If she does end up being cast a Real Housewife, it’ll be another interesting challenge the poker queen can certainly overcome.

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