Jaclyn Tohn is an American actress and musician. She is best known for playing Melanie "MelRose" Rosen on the Netflix series GLOW, and for taking part in American Idolseason 8, making it to Top 36. She also took part in the 2011 songwriting competition series Platinum Hit on the Bravo network.
Life and career
Tohn was born and raised in a Jewish family in Oceanside, Long Island, New York, to physical education teachers Alan and Bella Tohn. She has two older brothers. Tohn began acting professionally at age 10, with an extra role on the PBS children's series Ghostwriter, and was a student at Boardman Middle School when she had her first major role, an appearance on the CBS sitcom The Nanny. After high school, she went to the University of Delaware and majored in elementary education, and in the fall of 1998 was in the a cappella group the Deltones. In November 1999, she starred in the one-act play "This Property is Condemned" by Tennessee Williams at the Chapel Street Theatre. She later went to Los Angeles with her mother and agent at the time. She played Tina in Tony-n-Tina's Wedding at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. She also originated the role of Joanie in Body Snatchers: The Musical at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles. She lived with Jessica Biel for a time. In March 2004, she starred in the playJewtopia at the Coast Playhouse in West Hollywood in Los Angeles. The producers then decided to move the play to the Westside Arts Theater in New York and she relocated. She began doing solo acoustic guitar shows in April 2004 and in November 2005 released an EP called The Golden Girl which was recorded at a studio in Tarrytown, New York. She has played at Pianos, The Living Room, CBGB, The Cutting Room, and The Rothko in New York and at Highland Grounds, The Mint, and Wizard Finger in Los Angeles. She has appeared in the films Dawg in 2002 alongside Denis Leary, Deuces Wild as Mary Ann, and Return to Sleepaway Camp as Linda. She appeared as Faith in the film Postal and appeared in the 2008 television film Giants of Radio. Tohn was in a pilot for MTV called Show Me The Movie and a pilot for Fox called Prudy and Judy, starring herself and Laura Bell Bundy. She has also appeared in the television seriesThe Sopranos, Strangers with Candy, Angel, Rules of Engagement, Veronica Mars and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Tohn was in a relationship with singer-songwriter Jason Mraz in the mid 2000s. In 2007, she appeared in the short films Smile, Discovering The Wheels, The Malibu Myth, The Legend of Donkey-Tail Willie and Catch which were made during the reality show On the Lot. Tohn was featured on hip-hop artist Gotham Green's single entitled "Been Doin' It". In 2011, she appeared on the songwriting-competition reality show Platinum Hit on the American cable network Bravo, as one of 12 aspiring songwriters. She reached 7th place. In 2013, Tohn appeared on House of Lies. In 2016, she was cast in the Netflix series GLOW. In 2019, Tohn appeared in Epic Rap Battles of History portraying Joan Rivers in the episode George Carlin vs Richard Pryor. In 2019, Tohn was the host of The Howard Stern Show Sternthology's week-long show of .
''American Idol''
In 2009, Tohn appeared on the eighth season of American Idol, and made it through to the Hollywood rounds. She advanced through the Hollywood rounds making the Top 36 for season 8 and was in the first group of 12 to perform going first that night and was eliminated. She performed "A Little Less Conversation" from Elvis Presley during Top 36 under the theme BillboardHot 100 Hits to Date and was eliminated without advancing to the finals.
