Joy Lauren

Lauren Joy Jorgensen, (born ) is an American producer, director, writer and former actress. She is known for playing Danielle Van de Kamp on the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives (as Joy Lauren) and, as an adult, for creating award-winning films. She is of Danish descent. She lived in the Vail, Colorado area from age 1 to 4. Jorgensen attended the Galloway School and appeared in several productions by the Alliance Theatre. At age 11, she moved from Atlanta to Los Angeles with her mother to pursue an acting career. She graduated from high school at age 14. Jorgensen graduated from Columbia University in 2012, where she majored in American history.

Jorgensen is the founder of Killjoy Films. She has produced and directed a number of independent and short films. As an actress, she was initially known as Joy Lauren. Of her acting appearances, she is best known for her role as Danielle Van De Kamp in Desperate Housewives, As part of the cast of Desperate Housewives, Jorgensen (under the name Joy Lauren) was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

In addition to feature films, Jorgensen has produced notable shorts, including Laps, winner of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Award; and Blue Christmas, which premiered at Toronto International Film Festival and 2018 Sundance Film Festival, and is included on Sundance’s Holiday movies to watch. Both were directed by Charlotte Wells. and the Outfest 2021 Special Programming Award for Emerging Talent for director Joseph Sackett. Also in 2020, Jorgensen began producing the feature film Runner, Runner premiered at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival and won the Torino Co-Production Award, including production support from Creative Media Europe, as well as development support from the Cannes Cinéfondation Residence program. winner of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival’s Short Film Jury Award in International Fiction. The film was directed by Oscar-winner Zamarin Wahdat.

In 2024, it was announced that Jorgensen produced the narrative feature film We Strangers, directed by Anu Valia, which premiered at SXSW 2024, and went on to win the Grand Jury Prize for New American Cinema at the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF). Jorgensen’s production, We Strangers, also won IndieWire Critics’ Pick, the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature at the New Orleans Film Festival and the New Hampshire Film Festival, and was a Spotlighted Film at the Provincetown International Film Festival. The film was distributed through Quiver Distribution. Torino Film Lab Script Editing Fellow, a recipient of the 2022 NYC Women's Fund for Media, Music and Theatre in partnership with the City of New York, and a 2024 Ingmar Bergman Estate Foundation Resident.

Filmography

+ Television roles Year Title Role Notes 2002 The Division Mary Ellen Smith 2 episodesNominated — Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Drama Series - Guest Starring Young Actress 2002 Lizzie McGuire Head Cheerleader Episode: "Movin' on Up" 2003 Still Standing Jenna Episode: "Still Shoplifting" 2004–08, 2010–11 Desperate Housewives Danielle Van de Kamp Recurring role; 78 episodesNominated — Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy) - Supporting Young Actress (2006)Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2007–09) 2006 The Closer Angela Carter 2 episodes 2007 Shark Krystie Mays Episode: "Starlet Fever" 2007 Private Practice Darcy Episode: "In Which Cooper Finds a Port in His Storm"

+ Film roles Year Title Role Notes 2003 Rouges Choir 2007 Teeth Amy Johnson 2010 The Assignment Shelley 2013 House of Dust Blythe