Jodi Balfour is an actress of South African-Canadian descent who has gained popularity thanks to her emotional and multi-faceted acting. She is most recognized as the protagonist of the Apple TV+ series For All Mankind, though she has notable looks in Bomb Girls, where she won a Canadian Screen Award, and notable roles in shows such as Ted Lasso, True Detective, and The Crown. Her art is a mixture of elegance and emotional authenticity that made her a household name in both the Canadian and American entertainment industries.
Jodi Balfour Biography | |
|---|---|
| Real Name: | Jodi Balfour |
| Birth Date: | October 29, 1986 |
| Age: | 39 Years |
| Birthplace: | Cape Town, South Africa |
| Height: | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Spouse/Partner | Abbi Jacobson |
Early Life
Jodi Balfour was born on October 29, 1986, in Cape Town, South Africa, and her childhood was spent in a supportive household that fostered her art interests. She studied at the University of Cape Town, and in 2009, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in theater and performance.
Her parents relocated to Canada after she completed her studies, although Jodi remained behind in South Africa to further her budding career as an actress. She subsequently moved to Canada and then Los Angeles, where she remained part of her international acting career, as well as owning a small cafe in the Gastown district of Vancouver named Nelson the Seagull that she co-owned.
Jodi Balfour Career
After graduating from the University of Cape Town, Jodi Balfour entered the acting profession seriously. Her breakthrough was in Canadian television, notably in the series Bomb Girls, where she played Gladys Witham, a wealthy socialite who becomes a factory worker during World War II.
The performance was critically acclaimed, and Balfour was awarded a Canadian Screen Award in 2015, showing that she is a skilled actress who can play emotionally rich characters. She kept padding her resume with lead and supporting parts in a wide range of genres.
It includes her role as British royalty Jackie Kennedy in The Crown, a meaty turn in the gritty HBO series True Detective, and her starring role in Quarry, a dark Cinemax drama that displayed her depth and range. Her most celebrated work was on Apple TV+ with For All Mankind, where she played Ellen Wilson, a career-driven NASA astronaut and subsequently the U.S. President in an alternate history space race.
Her performance was raved about as an exceptionally subtle and realistic portrayal, which placed her in the higher echelon of American television. She added nuance and emotional weight to the part, which made the series earn a cult following and critical acclaim.
In 2023, she appeared in the third season of the hit series Ted Lasso as Jack Danvers, a rich venture capitalist whose love affair with the team owner Keeley gave the plot new twists and turns. Most recently, in 2025, she performed on a theatrical stage in New York City in the romantic dark comedy Lowcountry, a step that showed her determination to grow as an artist and use new forms of storytelling.
Personal Life
Jodi Balfour is the partner of comedian, actress, and writer Abbi Jacobson. The two started dating in October 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic after meeting on the exclusive dating app Raya. Celebrating a year together, they officially announced their relationship in October 2021. The couple got engaged in August 2022, with Abbi proposing on a trip to London with a whimsical toy ring, and Jodi having made a secret ring of her own.
They got married in June 2024 in a rain-drenched, small-scale indoor wedding in Brooklyn, in off-the-rack dresses by The Row. Their relationship is hailed as being warm, mutually creative, and committed, and both women are outspoken advocates of LGBTQ+ representation and narratives.
Social Media
Jodi Balfour’s Instagram username is @jodiannebalfour, and she has approximately 86,500 followers. Her Instagram mixes professional photos, press events, behind-the-scenes footage, and awards ceremonies with casual, intimate shots of her cafe in Vancouver and life in Los Angeles.
She does not hesitate to leverage her platform to quietly bring attention to LGBTQ+ advocacy and has frequently marked Pride Month and promoted queer storytelling initiatives. Her social presence is elegant, credible, and socially aware, although these are subtle rather than explicit forms of promotion.
Jodi Balfour Net Worth
Jodi Balfour has an estimated net worth of between $1.2 million and $1.5 million as of 2025. This is based on her income in film and television, most prominently in For All Mankind and Bomb Girls, as well as her stake in the Vancouver cafe.
Other earnings are from her stage performances and participation in high-profile television events. Although her wealth is relatively low in comparison to Hollywood superstars, her professional prosperity is evidenced by her financial solidity and the variety of revenue sources.