Janine Nielssen — What Makes a Family Character Profile

About Janine Nielssen

The central protagonist and Heather's legal mother. She navigates the emotional and legal challenges of raising her daughter alone after Sandy's death and fights to keep her family together.

Janine Nielssen — Character Profile

Character Facts

Played by

Brooke Shields

Appears in

What Makes a Family (2001)

Role

Protagonist

More characters from What Makes a Family

• Sandy Cataldi (Cherry Jones)
• Terry Harrison (Whoopi Goldberg)
• Evelyn Cataldi (Anne Meara)
• Frank Cataldi (Al Waxman)
• Claire (Roberta Maxwell)
• Peter (Stewart Arnott)
• Nora (Melanie Nicholls-King)
• O'Brien (Dean McDermott)
• Melissa (Joanne Vannicola)
• Gene (Tony Devon)
• Professor (Roger Dunn)
• Martin Crane (Philip Williams)