Julia Louis-Dreyfus has been on television.
Elaine Marie Benes [ ˈbɛnᵻs ] is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld ( 1989 -- 1998 ) , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus . Julia Louis-Dreyfus . She is known for her work in television comedy , including Saturday Night Live ( 1982 -- 85 ) , Seinfeld ( 1989 -- 98 ) , The New Adventures of Old Christine ( 2006 -- 10 ) , and Veep ( 2012 -- present ) . Her breakthrough came in 1990 with a nine-season run playing Elaine Benes on Seinfeld , one of the most critically and commercially successful sitcoms of all time . Other notable television roles include Christine Campbell in The New Adventures of Old Christine , which had a five-season run on CBS , and her role as Selina Meyer in Veep , which has recently been renewed by HBO for a sixth season . She has also received a Golden Globe Award , seven Screen Actors Guild Awards , five American Comedy Awards , and two Critics ' Choice Television Awards .