Janet Weiss is the female lead of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, best known as the fiancée who gets pulled into Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s world. Susan Sarandon originated the role in the 1975 film, and Victoria Justice played her in Fox’s 2016 TV remake. This article covers who Janet is, how she’s portrayed, her costume, the floor show, and where fans can still see her today.
Janet starts the story as a straitlaced, sheltered young woman engaged to Brad Majors. A flat tire and a stormy night strand the couple at Frank-N-Furter’s castle, where Janet’s transformation becomes one of the film’s central arcs. Her journey from “good girl” to liberated party guest is a big part of why the character has stayed relevant for 50 years.
Below you’ll find a quick-facts table, background on both actresses who’ve played her, details on her costume and the floor show scene, and answers to common search questions people have about the character.
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Janet Weiss Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
| Character | Janet Weiss |
| Franchise | The Rocky Horror Picture Show |
| First Played By | Susan Sarandon (1975 film) |
| Also Played By | Victoria Justice (2016 Fox TV special) |
| Fiancé/Love Interest | Brad Majors |
| Character Type | Fictional — not a real person |
| Known For | “Dammit Janet,” “Touch-a-Touch-a-Touch Me,” the floor show |
| Funko Pop Figure | #210, released 2015 |
Who Is Janet Weiss?
Janet is the female protagonist of The Rocky Horror (Picture) Show and the love interest of Brad Majors. In the stage musical she keeps the surname Weiss throughout, and that surname only changes to Majors in the sequel Shock Treatment, once she and Brad marry.
Character guides describe her as naive and innocent at the start of the story, before undergoing a transformation as she navigates the castle’s eccentricities. Her arc is often read as a parody of the “virgin to sex symbol” trope, using her exaggerated transformation to poke fun at old-fashioned ideas about female sexuality.
Key Story Beats:
- Gets engaged to Brad at a friend’s wedding
- Car breaks down near Frank-N-Furter’s castle during a storm
- Watches Frank unveil his creation, Rocky
- Is seduced by Frank, then bonds with and cares for Rocky after he’s injured
- Is turned into a statue by Frank’s Medusa Transducer, then dressed for the finale floor show
Susan Sarandon as Janet Weiss (1975)
Susan Sarandon is the actress most associated with the role. Susan Abigail Sarandon, born October 4, 1946, is an American actor who gained prominence for her role as Janet Weiss in the cult classic musical comedy horror film The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975).
The role came early in her career. Sarandon began acting in the drama film Joe (1970), the soap opera A World Apart, and the TV film F. Scott Fitzgerald and ‘The Last of the Belles’ (1974) before landing Rocky Horror. She later became a major Hollywood name, and went on to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for Dead Man Walking (1995), with other Oscar-nominated roles in Atlantic City, Thelma & Louise, Lorenzo’s Oil, and The Client.
Susan Sarandon — Career Snapshot
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Susan Abigail Sarandon (née Tomalin) |
| Born | October 4, 1946 |
| Rocky Horror Role | Janet Weiss |
| Breakthrough Year | 1975 |
| Major Award | Academy Award, Best Actress (Dead Man Walking, 1995) |
| Other Oscar-Nominated Films | Atlantic City, Thelma & Louise, Lorenzo’s Oil, The Client |
Janet Weiss’s Costume: Before and After
Janet’s look is one of the most recognizable parts of the character, precisely because it changes so much over the story. Costume guides consistently split her wardrobe into two phases.
Before the transformation:
- Modest cardigan or collared jacket
- Simple white blouse and knee-length skirt
- Conservative, buttoned-up styling meant to signal innocence
After the transformation:
- Slip dress
- Pearls
- A more revealing, cabaret-style look for the floor show finale
One costume guide sums up the shift by describing her key elements as cardigan, slip dress, and pearls, with an overall vibe it calls innocent and transformed. This is why “Janet Weiss costume” and “DIY Janet Weiss costume” are such common searches around Halloween and shadow-cast screenings — the two-look design gives fans an easy before/after to recreate.
The Floor Show and “Wise Up Janet Weiss”
“Wise Up Janet Weiss” isn’t a standalone song — it’s part of a musical sequence. After Frank catches Janet with Rocky, he uses his Medusa Transducer to freeze several characters, during a number Wikipedia lists as “Planet Schmanet Janet”/”Wise Up Janet Weiss”/”Planet Hotdog”.
That sequence sets up the film’s climax. After dressing the frozen characters in cabaret costumes, Frank leads them in a live floor show complete with an RKO tower and a swimming pool, set to “Rose Tint My World,” “Don’t Dream It, Be It,” and “Wild and Untamed Thing”. This is the “floor show” Janet-related keywords refer to, and it’s where her transformed costume actually appears on screen.
Victoria Justice as Janet Weiss (2016)
Fox revisited the material in 2016 with a shot-for-shot TV remake. The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again was directed by Kenny Ortega and starred Laverne Cox, Victoria Justice, and Ryan McCartan, airing on Fox on October 20, 2016.
Victoria Justice took on Janet in this version. Before the role, Justice was known for playing Lola Martinez on Zoey 101 and Tori Vega on Victorious, along with roles in The First Time, Fun Size, and MTV’s Eye Candy.
2016 Special — Key Cast
| Character | Actor |
| Janet Weiss | Victoria Justice |
| Brad Majors | Ryan McCartan |
| Dr. Frank-N-Furter | Laverne Cox |
| Riff Raff | Reeve Carney |
| Magenta | Christina Milian |
| Columbia | Annaleigh Ashford |
| Narrator | Tim Curry |
Reception: The remake did not land well with critics. On Rotten Tomatoes it holds a 25% score based on 409 user ratings, and on Metacritic it sits at 55 out of 100 based on 23 critics, alongside a 2.8 out of 10 user score. Despite the mixed reviews, it was nominated for the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series in 2017, though it lost to Eyewitness. Reviews of Justice’s performance specifically were more forgiving than the special overall — one retrospective review called her a pretty fair Janet.
Evidence Check
Confirmed: Susan Sarandon played Janet Weiss in the original 1975 film.
Confirmed: Victoria Justice played Janet Weiss in Fox’s 2016 remake.
Confirmed: The 2016 special received largely negative-to-mixed critical reviews.
What remains a matter of opinion: Fan and critic views on which actress “owns” the role vary widely — this is a subjective preference, not a factual dispute.
Janet Weiss in Other Productions
Sarandon and Justice aren’t the only performers linked to the role. The character is a staple of stage revivals too. Stephanie Hsu took on Janet Weiss in a stage revival of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show, and touring productions regularly recast the part — for example, Lauren Chia has played Janet on a UK tour alongside Jason Donovan.
Because Rocky Horror is performed constantly at midnight screenings, conventions, and regional theaters, “who played Janet Weiss” doesn’t have one single answer beyond the two screen versions — it depends on which production someone means.
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Janet Weiss Funko Pop
Collectors can also find Janet as a vinyl figure. Funko released Janet Weiss as Pop! figure #210 in 2015, as part of the Rocky Horror Picture Show collection, standing at the standard 4-inch Pop! size. The figure depicts her in her early, pre-transformation look rather than the floor show outfit.
Funko Pop Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
| Figure Number | #210 |
| Release Year | 2015 |
| Line | Funko Pop! Movies |
| Look Depicted | Pre-transformation outfit |
| Status | Vaulted (no longer in production) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who played Janet Weiss in The Rocky Horror Picture Show?
Susan Sarandon played Janet Weiss in the original 1975 film. Victoria Justice played the role in Fox’s 2016 TV remake.
Is Janet Weiss a real person?
No. Janet Weiss is a fictional character created for the 1973 stage musical The Rocky Horror Show and its 1975 film adaptation.
What is Janet Weiss’s costume?
Her look starts as a modest cardigan, blouse, and skirt, then shifts to a slip dress and pearls for the cabaret-style floor show finale.
What is “Wise Up Janet Weiss”?
It’s part of a musical sequence (“Planet Schmanet Janet”/”Wise Up Janet Weiss”/”Planet Hotdog”) that plays while Frank-N-Furter freezes several characters with his Medusa Transducer, shortly before the floor show.
Did Susan Sarandon and Janet Weiss meet Victoria Justice?
There’s no public record of a joint appearance between the two actresses specifically tied to the Janet Weiss role.
Is Janet Weiss related to Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss?
No. They share a name but are unrelated — one is a fictional film character, the other is a real musician.
How was the 2016 Rocky Horror remake received?
It received mostly negative-to-mixed reviews from critics, though it still earned a GLAAD Media Award nomination.
Is there a Janet Weiss Funko Pop figure?
Yes, Funko released her as figure #210 in 2015, though it’s since been vaulted.
Conclusion
Janet Weiss remains one of The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s most recognizable characters, largely because her arc — and her costume — visibly transform across the story. Susan Sarandon’s 1975 performance defined the role, while Victoria Justice’s 2016 turn introduced her to a newer audience, even as that special struggled with critics.
Beyond the two screen versions, Janet lives on through stage revivals, fan costumes, and collectibles like her Funko Pop figure. Anyone searching her name is usually looking for one of these threads — the actress, the costume, or the floor show scene — all of which trace back to the same 1975 original.