Previously the female role was supposed to be Claire, the waitress at Pete's Luncheonette played by Lee Garlington, but Monk's Cafe replaced the luncheonette and Garlington was dropped from the role. Unlike her three close friends, Elaine is absent from the pilot episode. She reprised the role during season 41 of Saturday Night Live in 2016. Louis-Dreyfus received critical acclaim for her performance as Elaine, winning an Emmy, a Golden Globe and five SAG Awards. Elaine's best friend in the sitcom is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld, and she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer. Elaine Marie Benes / ˈ b ɛ n ɪ s/ is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus.