Laurie Metcalf on screen and stage
Laurie Metcalf is an American actress known for her performances on stage and screen. She started her career on the stage at the Steppenwolf Theater Company in Chicago acting in several productions in the late 1970s. She made her screen debut in an uncredited role in the Robert Altman film A Wedding (1978). She served as a cast member on the NBC sketch series Saturday Night Live for one episode in 1981. Her early film roles include in the comedy drama Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), the comedy Uncle Buck (1989), and the political thriller epic JFK (1991). She gained her breakout role playing Jackie Harris in the ABC sitcom Roseanne (1988–1997) earning three consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Metcalf returned to the role in the continuation series The Conners (2018–2025).
She took supporting roles in the romantic drama Leaving Las Vegas (1995), political satire Bulworth (1998), and romantic comedy Runaway Bride (1999). She has voiced roles in the Toy Story trilogy (1995–2010), Treasure Planet (2002), and Meet the Robinsons (2007). She gained critical attention for playing a dysfunctional mother in the Greta Gerwig directed coming-of-age comedy film Lady Bird (2017) for which she earned nominations for the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Metcalf made her Broadway debut in 1995, and later won Tony Awards for playing Nora Helmer in the Lucas Hnath play A Doll's House, Part 2 (2017), a middle aged caretaker attending to the elderly in the Edward Albee play Three Tall Women (2018). She was Tony-nominated for playing a political speechwriter in the David Mamet play November (2008), a neurologist whose life begins to unravel in the Sharr White play The Other Place (2013), Annie Wilkes in the Stephen King adaptation Misery (2016), and Hillary Clinton in the Lucas Hnath play Hillary and Clinton (2019).
On television, she had leading roles in the ABC sitcom The Norm Show (1999–2001), the CBS sitcom The McCarthys (2014–2015), and the HBO comedy series Getting On (2013–2015). She took recurring roles playing Carolyn Bigsby in the ABC mystery-dramedy series Desperate Housewives (2006) and Mary Cooper in the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory (2007–2018). She also guest starred in 3rd Rock from the Sun, Frasier, Malcolm in the Middle, Horace and Pete, and Hacks. She played Phyllis Gardner in the Hulu limited series The Dropout (2022).
Acting credits
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | A Wedding | Maid | Uncredited | [1] |
| 1985 | Desperately Seeking Susan | Leslie Glass | ||
| 1987 | Making Mr. Right | Sandy McCleary | ||
| 1988 | Candy Mountain | Alice | ||
| Stars and Bars | Melissa | |||
| The Appointments of Dennis Jennings | Emma | Short film | ||
| Miles from Home | Exotic Dancer | |||
| 1989 | Uncle Buck | Marcie Dahlgren-Frost | ||
| 1990 | Internal Affairs | Amy Wallace | ||
| Pacific Heights | Stephanie MacDonald | |||
| 1991 | JFK | Susie Cox | ||
| 1992 | Mistress | Rachel Landisman | ||
| 1993 | A Dangerous Woman | Anita Bell | ||
| 1994 | The Secret Life of Houses | Ann | ||
| Blink | Candice | |||
| 1995 | Leaving Las Vegas | Mrs. Van Houten | ||
| Toy Story | Jennifer Davis | Voice role | [2] | |
| 1996 | Dear God | Rebecca Frazen | ||
| 1997 | U Turn | Bus Station Clerk | ||
| Chicago Cab | Female Ad Exec | |||
| Scream 2 | Debbie Salt / Nancy Loomis | |||
| 1998 | Bulworth | Mimi | ||
| 1999 | Runaway Bride | Betty Trout | Uncredited | |
| Toy Story 2 | Jennifer Davis | Voice role | [2] | |
| 2000 | Timecode | Dava Adair | Rehearsal shoot (included in the DVD release) | |
| 2002 | Treasure Planet | Sarah Hawkins | Voice role | [2] |
| 2005 | Fun with Dick and Jane | Phyllis | Uncredited role | |
| 2006 | Steel City | Marianne Karn | ||
| Beer League | Mrs. DeVanzo | |||
| 2007 | Meet the Robinsons | Lucille Krunklehorn-Robinson | Voice role | [2] |
| Georgia Rule | Paula Richards | |||
| 2008 | Stop-Loss | Mrs. Colson | ||
| 2010 | Toy Story 3 | Jennifer Davis | Voice role | [2] |
| 2017 | Lady Bird | Marion McPherson | [3] | |
| 2019 | Toy Story 4 | Jennifer Davis | Voice role | [2] |
| 2022 | Somewhere in Queens | Angela Russo | [4] |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Saturday Night Live | Weekend Update Reporter | Episode: "Jr. Walker & the All-Stars" | [5][6] |
| 1985 | The Execution of Raymond Graham | Carol Graham | Television film | |
| 1986 | The Equalizer | Theresa | Episode: "No Conscience" | |
| 1988–1997, 2018 |
Roseanne | Jackie Harris | Main cast (230 episodes) | |
| 1988 | Saturday Night Live | "Laurie Has A Story" | Episode: "Matthew Broderick/The Sugarcubes" | [7][8] |
| 1992 | The Jackie Thomas Show | Jackie Harris | Episode: "The Joke" | |
| 1995–1996 | Duckman | Various voices | Episodes: "Research and Destroy" and "Forbidden Fruit" | |
| 1997 | King of the Hill | Cissy Cobb (voice) | Episode: "Peggy the Boggle Champ" | |
| The Eddie Files | Special Agent Hicks | Episode: "Decimals – The Fake Money Caper" | ||
| Life with Louie | Miss Kinney (voice) | Episode: "The Kiss Is the Thing" | ||
| Dharma & Greg | Spyder | Episode: "Instant Dharma" | ||
| 1998 | Always Outnumbered | Halley Grimes | Television film | |
| The Long Island Incident | Carolyn McCarthy | |||
| 3rd Rock from the Sun | Jennifer Ravelli | 3 episodes | ||
| 1999 | Balloon Farm | Casey Johnson | Television film | |
| 1999–2001 | The Norm Show | Laurie Freeman | Main cast (54 episodes) | |
| 2000–2011 | God, the Devil and Bob | Donna Allman (voice) | 13 episodes | |
| 2002 | Two Families | Unsold pilot | ||
| Phil at the Gate | Teddy Duffy | Unsold pilot | ||
| Charlie Lawrence | Sarah Dolecek | Main cast (7 episodes) | ||
| 2004 | Malcolm in the Middle | Susan | Episode: "Lois's Sister" | |
| Frasier | Nanny G | Episode: "Caught in the Act" | ||
| Absolutely Fabulous | Crystalline | Episode: "White Box" | ||
| 2005 | Without a Trace | Susan Hopkins | Episode: "A Day in the Life" | |
| 2006 | Monk | Cora | Episode: "Mr. Monk Bumps His Head" | |
| Grey's Anatomy | Beatrice Carver | Episode: "The Name of the Game" | ||
| Desperate Housewives | Carolyn Bigsby | 4 episodes | ||
| My Boys | Aunt Phyllis | Episode: "When Heroes Fall from Grace" | ||
| 2007 | The Virgin of Akron, Ohio | Lydia | Pilot episode | |
| Raines | Alice Brody | Episode: "Reconstructing Alice" | ||
| 2007–2018 | The Big Bang Theory | Mary Cooper | Recurring role (14 episodes) | |
| 2008–2009 | Easy Money | Bobette Buffkin | Main cast (8 episodes) | |
| 2009 | The Farm | Warden Margaret Elder | Unsold pilot | |
| 2013 | The Goodwin Games | Dr. Richland | 2 episodes | [9] |
| 2013–2015 | Getting On | Jenna James | Main cast (18 episodes) | |
| 2014 | Tim & Eric's Bedtime Stories | Gabrielle | Episode: "Baby" | |
| 2014–2015 | The McCarthys | Marjorie McCarthy | Main cast (15 episodes) | |
| 2016 | Horace and Pete | Sarah | Episode #1.3 | |
| 2017 | Portlandia | Jill | Episode: "Friend Replacement" | |
| Playing House | Leslie Rollins | Episode: "You Wanna Roll with This" | ||
| 2018–2022 | American Dad! | Elizabeth Hadley (voice) | 2 episodes | |
| 2018 | Supergirl | Mary McGowan | Episode: "Schott Through the Heart" | |
| 2018–2025 | The Conners | Jackie Harris | Main cast (112 episodes) | [10] |
| 2020–2022 | The Accidental Wolf | Ram | 3 episodes | |
| 2021 | Q-Force | V (voice) | 10 episodes | [11] |
| Chicago Party Aunt | Peg Dunbrowski (voice) | Episode: "Tailgate Jailgate" | ||
| 2022 | The Dropout | Phyllis Gardner | 4 episodes | [12] |
| Hacks | Weed | 2 episodes | [13] | |
| 2023 | Carol & the End of the World | HR Lady (voice) | 3 episodes | |
| 2024 | Elsbeth | Regina Coburn / Felicity Watts | Episode: "Toil and Trouble" | |
| TBA | Monster | Augusta Gein | Main role; season 3 | [14] |
Theater
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Playwright | Venue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | The Glass Menagerie | Laura Wingfield | Tennessee Williams | Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago | |
| 1980 | Balm in Gilead | Darlene | Lanford Wilson | ||
| 1981 | Apollo Theater Center, Chicago | ||||
| 1984–1985 | Circle Repertory Theatre | ||||
| 1985 | Coyote Ugly | Scarlet | Lynn Siefert | Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago | |
| 1985–1986 | You Can't Take It with You | Gay Wellington | Kaufman and Hart | ||
| 1986–1987 | Bodies, Rest and Motion | Beth | Roger Hedden | Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre, Off-Broadway | |
| 1987 | Educating Rita | Susan "Rita" White | Willy Russell | Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago | |
| Westside Theatre, Off-Broadway | |||||
| 1992 | My Thing of Love | Elly | Alexandra G. Vassilaros | Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago | |
| 1994 | Libra | Margeurite Oswald | Don Delillo | ||
| 1995 | My Thing of Love | Elly | Alexandra G. Vassilaros | Martin Beck Theatre, Broadway | [15] |
| 2001 | All My Sons | Kate Keller | Arthur Miller | Lyttelton Theatre, West End | |
| 2004 | Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune | Frankie | Terrence McNally | Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago | [16] |
| 2006 | All My Sons | Kate Keller | Arthur Miller | Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles | [17] |
| 2007 | The Quality of Life | Jeannette | Jane Anderson | Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles | |
| 2008 | November | Clarice Bernstein | David Mamet | Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway | [18] |
| The Quality of Life | Jeannette | Jane Anderson | American Conservatory Theater | ||
| 2009 | Brighton Beach Memoirs | Kate Jerome | Neil Simon | Nederlander Theatre, Broadway | [19] |
| Voice Lessons | Ginny | Justin Tanner | Zephyr Theatre, Los Angeles | ||
| 2010 | Studio Theatre, Washington D.C. | ||||
| A Lie of the Mind | Meg | Sam Shepard | Acorn Theatre, Off-Broadway | ||
| Detroit | Mary | Lisa D'Amour | Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago | ||
| 2011 | The Other Place | Juliana | Sharr White | Lucille Lortel Theatre, Off-Broadway | |
| 2012 | Long Day's Journey into Night | Mary Tyrone | Eugene O'Neill | Apollo Theatre, West End | |
| Theatre Royal, Glasgow | |||||
| 2013 | The Other Place | Juliana | Sharr White | Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Broadway | [20] |
| 2013–2014 | Domesticated | Judy Pulvar | Bruce Norris | Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre, Off-Broadway | |
| 2015 | Trevor | Sandra Morris | Nick Jones | Atwater Village Theatre, Los Angeles | [21] |
| 2015 | All My Sons | Kate Keller | Arthur Miller | John Drew Theatre | |
| 2015–2016 | Misery | Annie Wilkes | Simon Moore | Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway | [22] |
| 2016 | Voice Lessons | Ginny | Jane Anderson | Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago | |
| 2017 | A Doll's House, Part 2 | Nora Helmer | Lucas Hnath | John Golden Theatre, Broadway | [23] |
| 2018 | Three Tall Women | B | Edward Albee | [24] | |
| 2019 | Hillary and Clinton | Hillary Clinton | Lucas Hnath | [25] | |
| 2020 | Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? | Martha | Edward Albee | Booth Theatre, Broadway | [26] |
| 2023 | Grey House | Raleigh | Levi Holloway | Lyceum Theatre, Broadway | [27] |
| Gutenberg! The Musical! | Producer (one night only) | Brown and King | James Earl Jones Theatre, Broadway | ||
| 2024 | Little Bear Ridge Road | Sarah | Samuel D. Hunter | Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago | [28] |
| 2025 | Booth Theater, Broadway | [29] |
References
[edit]- ^ George Wendt in Lovece, Frank (December 5, 2017). "George Wendt plays Santa in 'Elf: The Musical'". New York Newsday. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
I don't remember "Bronco Billy," but there was one summer they shot "A Wedding" in Chicago and they were looking for extras to play caterers, waiters and waitresses and the like. So all these guys from [Chicago's famed theater company] Steppenwolf were waiters: Me and Dennis Franz, John Malkovich, Alan Wilder, Tim Evans — lots of people. And we had fun; it was a bonding summer with the Steppenwolf guys. We'd turn up at dawn every morning and just hang out and wait around in our outfits. Except for Malkovich — we were in this big old mansion in [the Chicago suburb of] Lake Forest and he would find a bedroom way out of the way and just sleep there all day. He didn't care about being in the background of any of the shots. As a matter of fact, I don't even know if anything I shot is in the movie.
- ^ a b c d e f "Laurie Metcalf (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved September 20, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
- ^ N'Duka, Amanda (September 7, 2016). "John Karna Joins 'Lady Bird' Bevy; Natasha Liu Bordizzo Checks Into 'Hotel Mumbai'". Deadline. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ Fleming, Mike (February 10, 2021). "Ray Romano To Direct Untitled Dramedy He'll Star In With Laurie Metcalf". Deadline. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ "Saturday Night Live (Chevy Chase, Junior Walker)". The Paley Center for Media. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
- ^ "Saturday Night's Children: Laurie Metcalf (1981)". Splitsider. September 11, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
- ^ Laurie Has a Story, Saturday Night Live, October 15, 1988, retrieved May 19, 2018
- ^ "Laurie Has A Story", NBC.com, October 15, 1988, retrieved May 19, 2018
- ^ Masters, Megan. "Exclusive: Roseanne's Laurie Metcalf Books Arc on Fox's New Comedy The Goodwin Games". TVLine. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (June 22, 2018). "Roseanne Spinoff The Conners Picked Up By ABC With No Roseanne Barr Involvement". Deadline. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (June 23, 2021). "Netflix's Q-Force Rounds Out Cast Joining Sean Hayes, Sets Premiere Date; Watch Teaser Trailer". Deadline. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ Petski, Denise (June 10, 2021). "The Dropout: William H. Macy, Laurie Metcalf, Elizabeth Marvel, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Kate Burton Among 10 Cast In Hulu Limited Series". Deadline. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ Hibberd, James (March 18, 2022). "Hacks Season 2 Casts Ming-Na Wen, Laurie Metcalf, Martha Kelly and Margaret Cho". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (October 15, 2024). "'Monster' Season 3 Casts Laurie Metcalf as Ed Gein's Mother, Tom Hollander as Alfred Hitchcock and Olivia Williams as Alma Reville (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
- ^ "My Thing of Love (Broadway, 1995)". Playbill. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
- ^ Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune Steppenwolf
- ^ Morgan, Terry (April 20, 2006). "All My Sons". Variety. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ "Novemeber (Broadway, 2008)". Playbill. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
- ^ "Brighton Beach Memoirs (Broadway, 2009)". Playbill. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
- ^ "The Other Place (Broadway, 2013)". Playbill. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
- ^ Nichols, David C. (March 19, 2015). "Critic's Choice: When the spotlight moves on, from a different perspective - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ "Misery (Broadway, 2015)". Playbill. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
- ^ "A Doll's House, Part 2 (Broadway, 2017)". Playbill. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
- ^ "Three Tall Women (Broadway, 2018)". Playbill. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
- ^ "Hillary and Clinton (Broadway, 2019)". Playbill. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
- ^ "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Broadway, 2020)". Playbill. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
- ^ "Grey House (Broadway, 2023)". Playbill. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
- ^ "Reviews: Critics Sound Off on Steppenwolf's Little Bear Ridge Road". Playbill. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
- ^ "Laurie Metcalf and Micah Stock to Lead Samuel D. Hunter's Little Bear Ridge Road on Broadway". Broadway.com. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Laurie Metcalf.