Laurie Metcalf was born on June 16, 1955, in Carbondale, Illinois, and is the eldest of three children. She and her siblings were raised in Edwardsville, Illinois. Her father worked as a budget director at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and her mother was a librarian. Artistic talent runs in Metcalf's family; her great-aunt, Zoë Akins, was a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright.
Metcalf graduated from Illinois State University in 1976. Although she initially majored in German and Anthropology, she later changed her focus to Theatre after discovering her passion for acting. During her time at Illinois State, she met Jeff Perry, Terry Kinney, and Gary Sinise — co-founders of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Laurie began her acting journey with Steppenwolf and is regarded as one of its original members.
In 1984, Metcalf performed in the Steppenwolf production of Balm in Gilead at Circle Repertory Company in New York. Her 20-minute monologue as the character Darlene earned critical acclaim. For her outstanding performance, she received both an Obie Award for Best Actress and the Theatre World Award for best debut performance on the New York stage. Chicago critic Richard Christiansen praised her unforgettable delivery, especially a monologue about a former boyfriend, describing it as deeply moving.
Laurie Metcalf is widely recognized for her work on television. She portrayed Carolyn Bigsby on the popular series Desperate Housewives and played Mary Cooper, Sheldon’s mother, in The Big Bang Theory, a role that became iconic. She is also known for voicing Mrs. Davis in Pixar’s acclaimed Toy Story franchise. Additional notable film credits include her role as Debbie Salt (also known as Debbie Loomis) in Scream 2, as well as appearances in Making Mr. Right, JFK, and Mistress.
Metcalf continues to be a prominent figure in Chicago theatre and beyond. She is especially celebrated for her performance in the 1983 Steppenwolf revival of Lanford Wilson's Balm in Gilead. Over the years, she has earned four Tony Award nominations, winning Best Actress in a Play in 2017 for her role in A Doll's House, Part 2. In 2012, she starred as Mary Tyrone in a London production of Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night at the Apollo Theatre. In addition to her Tony and Obie Awards, Metcalf has received a Theatre World Award for her contributions to the stage. She also works with Plan USA, a global humanitarian organization supporting children worldwide.
In 1983, Metcalf married Jeff Perry, co-founder of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. They had a daughter named Zoe in 1984 before divorcing in 1992. Shortly after, Metcalf began a relationship with actor Matt Roth, her co-star on Roseanne, where he portrayed her boyfriend Fisher. They had a son, Will, in 1993 and later married. The couple acted together in several projects, including the film Blink and the series Desperate Housewives. They welcomed a daughter, Mae Akins, via surrogate in 2005 and adopted a son named Donovan. Roth filed for divorce in 2011, citing irreconcilable differences.
| Birth Date: | 16 Jun, 1955 |
| Age: | 64 yrs |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | Carbondale |
| Education: | Illinois State University |
| Gender: | Female |
| Description: | American actress |
| Spouse: | Jeff Perry[1983-1992] Matt Roth[1993-2014] |
| Net Worth 2021: | 14 million |
