Roseanne, The Big Bang Theory
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There have been several actors that were included in both “Roseanne” and “The Big Bang Theory”, both of which have been massive television hits. Among those actors is Laurie Metcalf, who played a significant role in both shows. Not only that, but Metcalf has been part of other long-running television shows and has even added some award-winning film work. Metcalf has enjoyed a long career in Hollywood, and she’s not close to finished just yet.
Metcalf comes from Southern Illinois, having been born in the city of Carbondale on June 16, 1955 and spending much of her time in Edwardsville. Though her father had worked in stage production, Metcalf didn’t put too much thought into acting during her earlier years. Instead, after high school, she headed to Illinois State where she wanted to be a language interpreter at first before catching the acting bug.
Metcalf didn’t think she had a future in acting, but decided to give a try anyway and was appearing in productions during college. She described herself as being a bit nervous of getting in front of a crowd. “I was horribly shy all through grade school and high school,” she said. “But somehow I got up the nerve to audition for one play in high school...I got a small part as the fiancee who comes on in the end. I got laughs. I wasn’t shy at all doing the part. I can do anything on stage and write it off as a character.”
She finished college in the mid 1970s and headed up north to Chicago. It was there that she started acting professionally on stage and headed to New York City to advance her career, eventually making her way to the screen.
Metcalf’s first role came in 1978, though it was basically as an extra. It wasn’t really until 1985 that more people came to know who she was thanks to her appearance in a TV movie and her first feature film role in “Desperately Seeking Susan” in 1985. Over the next couple of years, Metcalf had films such as “Making Mr. Right”, “Miles from Home” and “Uncle Buck”.
In 1988, Metcalf joined the cast of the hit show “Roseanne” as Jackie Harris, the younger sister of the title character. Metcalf played the character tremendously, earning herself several Emmy Award wins and multiple Golden Globe nominations. She appeared in more than 220 episodes of the show’s run, which included the 2018 revival.
During her run on “Roseanne”, Metcalf had plenty of film roles, as well. Metcalf was in films such as “JFk”, “Leaving Las Vegas” and “Toy Story” just to name a few. She ended the 1990s with films like “Runaway Bride”, “Bulworth” and “Scream 2”. It was then that Metcalf also took on a main role in “The Norm Show” that lasted for three seasons.
Throughout the first decade of the new millennium, Metcalf had a slew of guest appearances on shows such as “Frasier”, “Malcolm in the Middle” and “Monk”. In 2007, she took on the role of Sheldon Cooper’s mother, Mary, in “The Big Bang Theory”. The character would make occasional appearances throughout the show’s long run that lasted until 2019.
The 2000s also featured film roles for Metcalf including voice work in “Treasure Planet” and “Meet the Robinsons”, and she returned for both “Toy Story 3” and “Toy Story 4”. The 2010s had two regular TV roles for Metcalf with “Getting On” and “The McCarthys”, but both shows were fairly short lived. In 2017, Metcalf was nominated for an Oscar for the first time thanks to her role in “Lady Bird”.
2018 saw the revival of “Roseanne” on ABC, but it wasn’t long until Roseanne Barr herself was booted from the show for her comments on social media. Thus, “The Conners” was born as a spin-off with much of the original cast. This included Metcalf continuing her role as Jackie Harris, which was renewed for a second season after achieving solid ratings even without the original title character.
That marked quite a 12 month stretch for Metcalf to be on a hit show, continue her stage career and have an Oscar nomination. “I’d like to thank that it’s karma,” she said of her success in recent years. “I’d like to think that, having treated every single project as the most important one in that moment, and having worked your (tail) off, and given 150 percent to each one, that maybe there’s a little payback.”
“What is great is to be able to bounce around between theater, film and TV so you don’t get super down on any one,” she continued. “Because I’d hate for that to happen. I have such a passion.”
Though she’s proven to be very talented during her career, Metcalf considers herself more fortunate than anything. “Every part I get, I just think I’m so lucky,” she said. “They’re so hard to get, you know.” Even when not on television, Metcalf loves to spend her time acting, and will do so on stage.
“Really, I’ll go anywhere at any time to continue working in theater,” she said. “It’s a passion that I’m thankful I still have. It keeps me creative and on my toes and meeting great people. I can’t imagine a better way of working than on a play...Onstage I’m the one in control - I’m not at the mercy of how an editor chooses to put the scene together later. I can do things onstage that I would never do in real life. It’s very freeing.”
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