Laura Elizabeth Metcalf was born on June 16, 1955, and is an American actress and comedian.

Often described as a character actor, she is known for her complex and versatile roles across the stage and screen.

She has received various accolades throughout her career spanning over four decades, including two Tony Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and three Golden Globe Awards.

She went on to receive six Tony Award nominations, winning Best Actress in a Play in 2017 for her performance in A Doll’s House, Part 2 and Best Featured Actress in a Play for the 2018 revival of Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women. Her other Tony-nominated roles were for November (2008), The Other Place (2010), Misery (2016), and Hillary and Clinton (2019).

She gained national attention for her performance as Jackie Harris on the sitcom Roseanne (1988–1997, 2018) and its spinoff The Conners (2018–present), for which she won three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

She also won a Primetime Emmy Award for her guest role in Hacks (2022), and her other Emmy-nominated roles include 3rd Rock from the Sun (1999), Monk (2006), Desperate Housewives (2007), The Big Bang Theory (2016), Getting On (2013–2015), and Horace and Pete (2016). She also appeared on The Norm Show (1999–2001), Frasier, and The Dropout (2022).

Laurie Metcalf Parents: Meet Libby Metcalf and James Metcalf

Laura Elizabeth Metcalf was raised in Edwardsville, Illinois, which she has said “isn’t anywhere near a theatre.” Her father, James, was the budget director at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville at the time of his sudden death in 1984.

Her mother, Libby, was a librarian. Her great-aunt was the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Zoë Akins.