Melissa Ivy Rauch (born June 23, 1980) is an American actress, model and comedian. She is known for playing Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz on the

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

sitcom ''

The Big Bang Theory ''The Big Bang Theory'' is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom served as executive producers on the series, along with Steven Molaro, all of whom also served as head writers. It premiered on C ...

'', for which she was nominated for the

Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series The Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series is one of the award categories presented annually by the Critics' Choice Television Awards (BTJA) to recognize the work done by television actresses. Winners and ...

in 2013. From 2004 to 2008, Rauch worked as a regular contributor on the VH1 series ''

Best Week Ever ''Best Week Ever'' is an American comedy series created and executive produced by Fred Graver. The series originally aired from January 23, 2004, to June 12, 2009, on VH1.Harris, Scott"VH1 Cancels 'Best Week Ever'". ''Inside TV''. January 13, 2 ...

''. Rauch's other acting credits include playing Tina on the American remake of ''Kath & Kim'' and Summer on the HBO fantasy horror drama ''

True Blood ''True Blood'' is an American fantasy horror drama television series produced and created by Alan Ball. It is based on '' The Southern Vampire Mysteries'', a series of novels by Charlaine Harris. A reboot is currently in development. The ser ...

''. Rauch also starred in, co-wrote and co-produced the 2015

sports Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, ...

comedy-drama film '' The Bronze'' and provided the voice of DC character ''

Harley Quinn Harley Quinn is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm as a comic relief henchwoman for the supervillain Joker in '' Batman: The Animated Series'', and debuted in i ...

'' in the 2017 animated film '' Batman and Harley Quinn''. Rauch also had supporting roles in ''

I Love You, Man ''I Love You, Man'' is a 2009 American bromantic comedy film written and directed by John Hamburg, based on a script by Larry Levin. The film stars Paul Rudd as a friendless man looking for a best man for his upcoming wedding. However, his new ...

'' (2009), '' Ice Age: Collision Course'' and '' Flock of Dudes'' (both 2016), and ''

Ode to Joy "Ode to Joy" (German language, German: , literally "To heJoy") is an ode written in the summer of 1785 by German poet, playwright, and historian Friedrich Schiller and published the following year in ''Thalia (magazine), Thalia''. A slightl ...

'' and '' The Laundromat'' (both 2019).

Early life

Rauch was born to Susan and David Rauch, a

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

family living in

Marlboro Township, New Jersey Marlboro Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The township is located within the Raritan Valley region and is a part of the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a ...

. She has a younger brother, Ben. She developed an interest in acting while attending

Marlboro High School Marlboro High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Marlboro Township, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as one of the six secondary schools of the Fre ...

. Her Bat Mitzvah had a “Melissa’s Comedy Club” theme. Rauch graduated from

Marymount Manhattan College Marymount Manhattan College is a private college on the Upper East Side of New York City. As of 2020, enrollment consists of 1,571 undergraduates with women making up 80.1% and men 19.9% of student enrollment. The college was founded in 1936. Hi ...

in New York City in 2002.

Career

Some of Rauch's early work was as a regular contributor to VH1's ''

'' television show. In 2009, Rauch began playing the recurring role of Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz, a co-worker of Penny's at

The Cheesecake Factory The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated is an American restaurant company and distributor of cheesecakes based in the United States. The company operates 219 full-service restaurants: 206 under The Cheesecake Factory brand and 13 under the Grand Lux C ...

who began to date

Howard Wolowitz Howard Joel Wolowitz, M.Eng. is a fictional character on the CBS television series ''The Big Bang Theory'', portrayed by actor Simon Helberg. Among the four main male characters in the show, Howard is distinctive for being an engineer—rather ...

, in the third season of TV's ''

''. The following season her character became Howard's

fiancée An engagement or betrothal is the period of time between the declaration of acceptance of a marriage proposal and the marriage itself (which is typically but not always commenced with a wedding). During this period, a couple is said to be ''fi ...

and Rauch was promoted to a series regular. The characters married in the season five finale. In December 2011, Rauch and fellow cast members of ''The Big Bang Theory'' received the first of four nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. Other acting credits include ''

'' (on which she had a recurring role in 2010 as Summer, a girl who likes Hoyt), ''

The Office ''The Office'' is a mockumentary sitcom created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, first made in the United Kingdom, then Germany, and subsequently the United States. It has since been remade in ten other countries. The original series o ...

'', the American remake of the Australian TV series ''

Kath & Kim ''Kath & Kim,'' (also written as ''Kath and Kim'') is an Australian sitcom created by Jane Turner and Gina Riley, who portray the title characters of Kath Day-Knight, a cheery, middle-aged suburban mother, and Kim, her self-indulgent daughter ...

'', ''Wright v Wrong'', and the film ''

''. Rauch is also part of the cast of the comedic stage show ''The Realest Real Housewives'' with Casey Wilson,

June Diane Raphael June Diane Raphael ( ; born January 4, 1980) is an American actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She has starred in TV comedy programs ''Burning Love'', Adult Swim's '' NTSF:SD:SUV::'', and ''Grace and Frankie''. Notable film work includes support ...

, Jessica St. Clair and

Danielle Schneider Danielle Caroline Schneider (born January 1, 1975) is an American actress, writer, and improvisational comedian from the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. She co-created and starred in the Hulu reality TV parody series ''The Hotwives'' and current ...

. The show began running at the

Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (shorter UCB Theatre) is an American improvisational theatre company and training center founded by the Upright Citizens Brigade troupe members Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh. Prior t ...

in 2011. Rauch co-wrote and co-produced the film '' The Bronze'', in which she starred as Hope Ann Greggory, a bronze medal-winning

gymnast Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, sh ...

clinging to her glory days of 12 years earlier. It opened the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' said, "Rauch, who co-wrote the screenplay with her husband Winston, has never carried a film before. But she delivers the best breakthrough comedic performance by an actress since

Melissa McCarthy Melissa Ann McCarthy (born August 26, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, producer, writer, and fashion designer. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards, and nominations for two Academy Awards and tw ...

in ''

Bridesmaids Bridesmaids are members of the bride's party in a Western traditional wedding ceremony. A bridesmaid is typically a young woman and often a close friend or relative. She attends to the bride on the day of a wedding or marriage ceremony. Traditi ...

''." Sony Pictures Classics acquired the film in September 2015. In 2017, Rauch voiced

in the animated film '' Batman and Harley Quinn'' and she voiced Light Thief in "Light Riders" from '' Blaze and the Monster Machines''. In 2023, Rauch will star in the sequel series of ''

Night Court ''Night Court'' is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from January 4, 1984 to May 31, 1992. The setting was the night shift of a Manhattan municipal court presided over by a young, unorthodox judge, Harold "Harry" T. Stone (portray ...

'' of the same name as Abby Stone and also serve as executive producer.

Personal life

Rauch is married to writer Winston Beigel, who collaborated with her on ''The Miss Education of Jenna Bush'' and other projects. Rauch announced that she was pregnant on July 11, 2017, and disclosed that she’d had a miscarriage previously. On December 4, 2017, Rauch announced on Instagram (@melissarauch) that she had given birth to a girl named Sadie. On May 4, 2020, Rauch announced the birth of their son, Brooks. Rauch modeled the voice of

Bernadette Bernadette is a French name, a female form of the name Bernard, which means "brave bear". Notable persons with the name include: People * Bernadette (singer) (born 1959), Dutch singer * Bernadette Allen (born 1956), American foreign service of ...

after her parents: the "sweet, high-pitched purr" is modeled after her mother, while the "eerie, haranguing imitation" of

Mrs. Wolowitz The American television sitcom ''The Big Bang Theory'', created and executive produced by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, premiered on CBS on September 24, 2007, while the American comedy spin-off prequel television series ''Young Sheldon'', creat ...

is modeled after her father. Both are "very different" from Rauch's real voice.

Filmography

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rauch, Melissa 1980 births Actresses from New Jersey Female models from New Jersey American television actresses American models Living people Marlboro High School alumni Marymount Manhattan College alumni People from Marlboro Township, New Jersey 21st-century American actresses American film actresses American voice actresses Jewish American actresses 21st-century American Jews