Sarah Louise Christine Chalke (/ˈɔːk/; born August 27, 1976) is a Canadian actress. She is known for her starring roles as the second Becky Conner in the ABC sitcom Roseanne (1993–1997), Elliot Reid in the NBC/ABC medical comedy series Scrubs (2001–2010), Beth Smith and Space Beth in the Adult Swim animated science fiction series Rick and Morty (2013–present), and Kate Mularkey in the Netflix drama series Firefly Lane (2021–2023).[1]

Sarah Chalke
Chalke posing on the red carpet
Chalke in 2008
Born
Sarah Louise Christine Chalke

(1976-08-27) August 27, 1976 (age 48)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
OccupationActress
Years active1992–present
Known forRoseanne
Scrubs
How I Met Your Mother
Rick and Morty
Firefly Lane
PartnerJamie Afifi (2003–2022)
Children2

Chalke had recurring roles as Stella Zinman in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother (2008–2009, 2014) and as Angie in the ABC/TBS sitcom Cougar Town (2012). She also had voice roles in the Netflix animated sitcom Paradise PD (2018–2021) and the Netflix animated adventure series Dogs in Space (2021–present).

Early life and education

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Chalke was born at the Ottawa Civic Hospital[2] on August 27, 1976, in Ottawa, Ontario, and was raised in North Vancouver, British Columbia.[3] She is the middle of three daughters born to Douglas and Angela Chalke (née Piper).[2]

She is from a German family who spoke German at home, and went to a school where she spoke French all day, so she speaks both languages fluently.[4]

Chalke graduated from Handsworth Secondary School in North Vancouver in 1994.[4]

Career

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Chalke's acting career began at age eight when she began appearing in musical theatre productions. At 12, she became a reporter on the Canadian children's show KidZone.[5] In 1993, she took over the role of Rebecca Conner-Healy on Roseanne after Lecy Goranson left the series; Chalke made a cameo appearance as a different character in the Roseanne episode "Halloween: The Final Chapter" (#178, originally aired October 31, 1995) after Goranson returned. Chalke later returned to the role of Becky after Goranson departed for a second time. After the show ended, Chalke returned briefly to Canada, where she starred in the CBC Television drama Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy (1998–1999). In 1999, she also starred as a Russian KGB agent in the film Y2K (also known as Terminal Countdown), alongside Louis Gossett Jr. and Malcolm McDowell.[6]

In 2001, she was cast as Dr. Elliot Reid in the NBC comedy series Scrubs and she would be a cast member for all nine seasons until the series ended its run in 2010. She has appeared in several feature films, including Ernest Goes to School and Cake.[7] She appeared in Channel 101's The 'Bu with The Lonely Island, a parody of the hit show The O.C., but was credited as "Pamela Fenton". In 2007, she appeared as a supporting character in Chaos Theory, which starred fellow Canadian Ryan Reynolds. In 2008, Chalke became the spokesperson for a line of women's underwear by Hanes that included a series of commercials directed by her Scrubs co-star Zach Braff.[8] In 2008 and 2009, she made appearances in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother as Stella Zinman. In early 2011, she starred in the CBS television series Mad Love, a romantic comedy which debuted as a midseason replacement and was cancelled after only one season was produced.[9][10]

Chalke was signed by former Scrubs executive producer Bill Lawrence to play the love interest of Bobby Cobb in the series Cougar Town. She appeared in multiple episodes in the third season.[11] Chalke starred in the ABC comedy series How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life), which premiered April 3, 2013, and which was cancelled one month later. She played Polly, a single and very uptight divorced mother who found herself moving back in with her parents (Elizabeth Perkins and Brad Garrett) because of the economic downturn. Also in 2013, she played a frantic mother named Casey Hedges in the Grey's Anatomy season 9 episode "Can't Fight This Feeling". Chalke also voices Beth Smith and Space Beth on the Adult Swim animated science-fiction series Rick and Morty.

On April 28, 2017, it was announced that a revival of Roseanne was in the works, and that most of the original cast and some of the producers would return for the revival series.[12] On May 16, 2017, it was confirmed that eight episodes of the show were greenlit by ABC and would air mid-season in 2018 with Chalke returning, but playing a role other than Becky Conner.[13] Following its cancellation, she later returned for a guest appearance in its spinoff series, The Conners.

In February 2021, Chalke co-starred alongside Katherine Heigl in the role of Kate Mularkey for the Netflix series Firefly Lane.[14]

Personal life

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In December 2006, Chalke became engaged to Canadian lawyer Jamie Afifi, after three years of dating.[15] In September 2022, Chalke announced that they had called off the engagement and "separated some time ago".[16] They have two children together, a son born in December 2009,[17][18] and a daughter born in May 2016.[19] Her son was diagnosed at two years old with Kawasaki disease.[20]

She is a fan of the Vancouver Canucks.[21][22]

Activism

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Chalke's aunt and grandmother both died from breast cancer that was undiagnosed while in its early stages. She has since encouraged breast cancer detection and prevention, and starred in the Lifetime movie Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy.[23] She is an ambassador for the Audrey Hepburn Children's Foundation. Chalke also made an appearance in a short video parodying a National Organization for Marriage's advertisement opposing same-sex marriage, "Gathering Storm".[24][25] She was the 2009 ambassador for the Susan G. Komen Passionately Pink for the Cure program, for which she also designed a T-shirt.[26]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1994 Ernest Goes to School Maisy
1999 Y2K (also known as Terminal Countdown)[6] Myra Soljev
2001 Kill Me Later Linda
2001 XCU: Extreme Close Up Jane Bennett
2005 Alchemy Samantha Rose
2005 Cake Jane
2007 Mama's Boy Maya
2008 Chaos Theory Paula Crowe
2016 Mother's Day Gabi
2016 After the Reality Kate Also executive producer
2020 The Wrong Missy Julia
2020 Eat Wheaties! Frankie Riceborough
TBA Playdate TBA Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1992 The Odyssey Realtor Episode: "A Place Called Nowhere"
1992 Neon Rider Annie Episode: "Labour Day"
1992 City Boy Angelica Television film
1993–1997, 2018 Roseanne Becky Conner-Healy / Andrea Main role (seasons 6–7, 9); Recurring role (seasons 8, 10)
1996 Robin of Locksley Marion Fitzwater Television film
1996 Stand Against Fear Krista Wilson Television film
1997 A Child's Wish Melinda Television film
1997 Dying to Belong Drea Davenport Television film
1997 Daughters Annie Morrell Television film
1997 Dead Man's Gun Muriel Jakes Episode: "The Bounty Hunter"
1998 I've Been Waiting for You Sarah Zoltanne Television film
1999 First Wave Chloe Wells Episode: "The Channel"
1999–2000 Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy Gloria Hobson Main role
2001–2010 Scrubs Elliot Reid Main role (seasons 1–8); Recurring role (season 9)
2002 It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie Elliot Reid Television film
2002–2003 Clone High X-Stream Erin / Marie Antoinette (voice) 3 episodes
2003–2004 The 'Bu Melissa Main role, The Lonely Island web series
2006 Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy Geralyn Lucas Television film
2008 Little Britain USA Lisa Warren Deleted scene
2008–2009, 2014 How I Met Your Mother Stella Zinman 10 episodes
2009 Scrubs: Interns Dr. Elliot Reid Episode: "Our Bedside Manner"
2009 Maneater Clarissa Alpert Main role
2009 The Fresh Beat Band The Good Witch Episodes: "The Wizard of Song: Parts 1 & 2"
2009 Prep & Landing Magee (voice) Television film
2011 Mad Love Kate Swanson Main role
2011–2019 American Dad! Cam / Meredith / Photographer (voice) 3 episodes
2011 Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice Magee (voice) Television film
2012 Cougar Town Angie 4 episodes
2013 Grey's Anatomy Casey Hedges Episode: "Can't Fight This Feeling"
2013 How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) Polly Green-Tatham Main role
2013–present Rick and Morty Beth Smith and Space Beth (voice) Main role
2015 Backstrom Amy Gazanian 6 episodes
2015 Undateable Sarah Chalke Episode: "A Rock and a Hard Place Walk Into a Bar"
2016 Angie Tribeca Mrs. Parsons Episode: "The Famous Ventriloquist Did It"
2016 Inside Amy Schumer Amy #2 Episode: "Psychopath Test"
2016–2019 Milo Murphy's Law Mrs. Murawski (voice) 6 episodes
2017–2019 Speechless Melanie 8 episodes
2018 Nobodies Sarah Chalke Episode: "Alone Star State"
2018 The Conners Andrea Episode: "One Flew Over the Conners' Nest"
2018 Friends from College Merrill Morgan 4 episodes
2018–2021 Paradise PD Gina Jabowski (voice) Main role, Seasons 1–3
2020 Psych 2: Lassie Come Home Dolores O'Riordan Television film
2021–2023 Firefly Lane Kate Mularkey Main role
2021–present Dogs in Space Stella (voice) Main role
2023 Hailey's On It! The Professor (voice) Recurring role
2024 Animal Control Yasmine Episode: "Raccoons and Mutts"

References

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  1. ^ "'Firefly Lane': What you need to know about the popular Netflix show". TODAY.com. February 12, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Chalke". Ottawa Citizen. September 2, 1976. p. 44. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  3. ^ "Sarah Chalke". TV Guide. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Sarah Chalke Talks 'Firefly Lane' Season 2 and German Christmas Traditions". Shondaland. December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  5. ^ "Sarah Chalke". TV Guide. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  6. ^ a b Stratton, David (August 30, 1999). "Y2K". Variety. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  7. ^ "Cake (2005) – A Review by David Nusair". reelfilm.com. December 1, 2005. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  8. ^ "Scrubs' Sarah Chalke, Zach Braff Tackle Wedgies in Hanes Underwear Commercial". Tv.popcrunch.com. Archived from the original on September 5, 2010. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
  9. ^ Schneider, Michael (June 26, 2010). "Judy Greer finds 'Mad Love'". Variety. Archived from the original on July 3, 2010.
  10. ^ "Sarah Chalke biography and filmography | Sarah Chalke movies". Tribute.ca. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  11. ^ "Sarah Chalke Is Coming To Cougar Town!". PerezHilton.com. September 11, 2011. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  12. ^ "'Roseanne' revival may be in the works". USA Today. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  13. ^ Otterson, Joe (May 16, 2017). "'Roseanne' Revival Lands at ABC". Variety. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  14. ^ Cohn, Paulette (February 4, 2021). "Sarah Chalke on Bonding With Katherine Heigl and the Challenges of Going Back To Her 20s for Firefly Lane". Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  15. ^ Serpe, Gina (December 5, 2006). "Sarah Chalke Scrubs Into Engagement". E!. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  16. ^ Wynne, Kelly (September 16, 2022). "Scrubs Actress Sarah Chalke Has Been 'Separated' from Fiancé Jamie Afifi for 'Some Time': Rep". People. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  17. ^ Masters, Megan (January 8, 2010). "Scrubs's Sarah Chalke Is a Hot Mom". E!. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  18. ^ "Sarah Chalke of "Scrubs" Gives Birth to Baby Boy!". Us Weekly. January 8, 2010. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  19. ^ "Sarah Chalke Welcomes Second Child With Fiance". Us Weekly. July 24, 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  20. ^ Webb Mitovich, Matt (March 7, 2013). "Grey's Exclusive: Sarah Chalke Opens Up About Bringing Her Own Crisis to TV: 'There Were Tears'". TVLine. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  21. ^ "Instagram". instagram.com. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  22. ^ https://x.com/sarahchalke/status/296076247853854720
  23. ^ Why I Wore Lipstick Archived October 14, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  24. ^ "Gaythering Storm – Gathering Storm parody with famous actors – Lance Bass, Jane Lynch, and more". FunnyOrDie. April 20, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
  25. ^ Funny Or Die (July 19, 2013), A Gaythering Storm, archived from the original on November 17, 2021, retrieved September 20, 2018
  26. ^ SOLVEJ SCHOU (October 20, 2009). "Report on Chalke and Cure(R) program". The Times of India. Archived from the original on August 11, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
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