Sara Rue

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Sara Rue
Rue in September 2010
Born
Sara Schlackman

(1979-01-26) January 26, 1979 (age 45)
OccupationActress
Years active1988–present
Spouses
Mischa Livingstone
(m. 2001; div. 2007)
Kevin Price
(m. 2011)
Children2

Sara Rue (born January 26, 1979)[1] is an American actress. She is best known for her performances as Carmen Ferrara on Popular, as Claude Casey on Less than Perfect, and as the Attorney General in Idiocracy. In 2011, she hosted The CW reality series Shedding for the Wedding. She had a recurring role in the comedy Rules of Engagement, as Brenda, the softball teammate and good friend of Jeff Bingham.[a] She had a regular role as Kim on the short-lived ABC sitcom Malibu Country, and appeared in the main cast of the TV Land comedy series Impastor. She is also known for her role as Olivia Caliban in the second season of A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Early life[edit]

Sara Rue was born Sara Schlackman in New York City, the daughter of Joan Schlackman (née Rue), a municipal employee and former actress, and Marc Schlackman, a stage manager.[2] The elder of two daughters, she was raised in New York, where her parents were active in Broadway theatre. She is Jewish.[3]

Career[edit]

Rue began her acting career at the age of nine, appearing in the 1988 film Rocket Gibraltar as Kevin Spacey's daughter. Rue played a very young Roseanne in the first meeting of Roseanne and Dan at a dance on the TV show Roseanne.[4]

She starred in the comedy Grand, before going on to work on Phenom; Minor Adjustments; Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane; ER; The Division and Popular. From 2002 to 2006, she starred in the main role of Claude Casey on the ABC sitcom Less than Perfect. She has appeared in several films, including A Map of the World, Can't Hardly Wait, A Slipping Down Life, Idiocracy, Gypsy 83. She also had a small part as a babysitter in Gore Verbinski's adaptation of The Ring. She impressed director Michael Bay so much that a role was written into the movie Pearl Harbor for her.

Rue appeared uncredited in the 2006 Mike Judge film Idiocracy, in the role of the Attorney General. In 2006, Rue starred in the stage musical Little Egypt with French Stewart, Jenny O'Hara and Gregg Henry at the Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles. She guest-starred in Two and a Half Men as Berta's pregnant youngest daughter. She had a stint on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, playing Dr. Leonard Hofstadter's physician girlfriend Dr. Stephanie Barnett for three episodes. Her first appearance on the show occurred on November 17, 2008. In 2009, Rue appeared in the movies Man Maid and For Christ's Sake. She starred on the short-lived 2009 series Eastwick, based on the novel and movie The Witches of Eastwick. In December 2009, she became a spokesperson for weight loss company Jenny Craig.[5][6]

In October 2010, Rue joined the cast of Rules of Engagement in a recurring role as Brenda, Jeff and Audrey's surrogate.[7]

It was announced in December 2011 that Rue would be writing and starring in a new show on The CW called Poseurs, about a young woman named Lucy whose life is upended when her fiancé moves out and her fresh-from-rehab collegiate best friend, Alexandra, moves in. The two friends pose as a lesbian couple and actually get married in order to stay in the nice apartment building that only allows married couples.[8]

Rue starred in the ABC show Malibu Country as Reba McEntire's upbeat trophy wife neighbor, Kim Sallinger.[9] Malibu Country ran for one season (2012–13). Rue had the title role of Deb Dorfman in the movie Dorfman in Love (2012).[10]

In 2014, Rue appeared in a recurring role as Candace, fiancee of Christy's ex-husband on the CBS sitcom Mom. In 2015, she was cast as main character Dora in the TV Land comedy Impastor.[11] The show was cancelled after its second season in 2016. Rue had a recurring role as Nancy Granville on ABC's American Housewife which was canceled after five seasons. [12]

In 2017, Rue was cast in the recurring role of Olivia Caliban on the second season of the Netflix comedy drama series A Series of Unfortunate Events.[13]

Personal life[edit]

Rue married filmmaker Mischa Livingstone in 2001, and they divorced in 2007.[14] Rue married teacher Kevin Price[15] on May 21, 2011, in a traditional Jewish wedding.[16][17] She gave birth to their first child, a daughter, in February 2013.[18] She and Price adopted a second daughter in November 2016.[19]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1988 Rocket Gibraltar Jessica Hanson
1992 Passed Away Megan Scanlan
1998 Can't Hardly Wait Earth Girl
1998 Nowhere to Go a.k.a. Silent Hearts (USA: TV title)
1999 A Slipping-Down Life Violet
1999 A Map of the World Debbie
2001 Pearl Harbor Nurse Martha
2001 Gypsy 83 Gypsy Vale
2002 The Ring Babysitter
2005 Barbara Jean Barbara Jean Short film
2006 Danny Roane: First Time Director Charlotte Lewis
2006 Idiocracy Attorney General "Fun Bags" (Uncredited)
2008 Man Maid Torry
2009 Not Since You Sarah 'Doogs' Doogins
2010 For Christ's Sake Candy
2011 Dorfman in Love Deb Dorfman
2013 Miss Dial Sam
2020 American Pie Presents: Girls' Rules Ellen Direct-to-video

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1990 Grand Edda Pasetti Main role (26 episodes)
1992 Roseanne Teenage Roseanne Episode: "Halloween IV"
1993–94 Phenom Monica Recurring role (14 episodes)
1995 Blossom Angie Episode: "Mating Rituals"
1995 Family Reunion: A Relative Nightmare Jacquelyn Television movie
1995–96 Minor Adjustments Darby Gladstone Main role (20 episodes)
1996 ER Jane Episode: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
1996 Pearl Bertha Sugs Episode: "Ticket to Ride "
1996 For My Daughter's Honor Kimberly Jones Television movie; a.k.a. Indecent Seduction
1997 Ned & Stacey Amy Episode: "Prom Night"
1997 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Younger Sister (voice) Episode: "The Golden Goose"
1998 Chicago Hope Rhonda Fritz Episode: "The Ties That Bind"
1998 The Simple Life Melanie Episodes: "Pilot", "Sara's Ex", and "The Luke & Sara Show"
1999 Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane Breeny Kennedy Episodes: "Everything You Wanted to Know About Zoe", "To Jack, from Zoe", and "Sympathy for Jack"
1999–2001 Popular Carmen Ferrara Main role (43 episodes)
2000, 2018 Will & Grace Joyce Adler Episodes: "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" (season 3), "One Job" (season 9)
2002–03 The Division Amanda McCafferty Episodes: "Hide and Seek", "Remembrance", and "Acts of Betrayal"
2003 MADtv The Babysitter Episode #9.11
2002–06 Less than Perfect Claudia "Claude" Casey Lead role (81 episodes)
2003 This Time Around Gabby Castellani Television movie
2006 Play Nice Television movie
2006–07 Two and a Half Men Naomi Episodes: "Repeated Blows to His Unformed Head" and "Castrating Sheep in Montana"
2007 Nurses Chris Korenek Television movie
2008 The Big Bang Theory Dr. Stephanie Barnett Episodes: "The Lizard-Spock Expansion", "The White Asparagus Triangulation" and "The Vartabedian Conundrum"
2008 Nightmare at the End of the Hall Courtney Television movie
2008 Spaced Apryl Television movie
2009 Leverage Marissa Devins Episode: "The Mile High Job"
2009–10 Eastwick Penny Higgins Main role
2010 Private Practice Shira Cole Episode: "Til Death Do Us Part"
2010–13 Rules of Engagement Brenda Recurring role (12 episodes)
2011 My Future Boyfriend Elizabeth Barrett Television movie
2011 Shedding for the Wedding Herself – Host Regular (5 episodes)
2011 RuPaul's Drag Race 3 Herself – Guest Judge Episodes: "Face, Face, Face of Cakes" and "RuPaul Rewind"
2012 Psych Amy Alleris Episode: "Heeeeere's Lassie"
2012–13 Malibu Country Kim Sallinger Main role
2014–16 Mom Candace Hayes Recurring role (7 episodes)
2014–17 Celebrity Name Game Herself / Celebrity player 15 episodes
2015–16 Impastor Dora Winston Main role
2015 Don't Wake Mommy Beth Television movie
2016–17 Bones Karen Delfs Recurring role (7 episodes)
2017 All For Love Jo Television Film (Hallmark Channel)
2017–2020 American Housewife Nancy Granville Recurring role
2018 A Series of Unfortunate Events Olivia Caliban Recurring role (7 episodes)
2018–2019, 2022 The Rookie Nell Forester 5 episodes
2019 True Love Blooms Vikki Television Film (Hallmark Channel)
2020–2021 B Positive Julia Dunbar Main role
2020–2022 25 Words or Less Herself / Contestant 15 episodes
2024 That Girl Lay Lay Ms. Hooper Episode: "School of Rap"

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Ceremony Award Work Result
2004 Indianapolis International Film Festival Special Jury Prize: Performance (Shared with Lili Taylor) A Slipping-Down Life Won
2009 Ashland Independent Film Festival Best Acting Ensemble: Feature (Shared with Phillip Vaden, Jane Lynch, Steve Hytner and John Doe) Man Maid Won
2013 LA Femme International Film Festival Comedic Actress Award Won

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Celebrity birthdays for the week of Jan. 21-27". AP News. 16 January 2024.
  2. ^ Sara Rue profile, FilmReference.com. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  3. ^ Pine, Dan (July 19, 2012). "Gould, 'centered and grateful,' to accept award at festival". J. The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 2016-07-09. Rue, like Gould, is Jewish, so spicing up their characters with Jewish inflections came easily to both.
  4. ^ "Actors: Sara Rue | The Big Bang Theory". the-big-bang-theory.net. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  5. ^ "Sara Rue's Weight Loss: How She Lost 50 Lbs". HuffPost. 2010-10-04. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  6. ^ "Sara Rue in a Bikini After Losing 50 Lbs". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  7. ^ "Rue joins 'Rules of Engagement' cast". UPI. October 11, 2010.
  8. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (December 5, 2011). "The CW Buys Comedy Written By And Starring Sara Rue". Deadline Hollywood.
  9. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 1, 2012). "Leah Remini, Sara Rue join ABC comedies". Deadline Hollywood.
  10. ^ "Sara Rue entry". Dorfmanthemovie.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-27. Retrieved 2012-07-21.
  11. ^ "Sara Rue To Co-Star In TV Land Comedy Pilot 'Impastor'". Deadline Hollywood. July 2, 2014. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  12. ^ "American Housewife Cancelled at ABC". 14 May 2021.
  13. ^ Petski, Denise (June 9, 2017). "'Series Of Unfortunate Events': Nathan Fillion, Tony Hale, Sara Rue, Lucy Punch & Roger Bart Join Season 2 Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  14. ^ "Actress Sara Rue Files for Divorce". People. November 10, 2007.
  15. ^ Gomez, Patrick (January 13, 2011). "Sara Rue Has Finally Hired a Wedding Planner". People.
  16. ^ Cedenheim, Pernilla (May 21, 2011). "Sara Rue Is Married". People. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  17. ^ "Exclusive: Newlywed Sara Rue: 'I've Never Been Happier", Us, May 21, 2011
  18. ^ "Sara Rue Welcomes Baby Girl Talulah!". Eonline.com. February 15, 2013. Retrieved 2013-06-28.
  19. ^ "Sara Rue Welcomes Baby Girl Through Adoption -- See the Sweet Family Photo!". etonline.com. November 26, 2016. Retrieved 2017-04-18.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ One of the central characters of Rules of Engagement

External links[edit]