Zoe Perry (born September 26, 1983)[2] is an American actress. She was a regular on the CBS sitcom Young Sheldon as Mary Cooper, a character earlier portrayed by her mother Laurie Metcalf on The Big Bang Theory. Perry's performance as Mary Cooper earned a Critics' Choice Television Award nomination. Perry also had recurring roles on The Family (2016) and Scandal (2017).
Zoe Perry | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 26, 1983 |
| Alma mater | Boston University Northwestern University (BA) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse |
Gab Taraboulsy (m. 2021) |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | Zoe Akins (grand-aunt) Hugo Rumbold (grand-uncle)[1] |
Early life
editPerry was born in Chicago to actors Laurie Metcalf and Jeff Perry.[2][3] Her first television roles were two appearances as Jackie Harris (as seen in flashback) on the ABC sitcom Roseanne, the character portrayed by her mother.[4] Her parents, however, did not want her to pursue acting until she became an adult, fearing the effect of stress.[5] Perry said that she was too shy to act in high school, but began performing at Northwestern University as a way to make friends after transferring from Boston University.[6][5]
Career
editAfter graduating, Perry moved to New York to search for television work, landing small roles on series such as Law & Order: Criminal Intent, but homesickness brought her back to California, where she found theater work.[6] In 2013, she performed in The Other Place on Broadway alongside her mother.[6] In 2015, she performed alongside her father and Kevin McKidd in Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Anna Christie at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble in West Los Angeles.[7]
Perry appeared in nine episodes of the ABC thriller The Family in 2016.[8] In 2017, she had a recurring role on the ABC political thriller Scandal, starring her father.[4][9] The same year, she was cast on Young Sheldon, a spin-off of the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, as a younger version of Mary Cooper (Sheldon Cooper's mother). It was the same character her mother had played on 14 episodes of The Big Bang Theory.[4] Despite her family link to the character, she received the role through an audition.[4][9] She reprised the role of Mary Cooper on Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage, which premiered on CBS on October 17, 2024.
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Deception | Secretary #1 | [8] |
| The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond | Mathilde | [10] | |
| 2011 | Turkey Bowl | Zoe | |
| 2014 | Everyday Miracles | Maxine | |
| 2016 | No Pay, Nudity | Renie | [11] |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992, 1995 | Roseanne | Young Jackie Harris | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Wendy | Episode: "Vacancy" |
| Conviction | Audrey Knowles | 2 episodes | |
| 2006, 2008, 2010 | My Boys | Waitress | 4 episodes |
| 2007 | Cold Case | Melinda Levy '82 | Episode: "Justice" |
| 2008 | Private Practice | Lisa | Episode: "Equal & Opposite" |
| 2009 | Ave 43 | Janet | 2 episodes |
| 2012 | Grey's Anatomy | Katy Noonan | Episode: "Beautiful Doom" |
| 2013 | Second Shot | Krystal Munson | Episode: "If It Ain't Fix, Don't Break It" |
| 2016 | The Family | Jane | 9 episodes |
| 2016 | NCIS | Harpers Ferry Police Officer Kristen Fields | 2 episodes |
| 2017 | Liv and Maddie | Marlow | Episode: "Tiny House-A-Rooney" |
| Scandal | Samantha Ruland | Recurring role (season 6); 9 episodes | |
| 2017–2024 | Young Sheldon | Mary Cooper | Main role; 141 episodes |
| 2024 | Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage | Recurring Role |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Young Sheldon | Nominated |
Theater
edit| Year | Title | Role | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | My Thing of Love. | N/A | Steppenwolf Theatre Company |
| 1998 | Pot Mom | Lorraine | Steppenwolf Theatre Company |
| 2006 | The Late Christopher Bean | Susan Haggett | The Actors Company Theatre Studio |
| 2010 | The Lieutenant of Inishmore | Mairead | Mark Taper Forum |
| 2010 | The Autumn Garden | Sophie Tuckerman | The Antaeus Company |
| 2011 | End Days | Rachel Stein | Odyssey Theatre Ensemble |
| 2011 | Peace in Our Time | Lilly Blake | The Antaeus Company |
| 2012–2013 | The Other Place | The Women | Samuel J. Friedman Theatre |
| 2013 | Good Television | Brittany | Atlantic Theater Company |
| 2014 | The Way West | Manda | Steppenwolf Theatre Company |
| 2015 | Anna Christie | Anna | Odyssey Theatre Ensemble |
| 2015 | I'll Get You Back Again | Staged Reading | Steppenwolf Theatre Company |
References
edit- ^ Hooper, Michael. "Laurie Metcalf biodata". WCHS-TV. Archived from the original on November 8, 2005. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
- ^ a b ""Today's Briefings"". Chicago Tribune. September 27, 1983. p. 16. Archived from the original on September 11, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
- ^ Metz, Nina (December 26, 2017). ""Zoe Perry plays her mother Laurie Metcalf on 'Young Sheldon'...sort of"". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on October 13, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Dowling, Amber (June 22, 2017). "'Young Sheldon': How Zoe Perry Plans to Walk in Her Mother's Emmy-Nominated Shoes". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 23, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
- ^ a b Gomez, Patrick (September 15, 2017). "Inside the Crazy Family Connection Between the Stars Playing Sheldon's Mom on Big Bang Theory & Young Sheldon". People. Archived from the original on October 13, 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
- ^ a b c Gilbert, Ryan (January 17, 2013). "The Other Place's Zoe Perry on the 'Surreal' Joy of Co-Starring on Broadway With Her Mom, Laurie Metcalf". Broadway. Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
- ^ King, Susan (January 21, 2015). "'Anna Christie' a new stage in Jeff Perry, daughter Zoe's relationship". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 12, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
- ^ a b "Zoe Perry". TV Guide. Archived from the original on October 6, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
- ^ a b Abrams, Natalie (April 29, 2017). "The Big Bang Theory spinoff star Zoe Perry on emulating her mom, Laurie Metcalf". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 19, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
- ^ "'The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond' from 'Lost' Tennessee Williams Screenplay: Q&A with Director Jodie Markell". Alt Film Guide. Archived from the original on May 28, 2019. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
- ^ "'No Pay, Nudity': Film Review". Hollywood Reporter. November 11, 2016. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
