Sarah Chalke

2025-10-09T13:39:53Z

2600:1700:36A0:D2C0:A205:C41D:8E1D:D209: /* Film */

{{short description|Canadian actress (born 1976)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{distinguish|Sarah Clarke}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sarah Chalke
| image = SarahChalkeDec08 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Chalke in 2008
| alt = Chalke posing on the red carpet
| birth_name = Sarah Louise Christine Chalke
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|08|27}}
| birth_place = [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 1992–present
| partner = Jamie Afifi (2003–2022)
| children = 2
}}

'''Sarah Louise Christine Chalke''' ({{IPAc-en|'|tʃ|ɔː|k}}; born August 27, 1976) is a Canadian actress. She is known for her starring roles as the second [[List of Roseanne characters#Becky Conner|Becky Conner]] in the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] sitcom ''[[Roseanne]]'' (1993–1997), [[Elliot Reid]] in the [[NBC]]/ABC medical comedy series ''[[Scrubs (TV series)|Scrubs]]'' (2001–2010), [[Beth Smith|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).<ref>{{Cite web|title='Firefly Lane': What you need to know about the popular Netflix show|url=https://www.today.com/tmrw/firefly-lane-what-you-need-know-about-popular-netflix-show-t208865|access-date=April 3, 2021|website=TODAY.com|date=February 12, 2021}}</ref>

Chalke had recurring roles as [[List of How I Met Your Mother characters#Stella Zinman|Stella Zinman]] in the [[CBS]] sitcom ''[[How I Met Your Mother]]'' (2008–2009, 2014) and as Angie in the ABC/[[TBS (U.S. TV channel)|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 (TV series)|Dogs in Space]]'' (2021–2022).

==Early life and education ==
Chalke was born at the [[Ottawa Civic Hospital]]<ref name="birth">{{cite news|title=Chalke|date=September 2, 1976|page=44|newspaper=Ottawa Citizen|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112401426/the-ottawa-citizen/|accessdate=November 1, 2022}}</ref> on August 27, 1976, in [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]], and was raised in [[North Vancouver (city)|North Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Sarah Chalke|url=http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/sarah-chalke/173889/|website=TV Guide|access-date=July 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305074815/http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/sarah-chalke/173889/|archive-date=March 5, 2016}}</ref> She is the middle of three daughters born to Douglas and Angela Chalke (née Piper).<ref name="birth"/>

She is from a German family who spoke [[German language |German]] at home, and went to a school where she spoke French all day, so she speaks both languages fluently.<ref name=firefly/>

Chalke graduated from [[Handsworth Secondary School]] in North Vancouver in 1994.<ref name=firefly>{{Cite web|date=December 5, 2022|title=Sarah Chalke Talks 'Firefly Lane' Season 2 and German Christmas Traditions|url=https://www.shondaland.com/inspire/a42136640/sarah-chalke-talks-firefly-lane-season-2-and-german-christmas-traditions|access-date=December 12, 2022|website=Shondaland}}</ref>

==Career==
Chalke's acting career began at age eight when she began appearing in [[musical theater|musical theatre]] productions. At 12, she became a reporter on the Canadian children's show ''[[KidZone]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/sarah-chalke/bio/173889/|title=Sarah Chalke|website=TV Guide|access-date=November 24, 2017}}</ref> In 1993, she took over the role of Rebecca Conner 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]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Stratton|first=David|date=August 30, 1999|title=Y2K|url=https://variety.com/1999/film/reviews/y2k-1200458515|access-date=December 30, 2023|website=Variety}}</ref>

In 2001, she was cast as Dr. [[Elliot Reid]] in the NBC comedy series ''[[Scrubs (TV 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 (2005 film)|Cake]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.reelfilm.com/cake.htm|title=Cake (2005) – A Review by David Nusair|website=reelfilm.com|date=December 1, 2005|access-date=April 3, 2018}}</ref>
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 (film)|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]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tv.popcrunch.com/scrubs-sarah-chalke-zach-braff-tackle-wedgies-in-hanes-underwear-commercial|title=Scrubs' Sarah Chalke, Zach Braff Tackle Wedgies in Hanes Underwear Commercial|publisher=Tv.popcrunch.com|access-date=January 22, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100905112036/http://tv.popcrunch.com/scrubs-sarah-chalke-zach-braff-tackle-wedgies-in-hanes-underwear-commercial/|archive-date=September 5, 2010}}</ref> 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 (TV series)|Mad Love]]'', a romantic comedy which debuted as a midseason replacement and was cancelled after only one season was produced.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2010/tv/news/judy-greer-finds-mad-love-1118021102/|title=Judy Greer finds 'Mad Love'|date=June 26, 2010|last=Schneider|first=Michael|work=Variety|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100703123945/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118021102.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&ref=verttv|archive-date=July 3, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tribute.ca/people/sarah-chalke/16272/|title=Sarah Chalke biography and filmography {{!}} Sarah Chalke movies|website=Tribute.ca|access-date=November 24, 2017}}</ref>

Chalke was signed by former ''Scrubs'' executive producer [[Bill Lawrence (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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://perezhilton.com/2011-09-11-sarah-chalke-cast-on-cougar-town |title=Sarah Chalke Is Coming To Cougar Town! |publisher=PerezHilton.com |date=September 11, 2011 |access-date=July 11, 2012}}</ref> 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|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 [[Roseanne season 10|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.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2017/04/28/roseanne-revival-may-works/101039122|title='Roseanne' revival may be in the works|work=USA Today|access-date=April 28, 2017}}</ref> On May 16, 2017, it was confirmed that eight episodes of the show were [[greenlighting|greenlit]] by ABC and would air mid-season in 2018 with Chalke returning, but playing a role other than Becky Conner.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/roseanne-revival-abc-1202428775|title='Roseanne' Revival Lands at ABC|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|first=Joe|last=Otterson|date=May 16, 2017|access-date=May 16, 2017}}</ref> 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]].''<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cohn|first=Paulette|date=February 4, 2021|title=Sarah Chalke on Bonding With Katherine Heigl and the Challenges of Going Back To Her 20s for Firefly Lane|url=https://parade.com/1158446/paulettecohn/sarah-chalke-firefly-lane|access-date=April 3, 2021|website=Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In December 2006, Chalke became engaged to Canadian [[lawyer]] Jamie Afifi, after three years of dating.<ref>{{cite web|last=Serpe|first=Gina|title=Sarah Chalke Scrubs Into Engagement|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/53891/sarah_chalke_scrubs_into_engagement|publisher=[[E!]]|access-date=September 22, 2022|date=December 5, 2006}}</ref> In September 2022, Chalke announced that they had called off the engagement and "separated some time ago".<ref>{{cite web|last=Wynne|first=Kelly|title=Scrubs Actress Sarah Chalke Has Been 'Separated' from Fiancé Jamie Afifi for 'Some Time': Rep|url=https://people.com/tv/sarah-chalke-splits-from-fiance-jamie-afifi-separated-for-some-time-exclusive|website=[[People (magazine)|People]]|access-date=September 22, 2022|date=September 16, 2022}}</ref> They have two children together, a son born in December 2009,<ref>{{cite web|last=Masters|first=Megan|title=Scrubs's Sarah Chalke Is a Hot Mom|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/161148/scrubss_sarah_chalke_hot_mom|publisher=[[E!]]|access-date=September 22, 2022|date=January 8, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Sarah Chalke of "Scrubs" Gives Birth to Baby Boy!|url=https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/sarah-chalke-of-scrubs-gives-birth-to-baby-boy-201081|website=[[Us Weekly]]|access-date=September 22, 2022|date=January 8, 2010}}</ref> and a daughter born in May 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sarah Chalke Welcomes Second Child With Fiance|url=https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-moms/news/sarah-chalke-welcomes-second-child-with-jamie-afifi-w430621|website=[[Us Weekly]]|access-date=September 22, 2022|date=July 24, 2016}}</ref> Her son was diagnosed at two years old with [[Kawasaki disease]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Webb Mitovich|first=Matt|title=Grey's Exclusive: Sarah Chalke Opens Up About Bringing Her Own Crisis to TV: 'There Were Tears'|url=https://tvline.com/2013/03/07/greys-anatomy-season-9-spoilers-sarah-chalke-kawasaki-disease|website=[[TVLine]]|access-date=September 22, 2022|date=March 7, 2013}}</ref>

She is a fan of the [[Vancouver Canucks]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/canucks/p/C7DjypdNQhU/ |access-date=May 17, 2024 |website=instagram.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |author=Sarah Chalke |user=sarahchalke |number= 296076247853854720 |title= Get your jerseys on, Canucks are aboot to beat the kings tonight... |date=29 January 2013 |access-date=3 August 2025}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=August 2025|plural=yes}}

===Activism===
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 Network|Lifetime]] movie ''[[Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy]]''.<ref>[http://www.lifetimetv.com/movies/originals/whyiworelipstick.php Why I Wore Lipstick] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061014222213/http://www.lifetimetv.com/movies/originals/whyiworelipstick.php|date=October 14, 2006}}</ref> 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 in Canada|same-sex marriage]], "Gathering Storm".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/6eddb255b2/a-gaythering-storm|title=Gaythering Storm – Gathering Storm parody with famous actors – Lance Bass, Jane Lynch, and more|date=April 20, 2009|publisher=FunnyOrDie|access-date=January 22, 2011|archive-date=January 18, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100118000251/http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/6eddb255b2/a-gaythering-storm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Funny Or Die|title=A Gaythering Storm|date=July 19, 2013|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhaihBGD2tc|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/PhaihBGD2tc|archive-date=November 17, 2021|url-status=live|access-date=September 20, 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref> She was the 2009 ambassador for the [[Susan G. Komen]] Passionately Pink for the Cure program, for which she also designed a T-shirt.<ref>{{cite web|author=SOLVEJ SCHOU|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/A-stare-case-for-cancer-awareness-/articleshow/5136700.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811072639/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-10-20/health/28080654_1_breast-cancer-awareness-ta-younger-women|url-status=live|archive-date= August 11, 2011|title=Report on Chalke and Cure(R) program|date=October 20, 2009|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=January 22, 2011}}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1994
| ''[[Ernest Goes to School]]''
| Maisy
|
|-
| 1999
| ''Y2K'' (also known as ''Terminal Countdown'')<ref name=":0" />
| Myra Soljev
|
|-
| 2001
| ''[[Kill Me Later]]''
| Linda
|
|-
| 2001
| ''[[XCU: Extreme Close Up]]''
| Jane Bennett
|
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Alchemy (film)|Alchemy]]''
| Samantha Rose
|
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Cake (2005 film)|Cake]]''
| Jane
|
|-
| 2007
| ''[[Mama's Boy]]''
| Maya
|
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Chaos Theory (film)|Chaos Theory]]''
| Paula Crowe
|
|-
| 2016
| ''[[Mother's Day (2016 film)|Mother's Day]]''
| Gabi
|
|-
| 2016
| ''[[After the Reality]]''
| Kate
| Also executive producer
|-
| 2020
| data-sort-value="Wrong Missy, The" | ''[[The Wrong Missy]]''
| Julia
|
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Eat Wheaties!]]''
| Frankie Riceborough
|
|-
| 2025
| ''[[Playdate (film)|Playdate]]''
| Emily
| Post-production
|-
| TBA
| ''[[The Marshmallow Experiment]]''
| Colleen
| Post-production
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1992
| data-sort-value="Odyssey, The" | ''[[The Odyssey (TV series)|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]]''
| [[List of Roseanne and The Conners characters#Becky Conner|Becky Conner-Healy]] / Andrea
| Main role (seasons 6–7, 9); Recurring role (seasons 8, 10)
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Robin of Locksley (film)|Robin of Locksley]]''
| Marion Fitzwater
| Television film
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Stand Against Fear]]''
| Krista Wilson
| Television film
|-
| 1997
| ''{{sortname|A|Child's Wish}}''
| Melinda
| Television film
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Dying to Belong]]''
| Drea Davenport
| Television film
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Daughters (1997 film)|Daughters]]''
| Annie Morrell
| Television film
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Dead Man's Gun]]''
| Muriel Jakes
| Episode: "The Bounty Hunter"
|-
| 1998
| ''[[I've Been Waiting for You (film)|I've Been Waiting for You]]''
| Sarah Zoltanne
| Television film

|-
| 1998–2000
| ''[[Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy]]''
| Gloria Hobson
| Main role
|-
| 1999
| ''[[First Wave (TV series)|First Wave]]''
| Chloe Wells
| Episode: "The Channel"

|-
| 2001–2010

| ''[[Scrubs (TV series)|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
| data-sort-value="Bu, The" | ''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]]''
| [[List of How I Met Your Mother characters#Stella Zinman|Stella Zinman]]
| 10 episodes
|-
| 2009
| ''[[Scrubs: Interns]]''
| Dr. Elliot Reid
| Episode: "Our Bedside Manner"
|-
| 2009
| ''[[Maneater (miniseries)|Maneater]]''
| Clarissa Alpert
| Main role
|-
| 2009
| ''{{sortname|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 (TV series)|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|Beth Smith and Space Beth]] (voice)
| Main role
|-
| 2015
| ''[[Backstrom (TV series)|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 (TV series)|Speechless]]''
| Melanie
| 8 episodes
|-
| 2018
| ''[[Nobodies (TV series)|Nobodies]]''
| Sarah Chalke
| Episode: "Alone Star State"
|-
| 2018
| ''{{sortname|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
|-
| 2021–2022
| ''[[Dogs in Space (TV series)|Dogs in Space]]''
| Stella (voice)
| Main role
|-
| 2023
| ''[[Hailey's On It!]]''
| The Professor (voice)
| Recurring role
|-
| 2024
| ''[[Animal Control (TV series)|Animal Control]]''
| Yasmine
| Episode: "Raccoons and Mutts"
|-
| 2025
| ''[[Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol]]''
| Magee (voice)
| Television film<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maglio |first=Tony |date=September 23, 2025 |title='Prep & Landing' Returns After 14 Years With New Christmas Special (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/prep-and-landing-returns-new-christmas-special-exclusive-1236373730/ |access-date=September 27, 2025 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Sarah Chalke}}
* {{IMDb name|149950}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chalke, Sarah}}
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Actresses from British Columbia]]
[[Category:Actresses from Ottawa]]
[[Category:Canadian child actresses]]
[[Category:Canadian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Canadian film actresses]]
[[Category:Canadian people of German descent]]
[[Category:Canadian television actresses]]
[[Category:Canadian voice actresses]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from North Vancouver]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian actresses]]

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Sarah Chalke