Southern Illinois native Laurie Metcalf can be seen on televisions across America. Whether you’re watching re-runs of “Roseanne” or “The Big Bang Theory,” this Illinois actress can be seen on many favorite shows, movies or Broadway.

Raised in Edwardsville, Metcalf lived with her mother, Libby, who was a librarian, and her father, James, who was the budget director at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. She attended Illinois State University, where she originally went to study German to be an interpreter, before realizing theater was her true passion.

Studying alongside other now-famous artists, including Jeff Perry, Metcalf graduated from ISU in 1976 with a degree in theater. Shortly after her graduation, she began her professional career at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago. Through the theater, she had the opportunity to perform in an off-Broadway show in New York, where she was later presented with an Obie Award for Best Actress for her role.

Transitioning into television, Metcalf landed one of her most well-known roles as Jackie Harris in the sitcom series “Roseanne.” Earning multiple Emmy award nominations across multiple categories through her role, Metcalf’s performance led her to landing multiple movie and television roles over the years.

Ranging from the voice of Andy’s mother in “Toy Story” to playing Carolyn Bigsby in “Desperate Housewives,” Illinoisans can now find Metcalf starring in roles such as Mary Cooper in “The Big Bang Theory,” or follow her current performances as she has recently returned to Broadway.

Learn more about Metcalf or her works here.