Making strides in the world of television and film, Melissa Rauch is blossoming in her roles as an actress and writer.
Rauch can currently be seen on the most-watched network comedy show THE BIG BANG THEORY as the hilarious Bernadette Rostenkowski. In 2013, Rauch was nominated for a Critics' Choice TV Award in the category of “Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series” along with the nomination for “Favorite TV Gal Pals” at the People's Choice Awards. The show was nominated in 2011, 2013, and 2014 for a Golden Globe Award, was nominated for an Emmy Award from 2011-2015, and won the Critics' Choice Award for “Best Comedy Series” in 2013 and 2014. Rauch and the cast have also been nominated in the category of “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series” by the Screen Actors Guild from 2012-2015, and the cast won the People's Choice Award in the category of "Favorite Network TV Comedy" in 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.
In addition to THE BIG BANG THEORY, Rauch has starred in a number of television series including TRUE BLOOD, KATH & KIM, THE OFFICE, and 12 MILES OF BAD ROAD.
On the big screen, Rauch most recently co-wrote, along with her husband Winston Rauch, and starred in the comedy THE BRONZE, which opened the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Rauch plays a bitter former gymnastics bronze medalist who must fight for her local celebrity status when a new young athlete star rises in town. VARIETY's Ramin Setoodeh, wrote “[Rauch] delivers the best breakthrough comedic performance by an actress since Melissa McCarthy in BRIDESMAIDS.” LA TIMES’s Steven Zeitchik said, “It's Rauch who steals the show, morphing her lovable network-TV shrillness into something more unrecognizably dark.” Sony Pictures Classics is set to release the film on March 18, 2016.
Rauch can soon be heard as the voice of Francine in the upcoming animated comedy ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE. COLLISION COURSE is set to be released in theaters July 22, 2016 and is the fifth installment in the popular cartoon franchise. Other voices joining her include Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ray Romano, Queen Latifah, and Jennifer Lopez.
Rauch's past film credits include Bob Castrone’s FLOCK OF DUDES (2015), William Savage's IN LIEU OF FLOWERS (2013), Matthew Weiner's ARE YOU HERE (2013), John Hamburg’s I LOVE YOU MAN (2009), and Tom DiCillo’s DELIRIOUS (2006).
Rauch started her career as a standup comedienne and became a fixture on the fan favorite vh1 show BEST WEEK EVER. She later starred and co-wrote her own one-woman show, THE MISS EDUCATION OF JENNA BUSH, where she played the former President George Bush's daughter. Her sold out production garnered her a win in the category of “Outstanding Solo Show” at the New York International Fringe Festival as well as the “Theater Mania's Audience Favorite Award” and was an official selection of HBO's US Comedy Arts Festival.
Rauch currently resides in Los Angeles, California with her husband.
ABOUT THE BRONZE, IN THEATERS NOW
SYNOPSIS
A decade ago, Hope Ann Greggory (Melissa Rauch, Stephanie on ) was America’s sweetheart. Her inspired performance on a ruptured Achilles at the world’s most prestigious gymnastics tournament clinched an unlikely bronze medal for the U.S. team and brought glory to her hometown of Amherst, Ohio. But in the years since that epic third place victory, Hope hasn’t done a whole lot with her life. Still living in her dad Stan’s (Gary Cole) basement, still sporting her daily uniform of a Team USA gym suit with teeny-bopper bangs, ponytail and scrunchie, she spends her days at the mall milking her minor celebrity for free food and favors. Hope’s routine is upended when she learns that she must coach Amherst’s newest gymnastics prodigy Maggie (Haley Lu Richardson) in order to receive a sizeable financial inheritance. The hard-edged yet insecure Hope is faced with a serious dilemma: does she jeopardize her “hometown hero” status by devotedly training this rising star to achieve the dreams she never could? Or does she attempt to sabotage the impressionable Maggie to ensure that she remains the one and only star in Amherst?