Rachel Elizabeth Brosnahan (born July 12, 1990) is an American actress. She rose to fame for her performance as Midge Maisel in the Amazon Prime Video period comedy series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017–2023), for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2018 and two consecutive Golden Globe Awards in 2018 and 2019. She is also recognized for portraying Lois Lane in the DC Universe (DCU), a role she first played in the film Superman (2025).
On screen, she was nominated for an Emmy for the political thriller series House of Cards (2013–2015) and acted in the drama series Manhattan (2014–2015) and the comedy miniseries Crisis in Six Scenes (2016). Brosnahan made her film debut in the horror film The Unborn (2009), and had starred in The Courier (2020), I'm Your Woman (2020), and The Amateur (2025).
On stage, she made her Broadway debut in the 2013 revival of the Clifford Odets play The Big Knife. She played Desdemona in the 2016 off Broadway production of Othello, which also starred Daniel Craig and David Oyelowo. Brosnahan returned to Broadway playing a wife in a turbulent marriage in the 2023 revival of the Lorraine Hansberry play The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window for which she was nominated for the Drama League Distinguished Performance Award.
Early life and education Brosnahan was born on July 12, 1990, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Carol and Earl Brosnahan, who worked in children's publishing. Her mother is British, and her father is an American of Irish descent. From the age of four years old, Brosnahan was raised in Highland Park, Illinois. She has a younger brother and sister.
She attended Wayne Thomas Elementary School and Northwood Junior High School. She performed in musical theater during junior high and high school. At Highland Park High School, she was on the wrestling team for two years and was a snowboarding instructor. When she was 16, she took a class with Carole Dibo, director of Wilmette's Actors Training Center, who is now her manager. Brosnahan graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in 2012. She also studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.Lee Strasberg Alumni
Career 2009–2016: Rise to prominence
While still in high school, Brosnahan received her first movie role—that of Lisa in the Michael Bay-produced horror film The Unborn (2009). She first appeared on stage in 2009 in Up at Steppenwolf Theatre. In college, she appeared in single episodes of television series such as Gossip Girl, The Good Wife, Grey's Anatomy, and In Treatment. Brosnahan's early roles include performances in two short films directed by Ari Aster, Basically (2013), and Munchausen (2014). After college, she began landing recurring roles in series such as the crime thriller The Blacklist (2014) and the short-lived medical drama Black Box (2014). She made her Broadway debut in The Big Knife with Roundabout Theatre Company in 2013.
In 2013, she starred as Rachel Posner in the critically acclaimed Netflix political drama House of Cards with Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. Although she was initially booked for only two episodes, she caught the eye of showrunner Beau Willimon, and her character was significantly expanded. Her role brought her career prominence, and she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards. From 2014 to 2015, she starred in period drama series Manhattan. In 2016, she played Desdemona in Othello at New York Theatre Workshop opposite David Oyelowo and Daniel Craig, and appeared in Woody Allen's Amazon original series, Crisis in Six Scenes, with Allen, Elaine May and Miley Cyrus.
2017–2023: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Starting in 2017, Brosnahan appeared as the title character in Amy Sherman-Palladino's period comedy Amazon original series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She has said that her exposure to Jewish culture growing up helped prepare her for the role of Midge Maisel, a 1950s Jewish housewife who pursues a career in stand-up comedy when her marriage fails. Her performance has earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, two Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Critics' Choice Television Awards, among other accolades. In 2019, Brosnahan launched the production company Scrap Paper Pictures.
Brosnahan appeared in the historical spy drama film The Courier with Benedict Cumberbatch, released in January 2020. In December 2020, Amazon released I'm Your Woman, in which she starred with Arinzé Kene and produced. Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter praised her performance writing, "The film gives Brosnahan’s fans a chance to see her in a far more internalized, watchful mode than on her Amazon series, and there isn’t a performance here that hits a wrong note". In 2022, she starred in the western Dead for a Dollar which premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival. Variety described her performance as having "fierce crispness" and IndieWire asserted that "She serves up extra chutzpah with every gesture".
In 2023, she starred in the revival of Lorraine Hansberry's The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window opposite Oscar Isaac first at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and later produced at the James Earl Jones Theatre on Broadway directed by Anne Kauffman. She received positive reviews for her performance with Laura Collins-Hughes of The New York Times writing that Brosnahan plays the role "with a fragile strength and perfect comic timing". For her performance she was nominated for the Drama League Award for Outstanding Distinguished Performer.
2024–present In 2025, Brosnahan appeared as Lois Lane in the DC Universe superhero film Superman, from director James Gunn. She also played the wife of a CIA analyst in the espionage action thriller The Amateur starring Rami Malek. Also that year, it was announced that Brosnahan would be cast in the lead in the Apple TV+ anthology crime drama series Presumed Innocent which she will also serve as an executive producer.
Personal life It was reported in 2018 that Brosnahan had married actor Jason Ralph, but she later revealed in January 2019 that they had been married "for years" before their relationship became public. Both attended the 76th Golden Globe Awards ceremony in 2019, where she thanked him during her award acceptance speech.
Brosnahan is the niece of handbag designer Kate Spade (born Katherine Noel Brosnahan), who was married to Andy Spade, the older brother of actor and comedian David Spade.
Brosnahan has twice completed the "Live Below the Line" challenge.
Acting credits
Film Year Work Role Notes 2009 The Unborn Lisa The Truth About Average Guys Molly 2011 Coming Up Roses Alice 2012 Nor'easter Abby Green Adrift Alex Short film 2013 Beautiful Creatures Genevieve Duchannes Care Drea Short film A New York Heartbeat Tamara Munchausen Girl Short film 2014 Basically ShandyShort film I'm Obsessed with You Nell Fitzpatrick The Smut Locker Jamie White Short film 2015 James White Ellen Louder Than Bombs Erin 2016 The Finest Hours Bea Hansen Burn Country Sandra Patriots Day Jessica Kensky 2017 Boomtown Jamie 2018 Fifteen Years Later Amy Short film Change in the Air Wren 2019 Spies in Disguise Wendy Beckett Voice role 2020 The Courier Emily Donovan I'm Your Woman Jean Also produced 2022 Dead for a Dollar Rachel Kidd 2025 The Amateur Sarah Heller Superman Lois Lane 2027 Post-production Lois Lane Post-production Regan Post-production
Television Year Work Role Notes 2010 Mercy Samantha Episode: "We're All Adults" Gossip Girl Girl Episode: "It's a Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad World" The Good Wife Caitlin Fenton Episode: "Poisoned Pill" In Treatment Eating Disorder Girl Episode: "Jesse: Week Six" 2011 CSI: Miami Melanie Garland Episode: "Countermeasures" 2013 Grey's Anatomy Brian Weston Episode: "The Face of Change" Orange Is the New Black Little Allie Episode: "Bora Bora Bora" 2013–2015 House of Cards Rachel Posner Main cast (19 episodes) 2014 Olive Kitteridge Patty Howe Episode: "Incoming Tide" The Blacklist Jolene Parker / Lucy Brooks 6 episodes Black Box Delilah Buchanan 5 episodes 2014–2015 Manhattan Abby Isaacs Main cast (23 episodes) 2015 The Dovekeepers Yael 2 episodes 2016 Crisis in Six Scenes Ellie Main cast (4 episodes) 2017–2023 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Miriam "Midge" Maisel Main cast (43 episodes) 2019 Saturday Night Live Herself (host) Episode: "Rachel Brosnahan/Greta Van Fleet" 2019–2020 Elena of Avalor Princess Chloe (voice) 3 episodes 2020 50 States of Fright Heather 3 episodes Saturday Night Seder Herself Television special2020–2021Yearly DepartedHerself2 episodes 2021 ZiweHerself Episode: "Allyship" TBA Presumed Innocent Leila Reynolds Main role (season 2); also Executive producer
Theatre Year Title Role Venue Ref. 2009 Up Maria Steppenwolf Theatre Company 2013The Big Knife Dixie Evans Roundabout Theatre Company 2016 Othello Desdemona New York Theatre Workshop 2023The Sign in Sidney Brustein's WindowIris Parodus Brustein Brooklyn Academy of Music James Earl Jones Theatre2024Gutenberg! The Musical!Producer (one night only) James Earl Jones Theatre
Awards and nominations Organizations Year Category Work Result Ref. Critics' Choice Television Awards 2017 Best Actress in a Comedy Series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel 2018 2019 2023 Critics' Choice Super Awards2026 Best Actress in a Superhero Movie Superman Drama League Award 2023 Distinguished Performance The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window Golden Globe Awards 2017 Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy Series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel 2018 2019 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards 2015 Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series House of Cards (episode: "Chapter 39") 2018 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (episode: "Thank You and Good Night") 2019 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (episode: "Midnight at the Concord") 2020 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (episode: "A Jewish Girl Walks Into the Apollo...") 2022 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (episode: "How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?") 2023 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (episode: "Four Minutes") Screen Actors Guild Awards 2015 Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama SeriesHouse of Cards 2018Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series 2019Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series 2022 2023 Television Critics Association Awards 2018 Individual Achievement in Comedy
References
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