Sara Rue (born Sara Schlackman; January 26, 1979) is an American actress. She is best known for her performances as Carmen Ferrara on Popular, as Claude Casey on Less than Perfect, and as the Attorney General in Idiocracy. In 2011, she hosted The CW reality series Shedding for the Wedding. She had a recurring role in the comedy Rules of Engagement, as Brenda, the softball lesbian teammate and good friend of Jeff Bingham. She had a regular role as Kim on the short-lived ABC sitcom Malibu Country, and appeared in the main cast of the TV Land comedy series Impastor. She is also known for her role as Olivia Caliban in the second season of the Netflix series A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Early life The elder of two daughters, Rue was born and raised in New York City, where her parents were active in Broadway theatre. She is Jewish.
Career Rue began her acting career at the age of nine, appearing in the 1988 film Rocket Gibraltar as Kevin Spacey's daughter. Rue played a very young Roseanne in the first meeting of Roseanne and Dan at a dance on the TV show Roseanne.
She starred in the comedy Grand, before going on to work on Phenom; Minor Adjustments; Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane; ER; The Division and Popular. From 2002 to 2006, she starred in the main role of Claude Casey on the ABC sitcom Less than Perfect. She has appeared in several films, including A Map of the World, Can't Hardly Wait, A Slipping Down Life, Idiocracy, Gypsy 83. She also had a small part as a babysitter in Gore Verbinski's adaptation of The Ring. She impressed director Michael Bay so much that a role was written into the movie Pearl Harbor for her.
Rue appeared uncredited in the 2006 Mike Judge film Idiocracy, in the role of the Attorney General. In 2006, Rue starred in the stage musical Little Egypt with French Stewart, Jenny O'Hara and Gregg Henry at the Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles. She guest-starred in Two and a Half Men as Berta's pregnant youngest daughter. She had a stint on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, playing Dr. Leonard Hofstadter's physician girlfriend Dr. Stephanie Barnett for three episodes. Her first appearance on the show occurred on November 17, 2008. In 2009, Rue appeared in the movies Man Maid and For Christ's Sake. She starred on the short-lived 2009 series Eastwick, based on the novel and movie The Witches of Eastwick. In December 2009, she became a spokesperson for weight loss company Jenny Craig.
In October 2010, Rue joined the cast of Rules of Engagement in a recurring role as Brenda, Jeff and Audrey's surrogate.
It was announced in December 2011 that Rue would be writing and starring in a new show on The CW called Poseurs, about a young woman named Lucy whose life is upended when her fiancé moves out and her fresh-from-rehab collegiate best friend, Alexandra, moves in. The two friends pose as a lesbian couple and actually get married in order to stay in the nice apartment building that only allows married couples.
Rue starred in the ABC show Malibu Country as Reba McEntire's upbeat trophy wife neighbor, Kim Sallinger. Malibu Country ran for one season (2012–13). Rue had the title role of Deb Dorfman in the movie Dorfman in Love (2012).
In 2014, Rue appeared in a recurring role as Candace, fiancee of Christy's ex-husband on the CBS sitcom Mom. In 2015, she was cast as main character Dora in the TV Land comedy Impastor. The show was cancelled after its second season in 2016. Rue had a recurring role as Nancy Granville on ABC's American Housewife which was canceled after five seasons.
In 2017, Rue was cast in the recurring role of Olivia Caliban on the second season of the Netflix comedy drama series A Series of Unfortunate Events. She also has had a recurring role in The Rookie portraying Nell Forester.
Personal life Rue married filmmaker Mischa Livingstone in 2001. They divorced in 2007.
Rue married teacher Kevin Price on May 21, 2011, in a traditional Jewish wedding."Exclusive: Newlywed Sara Rue: 'I've Never Been Happier", Us, May 21, 2011 She gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Talulah, in February 2013. She and Price adopted a second daughter, Adelaide, in November 2016.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1988Rocket GibraltarJessica Hanson1992Passed AwayMegan Scanlan1998Can't Hardly WaitEarth Girl1998Nowhere to Goa.k.a. Silent Hearts (USA: TV title)1999A Slipping-Down LifeViolet1999A Map of the WorldDebbie2001Pearl HarborNurse Martha2001Gypsy 83Gypsy Vale2002The RingBabysitter2005Barbara JeanBarbara JeanShort film2006Danny Roane: First Time DirectorCharlotte Lewis2006IdiocracyAttorney General "Fun Bags" (Uncredited)2008Man MaidTorry2009Not Since YouSarah 'Doogs' Doogins2010For Christ's SakeCandy2011Dorfman in LoveDeb Dorfman2013Miss DialSam 2020 American Pie Presents: Girls' Rules Ellen Direct-to-video
Television Year Title Role Notes1990GrandEdda PasettiMain role (26 episodes)1992RoseanneTeenage RoseanneEpisode: "Halloween IV"1993–94PhenomMonicaRecurring role (14 episodes)1995BlossomAngieEpisode: "Mating Rituals"1995Family Reunion: A Relative NightmareJacquelynTelevision movie1995–96Minor AdjustmentsDarby GladstoneMain role (20 episodes)1996ERJaneEpisode: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"1996PearlBertha SugsEpisode: "Ticket to Ride "1996For My Daughter's HonorTelevision movie; a.k.a. Indecent Seduction1997Ned & StaceyAmyEpisode: "Prom Night"1997Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildYounger Sister (voice)Episode: "The Golden Goose"1998Chicago HopeRhonda FritzEpisode: "The Ties That Bind"1998The Simple LifeMelanieEpisodes: "Pilot", "Sara's Ex", and "The Luke & Sara Show"1999Zoe, Duncan, Jack & JaneBreeny KennedyEpisodes: "Everything You Wanted to Know About Zoe", "To Jack, from Zoe", and "Sympathy for Jack"1999–2001PopularCarmen FerraraMain role (43 episodes)2000, 2018Will & GraceJoyce AdlerEpisodes: "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" (season 3), "One Job" (season 9)2002–03The DivisionAmanda McCaffertyEpisodes: "Hide and Seek", "Remembrance", and "Acts of Betrayal"2003MADtvThe BabysitterEpisode #9.112002–06Less than PerfectClaudia "Claude" CaseyLead role (81 episodes)2003This Time AroundGabby CastellaniTelevision movie2006Play NiceTelevision movie2006Brandy & Mr. WhiskersSandy Carington (voice)Episode: "Sandy & Mr. Frisky"2006–07Two and a Half MenNaomiEpisodes: "Repeated Blows to His Unformed Head" and "Castrating Sheep in Montana"2007NursesChris KorenekTelevision movie2008The Big Bang TheoryDr. Stephanie BarnettEpisodes: "The Lizard-Spock Expansion", "The White Asparagus Triangulation" and "The Vartabedian Conundrum"2008Nightmare at the End of the HallCourtneyTelevision movie2008SpacedAprylTelevision movie2009LeverageMarissa DevinsEpisode: "The Mile High Job"2009–10EastwickPenny HigginsMain role2010Private PracticeShira ColeEpisode: "Til Death Do Us Part"2010–13Rules of EngagementBrenda the softball lesbianRecurring role (12 episodes)2011My Future BoyfriendElizabeth BarrettTelevision movie2011Shedding for the WeddingHerself – HostRegular (5 episodes)2011RuPaul's Drag Race 3Herself – Guest JudgeEpisodes: "Face, Face, Face of Cakes" and "RuPaul Rewind"2012PsychAmy AllerisEpisode: "Heeeeere's Lassie"2012–13Malibu CountryKim SallingerMain role2014–16MomCandace HayesRecurring role (7 episodes)2014–17Celebrity Name GameHerself / Celebrity player15 episodes2015–16ImpastorDora WinstonMain role2015Don't Wake MommyBethTelevision movie2016–17BonesKaren DelfsRecurring role (7 episodes)2017All For LoveJo PaydenTelevision Film (Hallmark Channel)2017–2020American HousewifeNancy GranvilleRecurring role2018A Series of Unfortunate EventsOlivia CalibanRecurring role (7 episodes)2018–2019, 2022, 2024The RookieNell Forester6 episodes2019True Love BloomsVikkiTelevision Film (Hallmark Channel)2020–2021B PositiveJulia DunbarMain role2020–202225 Words or LessHerself / Contestant15 episodes2024That Girl Lay LayMs. HooperEpisode: "School of Rap"
Awards and nominations +YearCeremonyAwardWorkResult2004Indianapolis International Film FestivalSpecial Jury Prize: Performance (Shared with Lili Taylor)A Slipping-Down Life 2009Ashland Independent Film FestivalBest Acting Ensemble: Feature (Shared with Phillip Vaden, Jane Lynch, Steve Hytner and John Doe)Man Maid2013LA Femme International Film FestivalComedic Actress Award
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