Sara Gilbert biography

Synopsis

Child Star

Actress. Born Sara Rebecca Abeles on January 29, 1975, in Santa Monica, California, Gilbert is part of her family's third generation in show business. Her grandparents were Harry Crane, a television writer most famous for The Honeymooners, and Julia Crane, a dancer who was once named "Miss Brooklyn." Meanwhile Gilbert's mother, Barbara Crane, was a producer and Hollywood talent manager. Gilbert's two older half-siblings, Melissa and Jonathan Gilbert, were both child actors who starred on the NBC series Little House on the Prairie in the 1980s. Sara Gilbert says she decided to follow in her older siblings' footsteps to pursue acting because she was jealous of all the presents they received on the set of Little House on the Prairie.

In 1981, at the age of 6, Gilbert made her television debut in a Kool-Aid ad. After several years of acting in commercials, Gilbert landed a part in the made-for-TV movie Calamity Jane (1984). Fours years later, in 1988, she received her big break: a central role in the ABC sitcom, Roseanne. The show focused on the blue-collar family life of Roseanne Connor (played by Roseanne Barr), her husband (John Goodman) and their three children, soon became a huge hit. Gilbert depicted Darlene Connor, the sharp-witted and down-to-earth middle daughter. The show ran for nine years, from 1988-1997, and Darlene's coming-of-age from a tomboyish youth to an artistic and politically engaged teenager was largely based on Gilbert's own life. Gilbert earned rave reviews for her comic and realistic portrayal of teenage life, earning three consecutive Young Artist Awards (1991-1993) and two Emmy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress (1993 and 1994). In addition to acting, Gilbert also wrote one episode of Roseanne, "Don't Make Me Over," which aired during the show's fourth season.

While still starring in Roseanne, Gilbert attended Yale University and graduated in 1997 with a B.A. in art with a concentration in photography. The same year, Roseanne ended its long run and went off the air. Since then, Gilbert has continued to appear in many film and television roles. Her most notable film credits include High Fidelity (2000) with John Cusack and a pair of films with Drew Barrymore: Poison Ivy (1992) and Riding in Cars with Boys (2001). Gilbert returned to television in 2001, co-starring with Jim Gaffigan in the short-lived CBS show Welcome