Melissa Rauch is best known for playing the cute yet fierce wife of Howard on “The Big Bang Theory,” Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz, where she totally nailed the character and won everyone over with her lovable attitude. But she definitely has more tricks up her sleeve than just a pretty face and a sense of humor!
Let’s take a closer look at Melissa’s journey from her humble beginnings to stardom. Whether you’re a TBBT superfan or just curious about this phenomenal actress, get ready to be stunned.
Even as a kid, Melissa wouldn’t quit.
In the early days of her career, Melissa wasn’t doing that wellwhile chasing her acting dreams in Hollywood. After moving to L.A., she quickly learned how tough the entertainment industry can be for a Jersey girl. Even though she had some promising auditions and small movie roles, her big break was still out of reach. She tried her hand at theater but soon realized Los Angeles was not the best place for that simply because not many people would attend the plays. The actress’s early years were filled with disappointments, including roles in movies that were never released and even a failed attempt at modeling.
Playing Bernadette saved her.
Rauch hit a low point when she ran out of money and had to rely on unemployment checks to get by. But the good news was right around the corner. She got a role in The Big Bang Theory, and the news of her casting came at the perfect time. She remembered excitedly sharing the news with her husband, stepping over a homeless man outside her building, bursting through the door, and yelling that she got the part. That’s so relatable.
Banger after banger!
It didn’t matter to Melissa that her role was small and episodic at first because she knew how Hollywood works. She did such an amazing job that the showrunners of The Big Bang Theory made her a recurring guest star, especially once Howard and Bernadette became a couple. As the show continued, the characters got married, and Bernadette became a permanent cast member. This meant that Melissa could now attend award shows and was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award four times. Aside from all the clout, she nearly tripled her salary, going from $75,000 per episode to a stunning $500,000!
Smooth sailing after The Big Bang Theory.
After the final episode aired in 2019, TBBT became one of the most successful sitcoms ever, and Melissa’s life continued. She was able to milk that role for $20 million thanks to its long and successful run, but she knew the end was coming, so she took on other projects like voicing characters in “Ice Age: Collision Course” and “Batman and Harley Quinn” while still shooting TBBT. In 2020, Rauch had her second child and decided to take a break from acting. However, she recently made a comeback as the lead in the reboot of the popular 80s series “Night Court.” Thanks to Melissa and the rest of the cast, the show debuted in 2023 with a bang and even got itself a second season.
Now that Rauch is back, where will she go from here? My gut tells me we’ll hear more from her very soon.
