Laura Elizabeth Metcalf (born June 16, 1955) is an American actress and comedian. Often described as a character actor, she is known for her complex and versatile roles across the stage and screen. She has received various accolades throughout her career spanning over four decades, including two Tony Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and three Golden Globe Awards. Metcalf began her career with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company and frequently works in Chicago theatre. She made her Broadway debut in the 1985 play My Thing of Love. She went on to receive six Tony Award nominations, winning Best Actress in a Play in 2017 for her performance in A Doll's House, Part 2 and Best Featured Actress in a Play for the 2018 revival of Edward Albee's Three Tall Women. Her other Tony-nominated roles were for November (2008), The Other Place (2010), Misery (2016), and Hillary and Clinton (2019). She gained national attention for her performance as Jackie Harris on the sitcom Roseanne (1988–1997, 2018) and its spinoff The Conners (2018–present), for which she won three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She also won a Primetime Emmy Award for her guest role in Hacks (2022), and her other Emmy-nominated roles include 3rd Rock from the Sun (1999), Monk (2006), Desperate Housewives (2007), The Big Bang Theory (2016), Getting On (2013–2015), and Horace and Pete (2016). She also appeared on The Norm Show (1999–2001), Frasier, and The Dropout (2022). In film, Metcalf is best known for her performance as Marion McPherson in Greta Gerwig's comedy-drama film Lady Bird (2017). She was nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a SAG Award, and a BAFTA Award. From 1995, she has voiced Mrs. Davis, the mother of Andy, in the Toy Story franchise, and voiced Sarah Hawkins in the Disney animated Treasure Planet (2002). Other notable film credits include Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Uncle Buck (1989), JFK (1991), Dear God (1996), Georgia Rule (2007) and Scream 2 (1997).

Filmography

• Big Mistakes — Linda Dardano
• 2026Everybody Digs Bill Evans — Mary
• 2026Scream 7 — Debbie Salt
• Monster: The Ed Gein Story — Augusta Gein
• Elsbeth — Regina Coburn
• Carol & the End of the World — HR Lady (voice)
• 2023Somewhere in Queens — Angela Russo
• The Dropout — Phyllis Gardner
• Hacks — Weed
• Q-Force — V (voice)
• 2020Barbecue — Lillie Anne
• The Accidental Wolf — Cast
• 2019Toy Story 4 — Andy's Mom (voice)
• The Conners — Jackie Harris
• 2017Lady Bird — Marion McPherson
• Horace and Pete — Sarah
• Supergirl — Mary McGowan
• 2014Long Day's Journey Into Night — Mary Tyrone
• Playing House — Dr. Leslie Rollins
• The McCarthys — Marjorie McCarthy
• Tim and Eric's Bedtime Stories — Gabrielle
• Getting On — Jenna James
• The Goodwin Games — Dr. Richland
• 2010Toy Story 3 — Andy's Mom (voice)
• Easy Money
• 2008Stop-Loss — Mrs. Colson
• 2007Georgia Rule — Paula Richards
• 2007Meet the Robinsons — Lucille Krunklehorn (voice)
• Raines
• The Big Bang Theory — Mary Cooper
• 2007The Pixar Story — Mrs. Davis (voice) (archive footage)
• 2006Beer League — Artie's Mom
• 2006Steel City — Marianne Karn
• American Dad! — Elizabeth Hadley (voice)
• 2005Fun with Dick and Jane — Phyllis
• Grey's Anatomy — Beatrice Carver
• Desperate Housewives — Carolyn Bigsby
• Charlie Lawrence — Sarah Dolecek
• Monk — Cora Little
• 2002Treasure Planet — Sarah (voice)
• Without a Trace — Susan Hopkins
• God, the Devil and Bob — Donna Alman (voice)
• Malcolm in the Middle — Susan
• 1999Balloon Farm — Casey Johnson
• 1999Runaway Bride — Betty Trout (uncredited)
• The Norm Show — Laurie Freeman
• 1999Toy Story 2 — Andy's Mom (voice)
• 1998Always Outnumbered — Halley Grimes
• 1998Bulworth — Mimi
• 1998Chicago Cab — Female Ad Exec
• 1998The Long Island Incident — Carolyn McCarthy
• Dharma & Greg — Spyder
• King of the Hill — Cissy Cobb (voice)
• 1997Scream 2 — Debbie Salt
• 1997U Turn — Bus Station Clerk
• 3rd Rock from the Sun — Jennifer Ravelli
• 1996Dear God — Rebecca Frazen
• 1995Leaving Las Vegas — Landlady
• 1995Toy Story — Mrs. Davis (voice)
• Duckman — Sophie (voice)
• 1994The Secret Life of Houses — Ann
• 1993A Dangerous Woman — Anita
• 1993Blink — Candice
• Frasier — Nanny G
• 1993Two Mikes Don't Make a Wright — Emma
• 1992Mistress — Rachel Landisman
• The Jackie Thomas Show — Jackie Harris
• 1991JFK — Susie Cox
• 1990Internal Affairs — Amy Wallace
• 1990Pacific Heights — Stephanie MacDonald
• 1989Uncle Buck — Marcie Dahlgren-Frost
• 1988Candy Mountain — Alice
• 1988Miles from Home — Exotic Dancer
• Roseanne — Jackie Harris
• 1988Stars & Bars — Melissa
• 1988The Appointments of Dennis Jennings — Emma
• 1987Making Mr. Right — Sandy
• 1987Price Check
• 1985Desperately Seeking Susan — Leslie Glass
• The Equalizer — Theresa
• 1985The Execution of Raymond Graham — Carol Graham
• 1982The Visitor
• 1978A Wedding — Maid (uncredited)
• Saturday Night Live — Weekend Update Reporter, Self (uncredited)

Appearances as themselves (13)

• 2025Bruce Willis : les secrets d'une icône — Self
• 2025Janis Ian: Breaking Silence — Self
• 2016Starring Austin Pendleton — Self
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert — Self - Guest
• Variety Studio: Actors on Actors — Self
• 2011Still Screaming: The Ultimate Scary Movie Retrospective — Self
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen — Self - Guest
• 1996The Story Behind 'Toy Story' — Self
• 1991Tom Arnold: The Naked Truth — Self
• LIVE with Kelly and Mark — Self - Guest
• Tony Awards — Self - Nominee
• The Oscars — Self
• Untitled Nathan Lane Documentary — Self