- The Student Experimental Theater-The Metcalf Theater-at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville is named after her.
- Metcalf is a founding ensemble member of the famous Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. Her ex-husband, Jeff Perry, was one of the three founders of the troupe.
- Has appeared in the most episodes of the 'Roseanne/The Conners' franchise than anyone else.
- Has four children: a daughter Zoe Perry (Zoe Michelle Perry Metcalf; b. September 26, 1983) with her ex-first husband Jeff Perry; two sons, Will Theron Roth (b. November 20, 1993) and Donovan Roth (b. 2000, adopted him in 2006), and one daughter Mae Akins Roth (b. July 3, 2005 through surrogate mother) with her ex-second husband Matt Roth.
- As of 2018, she has been in 3 films that were Oscar nominated for Best Picture: JFK (1991), Toy Story 3 (2010), and Lady Bird (2017).
- Teaches Scene Study at Steppenwolf Theater School West in Los Angeles, California.
- Received her BA in Theatre from Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois in 1976.
- Is an active member of UNICEF.
- Laurie is one of 6 performers to receive acting Tony Awards in back-to-back years. She won in 2017 for "A Doll's House, Part 2"(Lead Actress in a Play), and in 2018 for "Edward Albee's Three Tall Women"(Featured Actress in a Play). The others are Shirley Booth (1949/50), Gwen Verdon (1958/59), Sandy Dennis (1963/64), Stephen Spinella (1993/94), and Judith Light (2012/13).
- At one time typed 90 words per minute.
- She grew up in the town of Edwardsville, Illinois.
- She was awarded the 1979 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actress in a Supporting Role in a Play for her performance in "The Glass Menagerie" at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.
- Nominated for the 2018 Emmy Award in the Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category for her role as Jackie Harris in Roseanne (1988), but lost to Alex Borstein from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017).
- Great-great-niece of screenwriter, poet, and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Zoe Akins (Zoe was the sister of Laurie's maternal great-grandfather, James Duff Akins).
- Has won 2 Tony Awards: Her first win, presented by Bette Midler at the 71st annual ceremony on 06/11/2017, was for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for "A Doll's House, Part 2". Her second win, presented by Carey Mulligan at the 72nd annual ceremony on 06/10/2018, was for Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for "Three Tall Sisters.".
- Has received six Tony nominations: two for Featured Actress in a Play ("November" in 2008, "Three Tall Women" in 2018) and four for Leading Actress in a Play ("The Other Place" in 2013, "Misery" in 2016, "A Doll's House, Part 2" in 2017, and "Hillary and Clinton" in 2019). She won in 2017 and 2018, giving her one Tony for each category she's been nominated.
- Best known for her role as Jackie Harris on Roseanne (1988).
- Nominated for the 2008 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in David Mamet's "November".
- Is a staunch liberal Democrat who has supported the presidencies of Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama.
- Appearing in David Mamet's play, "November", at the Ethel Barrymore Theater in New York City. (January 2008)
- She was nominated for a 1980 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actress in a Principal Role for her performance in "Getting Out" at the Wisdom Bridge Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.
- She was awarded the 1987 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actress in a Principal Role in a Play for "Educating Rita" at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois.
- She was nominated for a 1994 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actress in a Supporting Role in a Play for "Libra" at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois.
- Graduated Edwardsville High School in 1973.
- Shonda Rhimes has a lovely reputation of using actors across her many successful TV shows; sort of like "Easter Eggs". On Grey's Anatomy, Zoe Perry played a patient of Dr Meredith Grey in season 9, episode 5. Her father, Jeff Perry, had a recurring role as Thatcher Grey, Meredith's estranged father. Laurie Metcalf, Zoe's mother, also played a patient in season 2, episode 22.
- She was awarded the 1981 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actress in a Principal Role in a Play for "Balm in Gilead" at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois.
- She was awarded the 1985 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actress in a Principal Role in a Play for "Coyote Ugly" at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois.
- Awarded the 1984 Theatre World Award and an Obie Award for her performance in "Balm in Gilead.".
- She was awarded the 1986 Joseph Jefferson Award for Cameo Performance for "You Can't Take It With You" at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois.
- She is of English, German, Scottish, Irish, and more distant Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, ancestry.
- She was nominated for a 1999 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actress in a Principal Role in a Play for "The Beauty Queen of Leenane" at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois.
- She was nominated for a 1983 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actress in a Supporting Role in a Play for "And a Nightingale Sang" at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois.
- She was awarded the 1992 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actress in a Principal Role in a Play for "My Thing of Love" at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.
- Her three consecutive Emmy wins for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for "Roseanne" were presented by: Roseanne and John Goodman in 1992; John Ratzenberger and George Wendt in 1993; and Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce in 1994.
- Not counting preview-performances, her first and third Broadway plays closed in less than two weeks: "My Thing of Love" from May 03rd-14th, 1995 (12 performances), and "Brighton Beach Memoirs" from October 25th-November 01st, 2009 (9 performances).
- She has appeared in two films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) and Toy Story (1995).
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