Laurie Metcalf is off to a busy spring. The 70-year-old actress stars in the newest comedy Big Mistakes and on Broadway in the revival of Death of a Salesman.
In Big Mistakes, Laurie plays the mom to Dan Levy and Taylor Ortega helping them navigate after they are blackmailed into the world of organized crime. While she may not be connected to the life of crime, Laurie does know what it takes to be a mom.
The actress has four children, including two daughters who followed in her footsteps. Keep reading to learn more about Laurie's two actor ex-husbands and her four children.
© Getty ImagesJeff Perry
Laurie married her first husband, Jeff Perry, in 1983. The couple met in Chicago while they were theater students. Jeff founded the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 1974, which Laurie later joined.
The couple had one child, Zoe Perry, while they were married, but divorced three years after they tied the knot. But, Laurie and Jeff remain friends.
"We just knew we loved this girl, and we weren't gonna screw that up," Jeff told the New York Post in 2008 about maintaining a relationship with Laurie.
Both Laurie and Jeff went on to have other relationships. Of Jeff's second wife, Laurie told the publication: "There's not really a term for it, but I love her, so I call her my sister-in-law."
© Getty ImagesMatt Roth
While on the set of the hit TV show Roseanne, Laurie, who starred as Jackie Harris, met her second husband. Matt Roth played her abusive boyfriend Fisher. Off screen, their relationship flourished.
Laurie and Matt welcomed a son, Will, in 1993. Over a decade later, in 2005, the couple tied the knot. That same year, they welcomed daughter Mae. And in 2006, Laurie and Matt adopted their son Donovan.
In 2008, the couple separated, with their divorce being finalized in 2014.
© FilmMagicZoe Perry, 42
Laurie's oldest child followed in her footsteps. Zoe was born on September 26, 1983 to Laurie and Jeff. While her parents didn't want her to pursue acting until she was older, she did make two appearances in Roseanne as a young Jackie.
After graduating from Northwestern University, Zoe launched her acting career. She moved to New York, striving to find success for herself without using her parents' contacts in Los Angeles and Chicago.
Zoe has starred on Broadway with both of her parents – in 2013's The Other Place with her mom and in 2015's Anna Christie with her dad. But what Zoe is best known for is starring as Mary Cooper in Young Sheldon.
Laurie played Sheldon Cooper's mom in The Big Bang Theory, so the role truly made sense. In 2018, the actress spoke about how her mom's fame impacted her acting career.
"For me, she's always been such an inspiration because not only is she incredibly talented — I might be biased — but she's always been such a good example of having a really strong work ethic and taking pride and value in the work that she does," Zoe told Entertainment Tonight.
Outside of acting, Zoe is married to producer Gab Taraboulsy.
© Getty ImagesWill Roth, 33
In 1993, Laurie and her second husband Matt welcomed their son Will. Unlike his big sister, Will did not get the acting bug. As a kid, Will was occasionally seen with his mom and Hollywood events, but he remains out of the public eye.
In October 2022, Will tied the knot with Angela Saggiomo. His little sister, Mae, shared photos to Instagram of the big day, including a sweet moment with Laurie and Will.
© InstagramMae Roth, 20
On June 3, 2005, Laurie and Matt welcomed their daughter Mae. The now 20-year-old graduated from high school in May 2023. Mae is now in college at Marymount Manhattan College studying musical theater.
She announced the big news on Instagram, writing: "I have loved this school since 7th grade and I can't even believe I get to go here for musical theatre."
Mae often shares glimpses into her famous mom's life, snapping photos of her on set and joining her on red carpets. In 2019, Mae attended the Tony Awards with Laurie and celebrated her four years later when Laurie was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.
© Getty ImagesDonovan Roth
In 2007, Laurie and Matt adopted their second son, Donovan, after being his foster parents. Like his big brother, Donovan lives a very private life. But, Laurie has spoken about how she relates greatly to films about adoption.
In 2008, Laurie opened up about her show Easy Money, which includes a child discovering he is not biologically related to the rest of the family.
"I do [have a special connection]," she told Time Out Chicago. "They've dealt with the character's confusion and my fear as his mother in a really realistic way."
