Sara Gilbert Bio
Sara Gilbert (born Sara Rebecca Abeles; January 29, 1975) is an American actress and producer best known for portraying Darlene Conner on the long-running sitcom Roseanne (1988–97; 2018) and its sequel The Conners (2018–25), a role for which she received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. She created and served as a co-host of the CBS daytime talk show The Talk, which premiered in 2010, and played the recurring character Leslie Winkle on The Big Bang Theory. Gilbert has built a versatile television career spanning more than four decades, with appearances on series such as The Simpsons, 24, Will & Grace, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Private Practice. Born in Santa Monica, California, she later attended Yale University, where she majored in art with an emphasis on photography.
Early Life and Background
Sara Gilbert was born Sara Rebecca Abeles in Santa Monica, California, the daughter of Barbara Cowan and Harold Abeles. Both of her parents are Jewish. Her maternal grandfather was television writer Harry Crane, co-creator of The Honeymooners, which gave her an early connection to the entertainment industry. Gilbert grew up in a blended household that included adopted half-siblings, including Melissa Gilbert and Jonathan Gilbert, both well known for their work on Little House on the Prairie. In 1984, she took the last name Gilbert from her mother’s first husband, Paul Gilbert, and has been known professionally as Sara Gilbert ever since.
From a young age, Gilbert was drawn to performance and appeared in television commercials, including spots for Kool-Aid, before auditioning for scripted roles. Her early exposure to the entertainment world through her family, combined with a steady stream of small auditions, helped her develop confidence in front of the camera. She graduated from Yale University in 1997 with honors, majoring in art with an emphasis on photography. Producers of Roseanne accommodated her college years by adjusting taping schedules and filming remote segments of her character at a New York soundstage so that she could continue her studies while remaining on the show.
Path to Acting
Gilbert’s path to acting began in childhood, when she landed commercials and small television roles in Los Angeles. At the age of thirteen, she auditioned for and won the part of Darlene Conner, the sarcastic middle child of the Conner family on the ABC sitcom Roseanne. The show premiered in 1988 and quickly became one of the most-watched comedies in the United States, giving Gilbert a national platform before she had finished high school.
During her years on Roseanne, Gilbert also contributed to the writing of the series, receiving credit for the fourth-season episode story “Don’t Make Me Over.” Beyond her weekly work on the sitcom, she appeared in television movies and continued to develop her craft alongside seasoned performers. After the original run of Roseanne ended in 1997, Gilbert pursued a range of projects, including film roles and stage work at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, where she appeared in a production of The Hot L Baltimore in 2000.
Sara Gilbert Career
Early Career (1984–1997)
Gilbert began her professional acting career in 1984, with appearances in television movies and commercials that led directly to her casting on Roseanne in 1988. Her portrayal of Darlene Conner made her a familiar face in American homes and established her as a sharp young comedic talent. The series ran for nine seasons, and Gilbert’s work during this period earned her early recognition, including a Young Artist Award nomination for Best Young Actress in a Cable Special.
Even while committing to a demanding weekly series, Gilbert contributed behind the scenes by sharing story ideas and supporting the writers’ room. Her decision to enroll at Yale University while continuing on Roseanne demonstrated an early commitment to balancing her education with her career. By the time the original series wrapped in 1997, she had already begun exploring directing with her short film Persona Non Grata in 1998 and was preparing to take on a wider variety of roles.
Breakthrough (1998–2010)
Following Roseanne, Gilbert expanded her résumé with film roles, appearing alongside Drew Barrymore in Poison Ivy (1992) and Riding in Cars with Boys (2001), and taking a feature role in Light It Up (1999). She also had minor parts in projects such as High Fiction and the short film $30, which was part of the Boys Life 3 feature. On television, she developed a recurring presence, playing medical student Jane Figler on ER from 2004 to 2006 and appearing on series such as The Simpsons, 24, Will & Grace, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Private Practice.
In 2007, Gilbert joined the cast of The Big Bang Theory as Leslie Winkle, a scientist friend of Leonard Hofstadter played by her former Roseanne co-star Johnny Galecki. She was promoted to the main cast for the second season before returning to a recurring role in 2009. In 2010, she shifted into producing and hosting with the launch of The Talk on CBS, where she served as creator and co-host until 2019.
Notable Works and Milestones
Sara Gilbert’s signature work remains Darlene Conner, a character she has played across more than three decades on Roseanne, its 2018 revival, and the spin-off The Conners. Her creation and hosting of The Talk produced her most recognized industry honor to date, and her recurring presence on The Big Bang Theory further cemented her place in modern network television.
Sara Gilbert Award Nominations
Across her career, Sara Gilbert has earned recognition from a range of awards bodies for both her acting and her producing work. She received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her portrayal of Darlene Conner on Roseanne and its follow-up projects, reflecting the lasting impact of that signature role. Earlier in her career, she earned a Young Artist Award nomination for Best Young Actress in a Cable Special, recognizing her early performances as a young performer.
Sara Gilbert Awards Won
Sara Gilbert won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2016 for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show as creator and producer of The Talk. The award acknowledged her success in building a daytime format that resonated with audiences and critics alike.
Sara Gilbert Family
Gilbert was raised in a family with deep ties to the entertainment industry. Her maternal grandfather, Harry Crane, was the co-creator of the classic sitcom The Honeymooners. Her mother, Barbara Cowan, and her adopted half-siblings Melissa Gilbert and Jonathan Gilbert were known for their work on Little House on the Prairie. Gilbert also has two siblings on her father’s side, sister Patrice and brother Joseph. Her parents are Barbara Cowan and Harold Abeles.
Personal Life
As a teenager, Gilbert dated her Roseanne co-star Johnny Galecki, who would later play her love interest on The Big Bang Theory. During that relationship, she realized she was a lesbian, though she remained private about her personal life for many years. In 2001, she began a relationship with television producer Ali Adler, and the couple had two children before separating amicably in August 2011. Gilbert publicly confirmed she was a lesbian in July 2010 as she prepared to launch The Talk.
Following her separation from Adler, Gilbert began a relationship with songwriter and former 4 Non Blondes frontwoman Linda Perry. The pair became engaged in April 2013 and married on March 30, 2014. Gilbert gave birth to their son on February 28, 2015. On December 27, 2019, she filed for legal separation from Perry, and the divorce was later finalized.