Mayim Bialik | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Bialik in 2018 | |
| Born | Mayim Chaya Bialik (1975-12-12)December 12, 1975 (age 49) San Diego,California, U.S. |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles (BS,PhD) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Neuroscience |
| Thesis | Hypothalamic Regulation in Relation to Maladaptive, Obsessive-Compulsive, Affiliative, and Satiety Behaviors in Prader-Willi Syndrome (2007) |
| Website | groknation |
Mayim Chaya Bialik (/ˈmaɪɪmbiˈɑːlɪk/MY-im bee-AH-lik; born December 12, 1975) is an American actress, author, and former game show host. From 1991 to 1995, she played the title character of theNBC sitcomBlossom. From 2010 to 2019, she played neuroscientistAmy Farrah Fowler on theCBS sitcomThe Big Bang Theory, for which she was nominated four times for thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and won theCritics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2015 and 2017.[1] Bialik shared hosting duties ofJeopardy! withKen Jennings on a rotating basis between August 2021 and December 2023.[2]
Mayim Chaya Bialik was born on December 12, 1975, inSan Diego,California,[3][4][5] to Beverly (née Winkleman) and Barry Bialik.[6][7][8] Her family were Jewish immigrants who lived inthe Bronx, New York City.[9] Three of her four grandparents migrated from Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary.[10] After being raised as aReform Jew, she described herself asModern Orthodox Jewish in 2013.[10][11][12] Bialik became aBat Mitzvah and has called herself a "staunchZionist".[13][10] Her name, Mayim ("water" inHebrew),[14] originates in a family nickname of her great-grandmother, Miriam.[15] The Hebrew-language poetHayim Nahman Bialik was her great-great-great-granduncle.[16]
Bialik graduated in 1993 fromNorth Hollywood High School inLos Angeles, California.[17] In acknowledgment of her acting commitments, she was granted a deferred acceptance and attendedUniversity of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).[18][19] She earned aBachelor of Science degree inneuroscience, with minors inHebrew andJewish studies, in 2000.[20][21]
Bialik has said she did not have the grades needed formedical school.[22] She went on to study for a doctorate in neuroscience. She took a break from studies in 2005 to return to acting.[23] She returned to earn herPhD degree in neuroscience from UCLA in 2007 under Dr. James McCracken.[3][20] Her dissertation was titled "Hypothalamic regulation in relation tomaladaptive,obsessive-compulsive, affiliative and satiety behaviors inPrader–Willi syndrome".[3][24]
Bialik started her career as achild actress in the late 1980s. Her early roles included the 1988 horror filmPumpkinhead (her first acting job)[25] and guest appearances onThe Facts of Life (two final-season episodes) andBeauty and the Beast. In 1988 to 1989, she appeared in eight episodes of the sitcomWebster as Frieda, Webster's classmate. It was forBeauty and the Beast, where she played a sewer-dwelling girl named Ellie (with about ten lines of dialogue) that she obtained herScreen Actors Guild (SAG) card.[26] Bialik appeared in three episodes ofMacGyver asLisa Woodman. She appeared inBeaches (1988), playingBette Midler's character as a young girl. Many reviews singled out her performance as a strong point in the film.[27][28][29] She appeared in the music video forMichael Jackson's song "Liberian Girl". In 1990, she was tied to two television pilots, Fox'sMolloy andNBC'sBlossom.Molloy produced six episodes for a tryout run, followed by the shooting of the pilot special forBlossom. The latter aired two weeks before the Fox series and garnered higher ratings. WhenMolloy folded after its six episodes,Blossom premiered as a mid-season replacement on January 3, 1991, and aired until May 22, 1995.[30]
On September 8, 1992, Bialik was a celebrity contestant guest in the episode "Disturbing The Heavenly Peace", the first episode of the second season of thePBS game showWhere in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? She had a major part in theWoody Allen comedy filmDon't Drink the Water in 1994. Between 1995 and 2005, she mostly did voiceover work for cartoons, such asThe Real Adventures of Jonny Quest,Disney'sRecess andKim Possible,Cartoon Network'sJohnny Bravo, andNickelodeon'sHey Arnold!. She appeared in the feature filmKalamazoo? (2005) and in three episodes of theHBO comedy seriesCurb Your Enthusiasm as Jodi Funkhouser, the daughter of a friend ofLarry David. The character transitioned to male in a later episode, going by the name Joey, and was recast toChaz Bono.[citation needed] Bialik also made guest appearances as a fictionalized version of herself in the seriesFat Actress[citation needed] and in an episode ofSaving Grace.[31] Bialik had a recurring role as the high school guidance counselor in ABC Family'sThe Secret Life of the American Teenager.[citation needed] In 2009,Clinton Kelly nominated her for a makeover onTLC'sWhat Not to Wear.[31]
She joined the cast ofThe Big Bang Theory asDr. Amy Farrah Fowler in 2010. Her first appearance was in the season 3 finale as a potential love interest for the character ofSheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons). Inseason 4, she began as a recurring character playing Sheldon's "friend that's a girl, but not a girlfriend." Beginning with the 8th episode of season 4, she became part of the main cast.[32] Amy is a neurobiologist, a field that is related to Bialik's real-life doctorate in neuroscience. Bialik's performance inThe Big Bang Theory earned herEmmy Award nominations in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Bialik was one of seven actresses who had a "quirky" personality to audition for the role.[33] Before she joined the cast, in the episode "The Bat Jar Conjecture", Raj suggests recruiting the real-life Bialik to their Physics Bowl team, saying "You know who's apparently very smart is the girl who played TV'sBlossom. She got a Ph.D. in neuroscience or something."[citation needed] She is one of the guest stars on the 2014Steve Carellimprovisational sketch showRiot.[34]
In August 2014, Bialik began hosting a revival ofCandid Camera onTV Land along withPeter Funt.[35] Her most recent movie appearance was in aLifetime Christmas movie,The Flight Before Christmas.[citation needed] In 2019, Bialik appeared in a commercial forIBM.[36] On August 20, 2019, it was announced that she and her new production company, Sad Clown Productions, had signed exclusive contracts with Warner Bros. Entertainment. Mackenzie Gabriel-Vaught, a former executive atChuck Lorre Productions, is Sad Clown's head of development.[37] Sad Clown Productions, in conjunction with Jim Parsons's That's Wonderful Productions, BBC Studios, andMiranda Hart, executive-produces a starring vehicle for Bialik,Call Me Kat, based on the British seriesMiranda. A co-production of Warner Bros. and Fox Entertainment, it premiered on Fox on January 3, 2021, and was renewed for a second season in May 2021.[38][39][40]
During her time onThe Big Bang Theory, Bialik wrote two books in addition to co-authoring two books with pediatricianJay Gordon.Beyond the Sling is aboutattachment parenting,[41][42] whileMayim's Vegan Table contains over 100 of Bialik's vegan recipes.[43][44] Her third book,Girling Up, is about the struggles of and ways in which girls grow up, showing the scientific ways in which their bodies change.[45] Its successor,Boying Up (2018) analyzes the science, anatomy, and mentality of growing up as a boy, and the physical and mental changes and challenges boys face while transitioning from adolescence to adulthood.[46]
From May 31 to June 11, 2021, Bialik was a guest host ofJeopardy![47] On August 11, 2021, it was announced that she would host the series' future primetime specials and spinoffs.[48][49] When executive producerMike Richards resigned as host after one week, it was announced that Bialik would guest-host the show for three weeks.[50] Her contract was extended to seven weeks; she would then alternate withKen Jennings for the rest of the calendar year.[51] On December 8, 2021, it was announced that Bialik and Jennings would continue to host the show for the rest of the 2021–22 season.[52] On July 27, 2022, it was announced that Bialik and Jennings would be the show's permanent hosts in a job-sharing arrangement.[53] In May 2023, Bialik competed as a contestant on an episode ofCelebrity Wheel of Fortune againstVanna White and Ken Jennings.[54] Bialik won $62,200 for Mental Wealth Alliance.[55]
Bialik wrote and directed her first film,As They Made Us (2022), about a divorced mom juggling her family's needs and her own quest for love.Dustin Hoffman andCandice Bergen starred as well asSimon Helberg, Bialik's formerThe Big Bang Theory castmate.[56] The film was expected to premiere in late 2020, but theCOVID-19 pandemic delayed filming.Ash Christian was attached to the project, but died in August 2020.[57]Principal photography began in June 2021.[58] The film was released on April 8, 2022.[59]
In May 2023, it was announced that Bialik would temporarily leaveJeopardy! and would not serve as host for the rest of season 39 due to her support of theWriters Guild of America strike. Ken Jennings hosted the remainder of season 39 during Bialik's absence.[60] In December 2023, it was announced that she would no longer host the syndicated version ofJeopardy![61] Despite this, the show is still open to having her host the prime-time specials and spin-offs.[62][63]Michael Davies, the executive producer of the show, toldRolling Stone in January 2025 that "Mayim, which was absolutely her right, elected not to cross the picket line during the [SAG-AFTRA] strike. And as Ken got more reps, I think he got better and he earned the job."[64][65]
In 2014, Bialik was awarded an honoraryDoctor of Humane Letters degree fromBoston University.[66][67]
Bialik married Michael Stone on August 31, 2003; they had aVictorian-themed ceremony that included traditional Jewish wedding customs.[68] Stone, who was raisedMormon but left the church as an adolescent, converted to Judaism to marry Bialik.[69] They have two sons together.[70] Bialik returned to television in 2010, as opposed to continuing her scientific career, so she could spend more time with her children.[33] Bialik and Stone announced their divorce in November 2012,[71] and it was finalized six months later.[72]
Bialik founded Grok Nation (originally styled "GrokNation") in August 2015 to facilitate conversations among people of different ages and backgrounds about issues. It aimed to engage readers in online conversations that led to offline action, mobilizing them to change the world as a community. Togrok means to understand in a profound manner. (The term comes from the 1961science fiction novelStranger in a Strange Land byRobert A. Heinlein.) Bialik had written on a similar idea forJewish Telegraphic Agency–affiliated Jewish parenting site Kveller for five years. She announced and described her new creation on Kveller.[73][74][75]
Along with formerSassy writer and editor Christina Kelly, Bialik relaunched Grok Nation as a women's lifestyle site in March 2018.[76] The site ceased updates in March 2019, with new content shifting to Bialik's email newsletter.[77]
During the2014 Gaza Conflict, she donated money to theIsrael Defense Forces (IDF) for armored vests.[78] She has been vocal since theOctober 7 attacks saying she was "speechless" amid the "exceptionally painful"Gaza war.[79] She has also spoken up againstantisemitism on college campuses in the United States.[80] On November 6, 2023, Bialik andNoa Tishby stated that they were againstcalls for a ceasefire in the war betweenIsrael andPalestine saying, "No country in the world would be asked to stop protecting itself under attack from all of its borders."[81] She accused many students of being ignorant on the issue and attacked pro-Palestinian activists, supporting their arrest. Because of these views, she was heavily criticized and accused of considering the lives of Palestinians less important than those of Israelis. When criticized, she responded by limiting her comments and calling herself a victim of antisemitism, reiterating her full support for Israel's actions against Gaza.[82][83][84] She later promoted on her social media a children's book that portrays Israelis as the sole owners of Palestine.[85]
Bialik is avegan and a founding member of the Shamayim V'Aretz Institute, a Jewish organization that advocates the ethical treatment of animals.[86][87] In 2017, she announced that she and vegan chef Ali Cruddas had opened Bodhi Bowl,[88] a vegan restaurant inLos Angeles. It closed permanently in 2020 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[89]
After theHarvey Weinstein sexual misconduct allegations surfaced, Bialik wrote aNew York Times op-ed in 2017 in which she described the entertainment industry as one "that profits on the exploitation of women ... [and] the objectification of women".[90] With regard to protecting herself from sexual harassment, Bialik wrote that she dressed modestly and did not act flirtatiously with men, adding, "In a perfect world, women should be free to act however they want. But our world isn't perfect. Nothing—absolutely nothing—excuses men for assaulting or abusing women. But we can't be naïve about the culture we live in." Bialik's article drew backlash from critics who said she was insinuating that modesty and a conservative wardrobe can guard one against sexual assault.Patricia Arquette tweeted, "I have to say I was dressed non-provocatively at 12 walking home from school when men masturbated at me. It's not the clothes."[91] In response, Bialik said she regretted that the piece "became what it became" and participated in a Facebook Live event hosted byThe New York Times to answer questions about it.[92][93][94][95]
In a 2012 interview, Bialik called herself an "aspiringModern Orthodox".[12] She has also appeared in severalYouTube cameos as Blossom and Amy Farrah Fowler, asking questions about Jewish beliefs.[96] The videos are produced byAllison Josephs, Bialik'sJudaism study partner, whom she met with the help ofPartners in Torah.[97] Bialik is a frequent contributor to the Jewish parenting website,Kveller.[98]
In a 2009 interview, Bialik said of her family: "We are a non-vaccinating family, but I make no claims about people's individual decisions. We based ours on research and discussions with our pediatrician, and we've been happy with that decision, but obviously there's a lot of controversy about it."[99] In October 2020, amid theCOVID-19 pandemic, she said that though she had not received a vaccination in 30 years, she planned to be vaccinated against both theflu and theSARS-CoV-2 virus and that "As of today, my children may not have had every one of the vaccinations that your children have, but my children are vaccinated."[100] Bialik has also said that her children were not vaccinated at the time of her 2012 bookBeyond the Sling, but that they have since received a"delayed" vaccination schedule.[101]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Beaches | Young Cecilia "CC" Carol Bloom | |
| 1988 | Pumpkinhead | Christine Wallace | |
| 1990 | The Kingdom Chums: Original Top Ten | Petey | Voice |
| 2006 | Kalamazoo? | Maggie Goldman | |
| 2011 | The Chicago 8 | Nancy Kurshan | |
| 2022 | As They Made Us | — | Director, writer and producer |
| 2025 | Like Father Like Son | Anabelle Weiss | [102] |
| 2025 | Father Mother Sister Brother | Emily |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Beauty and the Beast | Ellie | Episode: "No Way Down" |
| 1988 | The Facts of Life | Jennifer Cole | Episodes: "The Beginning of the End" and "The Beginning of the Beginning" |
| 1988–1989 | Webster | Frieda | Recurring role (Season 6) |
| 1989–1990 | Empty Nest | Laurie Kincaid | Episodes: "The R.N. Who Came to Dinner" and "Harry Knows Best" |
| 1989–1990 | MacGyver | Lisa Woodman | Recurring role (Season 5 andSeason 6) |
| 1990 | Doogie Howser, M.D. | Candace | Episode: "Ask Dr. Doogie" |
| 1990 | Molloy | Molloy Martin | Lead role |
| 1990 | Murphy Brown | Natalie | Episode: "I Want My FYI" |
| 1990 | The Earth Day Special | Herself | Television special |
| 1990–1995 | Blossom | Blossom Russo | Lead role |
| 1991 | Sea World's Mother Earth Celebration | Herself | Television special |
| 1992 | Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? | Herself | Guest role |
| 1993 | The Hidden Room | Jillie | Episode: "Jillie" |
| 1994 | Don't Drink the Water | Susan Hollander | Television film |
| 1994–1995 | The John Larroquette Show | Rachel | Episodes: "The Book of Rachel", "Rachel and Ton" and "Rachel Redux" |
| 1995–1996 | The Adventures of Hyperman | Brittany Bright | Voice; Main role |
| 1996; 1999 | Hey Arnold! | Maria | Voice; Episodes: "6th Grade Girls" and "Phoebe Skips" |
| 1996 | Aaahh!!! Real Monsters | Cindy | Voice; Episode: "Things That Go Bump in the Night" |
| 1996 | The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest | Lucy / Julia | Voice; Episodes: "Assault on Questworld" and "The Alchemist" |
| 1997; 2000 | Recess | Kirsten Kurst | Voice; 5 episodes |
| 1997 | Johnny Bravo | Tour Guide | Voice; Episode: "Going Batty" |
| 1997 | Extreme Ghostbusters | Girl in Future | Voice; Episode: "Ghost Apocalyptic Future" |
| 1998 | Welcome to Paradox | Rita | Episode: "Alien Jane" |
| 2001–2002 | Lloyd in Space | Mean Cindy | Voice; Recurring role (Season 1–2) |
| 2003 | 7th Heaven | Cathy | Episode: "Dick" |
| 2004 | Kim Possible | Justine Flanner | Voice; Episode: "Partners" |
| 2005 | Katbot | Paula | Voice; Recurring role |
| 2005 | Fat Actress | Herself | Episode: "The Koi Effect" and "Holy Lesbo Batman" |
| 2005; 2007 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Jodi Funkhouser | Episodes: "The Bowtie", "The Ida Funkhouser Roadside Memorial" and "The TiVo Guy" |
| 2009 | What Not to Wear | Herself | Episode: "Mayim" |
| 2009 | Saving Grace | Esther | Episode: "Mooooooooo" |
| 2009 | Bones | Genie Gormon | Episode: "The Cinderella in the Cardboard" |
| 2009 | 'Til Death | Herself | Episodes: "The Break-Up", "Merit Play" and "Baby Steps" |
| 2010 | The Secret Life of the American Teenager | Dr. Wilameena Bink | Recurring role (Season 2–3) |
| 2010 | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? | Herself / Expert | Season 8 |
| 2010–2019 | The Big Bang Theory | Amy Farrah Fowler | Guest role (Season 3) Main role (Season 4–Season 12) |
| 2011 | The Dog Who Saved Halloween | Medusa | Voice; television film |
| 2012 | Survivor: One World[103] | Herself/Attendant | Reality; Episode: "Reunion" |
| 2014 | Candid Camera | Host | Season 38 |
| 2014 | Stan Lee's Mighty 7 | Lady Lightning | Voice; Television film |
| 2015 | Blaze and the Monster Machines | Great Sphinx | Voice; Episode: "Race to the Top of the World" |
| 2015 | The Flight Before Christmas | Stephanie Michelle Hunt | Television film; also producer |
| 2016 | Star vs. the Forces of Evil | Willoughby | Voice; Episode: "Fetch" |
| 2017 | MasterChef Junior | Guest judge | Episode: "Batter Hurry Up" |
| 2017 | Rhett & Link's Buddy System | Glenda | Episode: "To Kill a Robot" |
| 2017 | Drop the Mic | Herself | Episode: "Mayim Bialik vs.Kunal Nayyar /Ashley Tisdale vs.Nick Lachey" |
| 2020 | Celebrity Show-Off | Herself | Host |
| 2020 | Lego Masters | Herself | Episode: "Space Smash" |
| 2020 | Match Game | Herself | Celebrity panel |
| 2020 | Vampirina | Dr. Gem Jeodopolis | Voice; Episode: "Fang Ten!/Science Rocks" |
| 2020–2024 | Young Sheldon | Amy Farrah Fowler | 3 episodes (voice only in 2 episodes, live-action in "Memoir") |
| 2021–2023 | Call Me Kat | Kat | Main role; also executive producer |
| 2021–2023 | Jeopardy! | Herself | Host, 10 episodes syndicated (season 37), 115 episodes syndicated (season 38), 9 episodes ABC (season 38)[104] |
| 2022–2023 | Celebrity Jeopardy! | Herself | Host (season 1) |
| 2023 | Celebrity Wheel of Fortune | Self – Celebrity Contestant | Episode: "Vanna White,Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik" |
| 2023 | The Tiny Chef Show | Herself | Episode: "Tiny Chef's Marvelous Mish Mesh Special" |
| 2025 | Night Court | Herself | Episode: "Mayim Worst Enemy" |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Untitled Web Series About a Space Traveler Who Can Also Travel Through Time | B.O.O.T.H. | Voice; Episode: "Second Season Prequel" |
| 2016 | Yidlife Crisis | Chaya | Episode: "The Double Date" |
| 2017 | Rhett and Link's Buddy System | Pathologist | |
| 2017; 2018 | Good Mythical Morning | Herself | Episodes: "What's On My Head?", "3 Monkeys Blindfold" and "Dissecting A Frog" |
| 2018 | The Super Slow Show | Herself | Episode: "Slow Learners" |
| Year | Title | Voice role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | X2: Wolverine's Revenge | Bush Pilot / May Deuce | |
| 2020 | Borderlands 3 | Herself |
| Year | Title | Genre | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–present | Mayim Bialik's Breakdown | Focuses onmental health | [105] |
Born in San Diego, California to first-generation Jewish-American parents.
My great-grandmother's name was Miriam, and the grandkids had a hard time pronouncing the resh in the middle, so they just called her Mayam and she was known as Bobbe Mayam. And then my parents thought it was cool in 1975 to name me Mayim.
