Rachel Brosnahan | |
|---|---|
 Brosnahan in 2025 | |
| Born | (1990-07-12)July 12, 1990 (age 35) |
| Education | New York University (BFA) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Spouse | |
| Relatives | Kate Spade (aunt) Andy Spade (uncle-in-law) |
Rachel Elizabeth Brosnahan (born July 12, 1990)[1][2] is an American actress. She is recognized for portrayingLois Lane in theDC Universe (DCU), a role she first played in the filmSuperman (2025). She rose to fame for her performance as Midge Maisel in theAmazon Prime Video period comedy seriesThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017–2023), for which she won aPrimetime Emmy Award in 2018 and two consecutiveGolden Globe Awards in 2018 and 2019.[3][4][5]
On screen, she was Emmy-nominated for the political thriller seriesHouse of Cards (2013–2015) and acted in the drama seriesManhattan (2014–2015) and the comedy miniseries seriesCrisis in Six Scenes (2016). Brosnahan made her film debut in the horror filmThe Unborn (2009), and had starred inThe Courier (2020),I'm Your Woman (2020), andThe Amateur (2025).
On stage, she made herBroadway debut in the 2013 revival of theClifford Odets playThe Big Knife. She playedDesdemona in the 2016off Broadway production ofOthello, which also starredDaniel Craig andDavid Oyelowo.[6] Brosnahan returned to Broadway playing a wife in a turbulent marriage in the 2023 revival of theLorraine Hansberry playThe Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window for which she was nominated for theDrama League Distinguished Performance Award.
Brosnahan was born on July 12, 1990, inMilwaukee, Wisconsin, to Carol and Earl Brosnahan, who worked in children's publishing.[1][7][8] Her mother is British, and her father is an American of Irish descent.[9][10] From the age of four years old, Brosnahan was raised inHighland Park, Illinois.[7][11] She has a younger brother and sister.[12]
She attended Wayne Thomas Elementary School and Northwood Junior High School.[12][7] She performed inmusical theater during junior high and high school.[12][7] AtHighland Park High School, she was on the wrestling team for two years and was a snowboarding instructor.[12][9] When she was 16, she took a class with Carole Dibo, director of Wilmette's Actors Training Center, who is now her manager.[7] Brosnahan graduated fromNew York University'sTisch School of the Arts in 2012.[13] She also studied at theLee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.[14]
While still in high school, Brosnahan received her first movie role—that of Lisa in theMichael Bay-produced horror filmThe Unborn (2009). She first appeared on stage in 2009 inUp atSteppenwolf Theatre.[7] In college, she appeared in single episodes of television series such asGossip Girl,The Good Wife,Grey's Anatomy,[12] andIn Treatment. Brosnahan's early roles include performances in two short films directed byAri Aster,Basically (2013), andMunchausen (2014). After college, she began landing recurring roles in series such as the crime thrillerThe Blacklist (2014) and the short-lived medical dramaBlack Box (2014). She made her Broadway debut inThe Big Knife withRoundabout Theatre Company in 2013.[15]
In 2013, she starred as Rachel Posner in the critically acclaimedNetflix political dramaHouse of Cards withKevin Spacey andRobin Wright. Although she was initially booked for only two episodes, she caught the eye ofshowrunnerBeau Willimon,[16] and her character was significantly expanded. Her role brought her career prominence, and she received aPrimetime Emmy Award nomination forOutstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series at the67th Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2016, she playedDesdemona inOthello atNew York Theatre Workshop oppositeDavid Oyelowo andDaniel Craig.[17] That year she appeared inWoody Allen'sAmazon seriesCrisis in Six Scenes with Allen,Elaine May andMiley Cyrus.[18]
Starting in 2017, Brosnahan appeared as the title character in theAmazon period comedy seriesThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She has said that her exposure to Jewish culture growing up helped prepare her for the role of Midge Maisel, a 1950s Jewish housewife who pursues a career instand-up comedy when her marriage fails.[19] Her performance has earned her a Primetime Emmy Award forOutstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series,[20][21] twoGolden Globe Awards, threeScreen Actors Guild Awards, and twoCritics' Choice Television Awards, among other accolades.[22][23][24][25] In 2019, Brosnahan launched the production company Scrap Paper Pictures.[26]
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Brosnahan appeared in the drama filmThe Courier withBenedict Cumberbatch, released in January 2020.[27] In December 2020, Amazon releasedI'm Your Woman, in which she starred withArinzé Kene and produced.[28] In 2022, she starred in thewesternDead for a Dollar which premiered at the79th Venice International Film Festival. In 2023, she starred in the revival ofLorraine Hansberry'sThe Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window oppositeOscar Isaac first at theBrooklyn Academy of Music, and later produced at theJames Earl Jones Theatre onBroadway directed by Anne Kauffman.[29][30] She received positive reviews for her performance as well as aDrama League Award nomination forOutstanding Distinguished Performer.
In 2025, Brosnahan appeared asLois Lane in theDC Universe superhero filmSuperman, from directorJames Gunn.[31] She also played the wife of a CIA analyst in the espionage action thrillerThe Amateur starringRami Malek.[32] Also that year, it was announced that Brosnahan would be cast in the lead in theApple TV+ anthology crime drama seriesPresumed Innocent which she will also serve as an executive producer.[33]
It was reported in 2018 that Brosnahan had married actorJason Ralph,[34] but she later revealed in January 2019 that they had been married "for years" before their relationship became public.[35] Both attended the76th Golden Globe Awards ceremony in 2019, where she thanked him during her award acceptance speech.[36]
Brosnahan is the niece of handbag designerKate Spade (born Katherine Noel Brosnahan), who was married toAndy Spade, the older brother of actor and comedianDavid Spade.[37]
Brosnahan has twice completed the "Live Below the Line" challenge.[38]
| † | Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released |
| Year | Work | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | The Unborn | Lisa | |
| The Truth About Average Guys | Molly | ||
| 2011 | Coming Up Roses | Alice | |
| 2012 | Nor'easter | Abby Green | |
| Adrift | Alex | Short film | |
| 2013 | Beautiful Creatures | Genevieve Duchannes | |
| Care | Drea | Short film | |
| A New York Heartbeat | Tamara | ||
| Munchausen | Girl | Short film | |
| 2014 | Basically | Shandy | |
| I'm Obsessed with You | Nell Fitzpatrick | ||
| The Smut Locker | Jamie White | Short film | |
| 2015 | James White | Ellen | |
| Louder Than Bombs | Erin | ||
| 2016 | The Finest Hours | Bea Hansen | |
| Burn Country | Sandra | ||
| Patriots Day | Jessica Kensky | ||
| 2017 | Boomtown | Jamie | |
| 2018 | Fifteen Years Later | Amy | Short film |
| Change in the Air | Wren | ||
| 2019 | Spies in Disguise | Wendy Beckett | Voice role |
| 2020 | The Courier | Emily Donovan | |
| I'm Your Woman | Jean | Also produced | |
| 2022 | Dead for a Dollar | Rachel Kidd | |
| 2025 | The Amateur | Sarah Heller | [39] |
| Superman | Lois Lane | ||
| TBA | Lear Rex† | Regan | Post-production |
| Year | Work | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Mercy | Samantha | Episode: "We're All Adults" |
| Gossip Girl | Girl | Episode: "It's a Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad World" | |
| The Good Wife | Caitlin Fenton | Episode: "Poisoned Pill" | |
| In Treatment | Eating Disorder Girl | Episode: "Jesse: Week Six" | |
| 2011 | CSI: Miami | Melanie Garland | Episode: "Countermeasures" |
| 2013 | Grey's Anatomy | Brian Weston | Episode: "The Face of Change" |
| Orange Is the New Black | Little Allie | Episode: "Bora Bora Bora" | |
| 2013–2015 | House of Cards | Rachel Posner | Main cast (19 episodes) |
| 2014 | Olive Kitteridge | Patty Howe | Episode: "Incoming Tide" |
| The Blacklist | Jolene Parker / Lucy Brooks | 6 episodes | |
| Black Box | Delilah Buchanan | 5 episodes | |
| 2014–2015 | Manhattan | Abby Isaacs | Main cast (23 episodes) |
| 2015 | The Dovekeepers | Yael | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Crisis in Six Scenes | Ellie | Main cast (4 episodes) |
| 2017–2023 | The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | Miriam "Midge" Maisel | Main cast (43 episodes) |
| 2019 | Saturday Night Live | Herself (host) | Episode: "Rachel Brosnahan/Greta Van Fleet" |
| 2019–2020 | Elena of Avalor | Princess Chloe (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2020 | 50 States of Fright | Heather | 3 episodes |
| Saturday Night Seder | Herself | Television special | |
| 2020–2021 | Yearly Departed | Herself | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Ziwe | Herself | Episode: "Allyship" |
| TBA | Presumed Innocent | Leila Reynolds | Main role (season 2); also Executive producer[40] |
| Year | Title | Role | Venue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Up | Maria | Steppenwolf Theatre Company | [41] |
| 2013 | The Big Knife | Dixie Evans | Roundabout Theatre Company | [42] |
| 2016 | Othello | Desdemona | New York Theatre Workshop | [43] |
| 2023 | The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window | Iris Parodus Brustein | Brooklyn Academy of Music | [44] |
| James Earl Jones Theatre | [45] | |||
| 2024 | Gutenberg! The Musical! | Producer (one night only) | [46] |
Rachel Brosnahan explains how she wound up with two completely fake birthdays on the internet.
Brosnahan, 23
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