Born August 27, 1976 in Ottawa, Canada, Sarah Chalke is a Canadian-American actress best known for her roles on hit television series Roseanne, Scrubs and How I Met Your Mother. Chalke grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia to a mother who was originally from Rostock, Germany and a lawyer father. There, Chalke attended school in her hometown twice a week. Because of this, she can speak French and German fluently, other than English. She finally graduated from Handsworth High School in North Vancouver in 1997. Growing up, her parents owned an adoption agency that caters to foreign orphans. She became a naturalized American citizen in April 2008.
Like co-star Zach Braff on the hit television series, Scrubs, Sarah Cassandra Chalke first experienced the hot sting of spotlights on stage. When Sarah was eight years old, she appeared in several musical theater productions and after much hard work and many years later, landed the role of Becky Healy on Roseanne. The role propelled Chalke’s career to a promising start. Chalke also starred in the CBC sitcom Nothing too Good for a Cowboy, which gave the actress an opportunity to go back to her homeland Canada. Movies have also contributed to Chalke’s trip to stardom, but her current popularity can be attributed to her role on the hit NBC series, Scrubs. On the medical comedy, Chalk plays Dr. Elliot Reid, who may seem as just another pretty face with her blonde hair and sultry eyes, but underneath the bombshell exterior lays the aggressive and competitive spirit of a medical intern.
Other than Scrubs, Chalke has landed roles on several feature films, including Ernest Goes to School and Cake. She also appeared on three episodes of How I Met Your Mother and The ‘Bu with The Lonely Island, a The O.C. spoof. She bagged a supporting role on the 2007 film Chaos Theory opposite Ryan Reynolds. Also that year, she appeared in the movie Mama's Boy and was next seen in the short film Prop 8: The Musical. In 2011, she was cast as Kate Swanson in CBS' romantic comedy Mad Love.
2008: Innovator Award (won)
for: "Roseanne" (1988)
Shared with: Roseanne, Michael Fishman, Johnny Galecki, Sara Gilbert, John Goodman, Alicia Goranson, Martin Mull
2006: TV Land Award (nominated)
The Most Irreplaceable Replacement
for: "Roseanne" (1988)
2004: Tv Land Awards (nominated)
Irreplaceable Replacement
for: "Roseanne" (1988)
2003: Teen Choice Awards (nominated)
Choice TV Actress - Comedy
for: "Scrubs" (2001)
2000: Gemini Awards (nominated)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
for: "Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy" (1998)
"When I first opened the script and read the pilot, I was laughing out loud. I just hadn't seen anything on the air like it and I wanted to be a part of it" - on "Scrubs" (2001).
"Before getting "Scrubs" (2001), I had always threatened myself I'd have to become a dental hygienist if I quit acting - to me, that would be the hardest job. I would tell myself, 'Just stick it out for a little longer'. It definitely was a turning point" - about how "Scrubs" (2001) changed her life.