You’ll probably recognize Zoe Perry from her roles in “Young Sheldon” and its spin-off “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” but she was in the biz long before entering “The Big Bang Theory” universe. Only, you may not know too much about this famous actor because she’s notoriously private. Unlike many of her peers, Zoe doesn’t have any active social media accounts and prefers to live her life away from the spotlight — and that’s no easy feat when you’re this famous.
One thing we know for sure, though? She’s had a stunning transformation. Zoe has gone from a little girl with little interest in acting (despite being the daughter of two famous actors) to the star of one of the biggest prequel shows in history and its own spin-off series. Yep, “Young Sheldon’s” Mary Cooper is gorgeous in real life, and her evolution confirms that.
1983: Zoe Perry was born in Chicago to famous parents
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Zoe Perry was born in Chicago in 1983 to famous parents you’ll probably recognize. Zoe is the offspring of Laurie Metcalf (star of “Roseanne” and “The Big Bang Theory”) and Jeff Perry (whose notable roles include stints on “Scandal” and “Grey’s Anatomy”). The couple divorced when Zoe was 2 years old, and she didn’t exactly inherit her parents’ passion for acting while splitting time between the Windy City and the Big Apple. “I definitely steered away from [acting] growing up,” she told Broadway Buzz. “I loved going to the theater! My parents brought me to see a lot, and I was awe-inspired by it, but it intimidated me.”
When Zoe turned 4, her life changed dramatically when Metcalf booked her iconic gig as Jackie Harris on “Roseanne.” Despite the divorce, the family moved to Los Angeles together to accommodate Metcalf’s work schedule. There, Zoe began a lifelong habit of playing younger versions of her mom’s characters, as she starred as a young Jackie on “Roseanne” in the 1992 Halloween special “Halloween IV.” But even a role on one of the biggest shows on TV failed to light an acting spark in her. “Even when we did ‘Pot Mom’ together in Chicago when I was 15 … at that point, I had no real ambition to pursue this,” she admitted.
1989: She adapted to a new normal when her dad remarried
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The Perry-Metcalf clan found a new normal in 1989 when Zoe’s dad Jeff Perry remarried, tying the knot with Linda Lowy. Thankfully, the blended family got along well, and Zoe opened up to the New York Post about how much she loved her stepmom and their family dynamic. “I’m so lucky. My stepmom reminded me of a conversation she had with my mom early on, who said, ‘Well, we’re a family,’ and that generosity sort of bred. So I have four amazing parents who support me!” she said, referencing Laurie Metcalf’s second husband, Matt Roth. The couple welcomed three children together with during their marriage from 2005 to 2011.
Jeff Perry also opened up about blending families and how he avoided the pitfalls, explaining, “We just knew we loved this girl, and we weren’t gonna screw that up.” That mantra extended to Metcalf too. About her relationship with Perry’s new wife, she said, “There’s not really a term for it, but I love her, so I call her my sister-in-law.” Perry and Metcalf? Yeah, they’re a celebrity couple that’s total “divorce goals.”
2001: Zoe Perry discovered her passion for acting in college
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After avoiding acting as a youngster, Zoe Perry finally found her passion for performing in college. She attended Northwestern University and joined the theatre department to make friends, joking to People, “[I fit in with the] community of weirdos.” She explained her change of heart about performing to Broadway Buzz, sharing, “I transferred [from Boston University] and I didn’t know anyone. I had no community. I thought I might as well audition, and I was lucky enough to be cast in something.”
It was only toward the end of her college journey that she even thought about pursuing acting as a serious career — despite growing up around successful actors. “Once we were nearing graduation, my friends were like, ‘All right, let’s pursue this thing.’ I remember being like, ‘Wait, we can do that?'” she recalled.
Laurie Metcalf didn’t seem too surprised by her daughter’s career flip, though. She told Entertainment Tonight that she and Jeff Perry urged a young Zoe to avoid acting until she was older, because the business can be so unforgiving. “She was fine with that, and funnily enough all during high school she didn’t want to act and in college didn’t want to either,” she said. “Then, she fell in with a bunch of theater freaks who messed up her mind and dragged her into there,” Metcalf joked. “The theater is seducing.”
2004: The up-and-coming actor moved to New York to start her career and landed a handful of minor TV gigs
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After graduating college, Zoe Perry didn’t want to be a stereotypical nepo baby using her parents’ connections to get her foot in the door. Instead, she moved from Northwestern University to New York City with big plans to make it on her own. While enjoying life in the Big Apple she landed several small roles on big shows throughout 2006 and 2007, including stints on “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Conviction,” and “Cold Case.”
But the future star didn’t stay on the East Coast too long. Instead, she relocated and shifted her focus from TV roles to theater gigs. “All my family was in L.A., so I went back home,” she told Broadway Buzz. “I started doing a lot more theater there, which was wonderful,” she added.
2012: Zoe Perry appeared on Broadway with her mom (and seriously impressed!)
Manhattan Theatre Club/YouTube
Despite heading back to the West Coast, Zoe Perry was back in New York in 2012 for a stage role alongside Laurie Metcalf. The mother and daughter joined forces in “The Other Place,” a drama about a woman developing dementia and the effect it has on her family. Zoe had nothing but sweet words about working alongside her mom. “To get to rehearse with her and experience that side of it with her was just such a treat because she’s such a pro and she’s also really generous and she’s also immensely respectful,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “It was a cool moment for us.” Metcalf couldn’t stop gushing about her daughter’s acting chops, either. “She could definitely hold her own. Suddenly I was working with a peer, and that was a great feeling,” the “3rd Rock From The Sun” actor told People.
Despite missing Los Angeles just a few years earlier, Zoe wasn’t in a rush to head back. “I feel so lucky because the dream was always that I’d get to work here, and I’m doing it. It feels surreal but wonderful,” she told Broadway Buzz. That same year, Zoe continued to work alongside her family. In 2012, she popped up in an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy,” a show her dad also appeared in and her stepmom Linda Lowy cast. The following year, Zoe Perry appeared in the comedy “Second Shot.”
2015: She headed back to Los Angeles and acted alongside her dad
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In 2015, Zoe Perry was back in Los Angeles and ready to take on another role with her family. She and Jeff Perry acted together in the play “Anna Christie,” which Jeff told The Los Angeles Times was all his idea. “I said, ‘Zoe, not just with your mother, me too,'” he recalled. Jeff admitted on Fox 11 Los Angeles that he got the idea because he was jealous after seeing Zoe on stage with Laurie Metcalf. “I said, I need to find a play,'” he said.
Just like when Zoe worked with her mom, the parent-child duo got on like a house on fire. “During ‘Anna Christie,’ the biggest challenge I had was working with my daughter, and sort of not stopping and asking an audience member for a camera to record the moment,” Jeff gushed to People. “I just go, ‘Can you believe her?’ She’s doing so great,” he added. The play also starred Jeff’s “Grey’s Anatomy” co-star Kevin McKidd.
Zoe looked a little different at this time than she would at the height of her fame. The star was almost unrecognizable while picketing with her parents in Los Angeles that year, with light blond hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her casual, honey blond hue was a world away from the darker, curled tresses she’d go on to sport on “Young Sheldon.”
2017: She gained notoriety with two big TV roles
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Though Zoe Perry had already gained some notoriety from her smaller roles, 2017 was the year everything changed. Her career got a major boost after she appeared in several episodes of “Scandal,” which Jeff Perry also acted in and Linda Lowy cast. She adopted a glam new look, too. Zoe looked every inch the celebrity while posing alongside her dad at the “Scandal” 100th episode celebration, in a gold mini dress with her hair in glamorous curls. “I was so lucky that [showrunner Shonda Rhimes] is just the most incredible woman and thought of me for [this part], and here I am getting to act with just my favorite actors,” she told People. But it was her next role that would really catapult her to stardom.
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Zoe’s life and career changed forever when she got her “Young Sheldon” gig. Like many of Zoe’s roles, this one had a family connection, as she played a younger version of Mary Cooper, Laurie Metcalf’s character on “The Big Bang Theory.” Zoe still had to audition for the role, but “they knew I was Laurie’s daughter going in,” she told the Chicago Tribune. “This was such a unique audition because to play a part that’s already established by someone I know fairly well,” she added. Zoe told Mashable it was her mom’s idea for her to audition. “I went in thinking, ‘Gosh! If I screw this up … I’ll never work again,'” she joked. “Young Sheldon” was an instant success for CBS. According to Digital Spy, 17.2 million viewers watched the pilot episode, so it’s no wonder Zoe’s star power surged.
2019: Zoe Perry was a fully-fledged star and the accolades rolled in
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By 2019, Zoe Perry was a fully-fledged TV star. And the accolades proved it. She was nominated for a Critics Choice Award for best supporting actress in a comedy, which marked her first notable recognition at a big awards show. But the moment wasn’t without a little drama, as Zoe had stiff competition — from her own mom and co-star!
Laurie Metcalf was nominated in the same category for her role in “The Connors,” while Annie Potts was recognized for playing Connie (aka Meemaw) in “Young Sheldon.” Fortunately, there was no bad blood between the trio. The trophy ultimately went to Alex Borstein for “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” “I felt so honoured to be included. I’ve looked up to my mom my whole life,” Zoe told Mashable. “But also Annie Potts! Getting to work with her has been such a privilege. She is amazing. It was wonderful and I felt really lucky to be there.”
Zoe’s style continued to evolve with her rising popularity, and, despite her desire for an under-the-radar life, Zoe began walking more red carpets. The Chicago native made a stunning statement in a hot pink, high neck dress with caramel locks while posing alongside her mom at the Critics Choice Awards, marking one of her most glamorous looks ever. The star had become so famous she was even being followed by paparazzi at the grocery store.
2021: Zoe Perry gave a rare glimpse into her private life after falling in love
Field Team 6/YouTube
Zoe Perry is notoriously quiet about her personal life and doesn’t share regular updates with fans via social media. However, she is one of “Young Sheldon’s” leading ladies with a partner. Zoe gave fans a tidbit about her relationship with her partner Gab Taraboulsy in 2021. During a joint appearance with Taraboulsy on the virtual Field Team 6 Award Show, she confirmed that he’d adopted the quiet proposing trend and created a private, custom video for her to pop the question. That makes sense, seeing as Taraboulsy is no stranger to production. He worked as a supervising producer on several episodes of “The Kardashians” and as a producer on “Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi.”
In keeping with Zoe’s preference for privacy, this celebrity wedding wasn’t a total spectacle and the couple didn’t share a lot details publicly about their wedding. However, screenwriter Roberto Bentivegna confirmed on his now-private Instagram account that the two tied the knot in a private wedding in Italy in summer 2022. The following year, while picketing alongside her famous mom outside Walt Disney Studios in Los Angeles, Zoe proudly showed off her gold wedding band.
2024: The actor carried Mary Cooper into Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage
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After seven successful seasons, CBS confirmed “Young Sheldon” would be ending in 2024. “It’s been very bittersweet. It’s not an easy thing to know that something that’s been so wonderful for us is coming to an end,” Zoe told People. “We’re all just really grateful that we’ve gotten to tell this story, tell it for as long as we have, get to experience the audience reactions and how wonderful they’ve been,” she added.
Little did we know, Zoe wasn’t saying goodbye to Mary Cooper just yet. She continued playing the role in the spin-off series “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” alongside some of her co-stars, including “Young Sheldon’s” Emily Osment, who’s had a stunning hair transformation during her many years in the spotlight.
2025: Zoe Perry acted alongside her mom again as her career came full circle
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It’s obvious Zoe Perry isn’t averse to taking on roles linked to her famous parents, and her career came full-circle when she returned to the “Roseanne” universe. In 2025, Zoe appeared alongside her mom in the final season of the spin-off “The Conners” after playing a younger version of Laurie Metcalf’s Jackie decades earlier. This time, though, Zoe’s role wasn’t directly linked to her mom’s. While they did interact on screen, Zoe played a cop who tried to discourage Jackie from reigniting her policing career.
Zoe has clearly learned a lot over her years in the spotlight, not just about acting and the industry, but about life. When asked by Backstage what advice she’d give her younger self before hitting it big, she replied, “I’d tell myself not to be such a perfectionist … I would get in my own way sometimes or stop myself if I felt it wasn’t as good as it should be.” She added, “[Don’t] be too hard on yourself. It’s so easy to be our own worst critic, and maybe that never goes away, but it’s nice when it lessens.” And that’s certainly an important lesson we can all learn from.
