Melissa Ivy Rauch (born June 23, 1980) is an American actress best known for portraying Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz on “The Big Bang Theory,” earning a Critics Choice Television Award nomination in 2013. From 2004 to 2008, she contributed to VH1’s “Best Week Ever.”
Rauch also starred in “Kath & Kim”, “True Blood”, and currently leads NBC’s “Night Court” revival. She co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in “The Bronze” (2015) and voiced Harley Quinn in “Batman and Harley Quinn” (2017).
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Melissa Rauch’s Net Worth
Melissa Rauch has a net worth of $20 million. During “The Big Bang Theory’s” peak, her salary soared from $75,000 to $500,000 per episode, earning her $11 million per season for two seasons. The show won a Merit – Honorary Award at the 2020 CinEuphoria Awards, and was nominated for six Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Rauch received Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series nominations from the Critics Choice Television Awards (2013) and Online Film & Television Association (2016). The cast of “Batman and Harley Quinn” earned a nomination at the Behind the Voice Actors Awards (2018).
Early life
Melissa Rauch, born Melissa Ivy Rauch on June 23, 1980, in Marlboro Township, New Jersey, grew up in a Jewish family with her mother Susan, father David, and brother Ben.
She attended Brookdale Arts Camp as a child, and her Bat Mitzvah had a “Melissa’s Comedy Club” theme. After graduating from Marlboro High School, she enrolled at Marymount Manhattan College, earning a BFA in 2002. While in college, she began performing stand-up comedy around Manhattan.
Career
Melissa Rauch contributed regularly to VH1’s “Best Week Ever” from 2004 to 2008 and made her film debut in 2006’s “Delirious.” She appeared on HBO’s “12 Miles of Bad Road” (2007) and NBC’s “Kath & Kim” (2008-2009).
Her breakthrough came in 2009 when she joined “The Big Bang Theory” as Bernadette Rostenkowski. Rauch starred in “The Bronze” (2015), “The Laundromat” (2019), and voiced Harley Quinn in “Batman and Harley Quinn” (2017).
Personal life
Melissa Rauch is married to writer Winston Beigel, with whom she collaborated on projects like “The Miss Education of Jenna Bush.” In July 2017, Rauch revealed she was pregnant and had previously experienced a miscarriage.
On December 4, 2017, she announced the birth of her daughter, and on May 4, 2020, shared the arrival of her son. Rauch modeled her character Bernadette’s voice after her parents, with her mother’s “sweet, high-pitched purr” and her father’s “eerie, haranguing imitation” of Mrs. Wolowitz.
Is Bernadette’s voice real?
Melissa Rauch based Bernadette’s voice on her parents. The “sweet, high-pitched purr” was inspired by her mother, while the “eerie, haranguing imitation” of Mrs. Wolowitz came from her father. Both voices are quite different from Rauch’s own natural voice.
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Conclusion
Melissa Rauch’s journey from a college student performing stand-up to becoming a millionaire actress is a story of success. Her work on “The Big Bang Theory” not only earned her critical acclaim but also significant financial rewards, contributing greatly to her net worth.
FAQs about Melissa Rauch Net Worth
- How did Melissa Rauch make her money?
- Primarily through her acting role on “The Big Bang Theory,” as well as other acting roles, writing, producing, and voice-over work.
- Was Melissa Rauch the highest-paid actress on television?
- While on “The Big Bang Theory,” she was among the highest-paid television actresses during the show’s final seasons.
- Has Melissa Rauch invested in other ventures outside of acting?
- Specific details are private, but she has produced and written for film and likely has other investments.
- How has “The Big Bang Theory” affected Melissa Rauch’s net worth?
- It significantly increased her net worth, especially after her salary per episode was raised to $500,000.
- What can we expect from Melissa Rauch in the future?
- She has signed a deal to star in and produce a “Night Court” sequel series, and one can anticipate further ventures in both acting and producing.
