Lauren Lapkus

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Lauren Lapkus
Lapkus.JPG
Lapkus in Atlanta, Georgia in May 2016
Born
Dorthea Lauren Allegra Lapkus

(1985-09-06) September 6, 1985 (age 36)
Alma materDePaul University
Occupation
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • impressionist
  • podcaster
Years active2005–present
Spouse(s)
Chris Alvarado
(m. 2014; div. 2016)
(m. 2018)
Children1
Websitelaurenlapkus.com

Dorthea Lauren Allegra Lapkus (born September 6, 1985) is an American actress, comedian, impressionist, and podcaster. Lapkus is known for portraying Susan Fischer in the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black (2013–2014, 2019) and Jess in the HBO comedy-drama series Crashing (2017–2019). She has also appeared in season 4 of Good Girls as well as the television series Are You There, Chelsea? (2012), Hot in Cleveland (2012), Clipped (2015) and The Big Bang Theory (2018–2019), and in the films Jurassic World (2015),[1] The Unicorn (2018), and The Wrong Missy (2020). She played the voice role of Lotta in the animated comedy series Harvey Girls Forever! (2018–2020).

Lapkus has appeared on various podcasts, including Comedy Bang! Bang!, improv4humans, and her own podcasts With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus, Laptime with Lauren Lapkus,[2][3] Threedom,[4] Raised by TV,[5] and Newcomers.[6]

Early life[]

Dorthea Lauren Allegra Lapkus[7] was born on September 6, 1985[8] in Evanston, Illinois.[9] At an early age she filmed sketches with her older brother and later at Evanston Township High School[10] she participated in the annual student revue and variety show YAMO.[10]

During her senior year of high school, she began taking improv classes at the iO Theater.[10] She attended DePaul University graduating in 2008 with a degree in English, while she continued performing improv most nights.[10] Lapkus credits watching many television sitcoms and Saturday Night Live while young for educating her to become a comedian.[11]

Upon graduation, she moved to New York City for a year where she became involved with Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.[10] After living in New York City for 15 months,[10] she relocated to Los Angeles in 2010.[1]

Career[]

After almost a year in Los Angeles, Lapkus began landing roles in a number of commercials, including Snickers and Jack in the Box[10] as well as a sketch on Jimmy Kimmel Live![10] From these successes, she got herself representation and during pilot season landed a supporting role in the short-lived Are You There, Chelsea?.[10]

After self-taping her audition, Lapkus was cast as security guard Susan Fischer on the first and second seasons of the Netflix series Orange is the New Black.[12] In 2015, Lapkus and the cast won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

In 2014, Lapkus launched her own podcast on the Earwolf network, called With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus. The show's premise is that each week her guest is the host of their own podcast, and she is appearing as a character on their show. Her guests have included Paul F. Tompkins, Betsy Sodaro, Andy Daly, Nick Kroll, and Scott Aukerman.[13] She has said that she "never expected to get into podcasts at all" and to her it is funny she has one.[10]

In mid-2014, Lapkus was cast in Jurassic World, which she filmed in both Hawaii and New Orleans.[10] Many of her scenes with Jake Johnson were improvised.[10] In 2015, she portrayed Joy the receptionist in TBS's Clipped. In 2016, Lapkus wrote and starred in her own 30-minute episode of the sketch show Netflix Presents: The Characters.[14]

Between 2017 and 2019 Lapkus appeared in the HBO series Crashing in the reoccurring role of Jess, the main character's ex-wife.[15]

In 2020, Lapkus launched a weekly podcast, Newcomers, with cohost Nicole Byer on the HeadGum podcast network, in which the two friends watch films for the first time (Star Wars in the first season, The Lord of the Rings in the second, and the work of Tyler Perry in the third) and comment on their feelings on each movie as newcomers to the series. Each episode features a guest who provides more background on the series and characters. Past guests have included John Gemberling, Demi Adejuyigbe, Paul F. Tompkins, and Betsy Sodaro.

Lapkus performs improv regularly. She is a cast member of UCB's flagship show Asssscat[16] and improv group Wild Horses.[17]

Personal life[]

Lapkus married actor and improviser Chris Alvarado on May 3, 2014.[18] She announced their separation on February 14, 2016; they divorced later that year.[19][20]

Lapkus married actor Mike Castle on October 5, 2018.[21]

In May 2021, Lapkus announced that she and her husband were expecting a baby girl in the summer.[22]

Filmography[]

Film[]

Year Title Role Notes
2005 Movie Boy Pamela
2011 Dog DNA Short film
Secrets, Secrets Short film
Plastic Heart Lauren Short film
2012 Dreamworld Sushi
Cleve Dixon: Terrible Detective Barbara Dietrichson
Manhattan Mixup Agent Smith Short film
2013 3D Printer Short film
Are You Here Delia Shepard
The To Do List Girl Heckler
2014 Bread and Butter Deirdre Newsome
Blended Tracy the Babysitter
2015 Jurassic World Vivian
2016 Opening Night Alex Bean
2017 Girlfriend's Day Cardie #2
2018 The Unicorn[23] Malory
Dog Days Daisy
Good Girls Get High Patty
Holmes & Watson Millie
2019 Between Two Ferns: The Movie Carol Hunch
2020 The Wrong Missy Missy
The Last Blockbuster Narrator Documentary film
Happiest Season Mall Security Crystal

Television[]

Year Title Role Notes
2007 Carpeted Afterhours Becky Television film
2010 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Various roles 2 episodes
2010–2011 The Parent Project Angie 4 episodes
2011 Video Game Reunion Luigi's Stalker 3 episodes
The Back Room Various 2 episodes
2012 Are You There, Chelsea? Dee Dee 12 episodes
Hot in Cleveland Oscar Episode: "A Box Full of Puppies"
Joe, Joe & Jane Melissa TV pilot
2013–2014, 2019 Orange Is the New Black Susan Fischer 14 episodes
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
2013–2016 Comedy Bang! Bang! Various roles 5 episodes
2013 You're Whole Ellie Episode: "Lemonade/Fishing/Cupcakes"
2014 House of Lies Benita Spire 3 episodes
The Hotwives of Orlando Bank Rep Episode: "Staycation"
Friends with Better Lives Deena Episode: "The Lost and Hound"
Key & Peele Marion Glass 2 episodes
2014–2016 Drunk History Herself / Normal Woman 3 episodes
2015 Kroll Show Candace Episode: "The In Addition Tos"
Clipped Joy Series regular; 10 episodes
2015–2016 Another Period Penelope 2 episodes
2015–2017 Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero Matilda / additional voices 4 episodes
2016 Netflix Presents: The Characters Various Episode: "Lauren Lapkus"
Bob's Burgers Krissy Davis / Mrs. Davis (voice) Episode: "Bye Bye Boo Boo"
Adventure Time Patience St. Pim / Blue Tranch / Ted (voice) 5 episodes
TripTank Clarine (voice) Episode: "TripTank 2025"
The Earliest Show Samantha Newman 6 episodes
Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series
Hell's Kitchen Herself Episode: "Let the Catfights Begin"
2016–2018 Animals. Various voices 7 episodes
2016–2020 American Dad! Various voices 7 episodes
2017 Clarence Lauren / Kim / Square Mom (voice) Episode: "Rock Show"
Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ Nadine Episode: "A Divided House"
Ginger Snaps Calista (voice) 10 episodes
The Guest Book Sandy 2 episodes
2017–2019 Crashing Jess 9 episodes
Star vs. the Forces of Evil Higgs (voice) 2 episodes
2018 Life in Pieces Cindy Episode: "Reading Egg Nurse Neighbor"
Lucifer Bree Garland / Abel Episode: "Infernal Guinea Pig"
DIY Jack (voice) Television film
Nailed It! Herself Episode: "Jingle Fails"
2018–2019 The Big Bang Theory Denise 8 episodes
2018–2020 Craig of the Creek Mackenzie (voice) 4 episodes
Harvey Girls Forever! Lotta (voice) 52 episodes
2018–2021 Big City Greens Val / Rich Lady / Bella (voice) 4 episodes
2019 Lights Out with David Spade Herself Episode: "Wayne Brady, Tim Dillon, Lauren Lapkus"
2020 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Herself (celebrity contestant) 2 episodes; total winnings: $500,000
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Red Fox (voice) Episode: "Sidekick Ahoy"
Corporate Debby Deberson Episode: "Good Job"
The George Lucas Talk Show Herself Episode: "Revenge of Return of the Jedi"
Star Trek: Lower Decks Jen (voice) Episode: "No Small Parts"
Animaniacs Cupcake / Gabriella (voice) Episode: "The Cutening/Close Encounters of the Worst Kind/Equal Time"
2020–2021 Good Girls Phoebe Donnegan 17 episodes
Close Enough Quinn / Kristen (voice) 2 episodes

Video games[]

Year Title Role
2015 Lego Jurassic World Vivian

Podcasts[]

Year Title Role Notes
2012–2020 improv4humans Various •40 episodes
2012–2020 Comedy Bang! Bang! •52 episodes
2013 The Reality Show Show Herself •Episode 39: "There Is Ninjas"
2013, 2014 Totally Laime •Episode 160: "Let's All Pee"
•Episode 242: "One Hundred Percent!"
2014 Pop My Culture •Episode 154: "Lauren Lapkus and Chris Alvarado"
Professor Blastoff •Episode 175: "Reality TV"
2014, 2017 Who Charted? •2 episodes
2014–2020 Hollywood Handbook •4 episodes
2014–present With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus Various (guest) •150 episodes
2015 The Hooray Show with Horatio Herself •Episode 2: "Cereal"
Gilmore Guys •Episode 60: "Lorelai Out of Water"
Never Not Funny •Episode 1615: "Lauren Lapkus"
The Nerdist Podcast •Episode 692: "Lauren Lapkus"
Thrilling Adventure Hour •5 episodes
Box Angeles •Episode 88: "Lauren Lapkus"
The Dead Authors Podcast Beatrix Potter •Addendum vi: Beatrix Potter
Psychic Pshow with Lauren Lapkus Host •4 episodes
2015–present Wild Horses: The Perspective Co-host •15 episodes
2015 Sklarbro Country Herself •Episode 267: "Hump The Gun"
2015–2018 SPONTANEANATION with Paul F. Tompkins •4 episodes
2015–2021 Will You Accept This Rose? •16 episodes
2016 You Made It Weird •Episode 297: "Lauren Lapkus"
If I Were You •Episode 209: "Friend Group (w/ Lauren Lapkus!)"
The Longest Shortest Time •Episode 78: "Lauren Lapkus Answers Kids' Unanswerable Questions"
2016, 2017 Doughboys •2 episodes
2016 WTF with Marc Maron •Episode 732: "Lauren Lapkus"
I Was There Too •Episode 45: "Jurassic World with Lauren Lapkus"
2017 How Did This Get Made? •Episode 159: "Sleepwalkers"
Big Grande's Teacher's Lounge Ms. Smuckers •Episode 9: "Great Grief with Home Economics Teacher Ms. Smuckers"
2017, 2019 Bitch Sesh Herself •2 episodes
2017 High and Mighty •Episode 101: "Raised by TV"
Get Up On This •Episode 306: "Lauren Lapkus"
2017–2019 Raised by TV Co-host •71 episodes
2018–2020 Throwing Shade Herself •3 episodes
2018 The Andy Daly Podcast Pilot Project Various •2 episodes
Womp It Up! Traci Reardon •2 episodes
Hello from the Magic Tavern Crystal the Genie •Season 2, Episode 63: "Genie"
Mother May I Sleep With Podcast Herself •Season 3, Episode 12: "Wicked Moms Club"
2018–present Threedom Co-host •53 episodes
2020 Laptime with Lauren Lapkus Herself/various •48 episodes
Mission to Zyxx Maxie Wiggs •Episode 415: "Dear Maxie"
2020–present Newcomers Co-host •54 episodes

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Madrid, Monique (April 12, 2013). "Lauren Lapkus Is One Crazy, Talented Woman". Serial Optimist Magazine. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  2. ^ Ryan, Kyle (June 15, 2015). "Lauren Lapkus on podcasts, Jurassic World, and landing another TV series". The A.V. Club.
  3. ^ "LAPTIME with Lauren Lapkus". Stitcher.com. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  4. ^ "Listen to Threedom". Stitcher Premium. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  5. ^ "Actor: Lauren Lapkus". laurenlapkus. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  6. ^ "Newcomers: Tyler Perry, with Lauren Lapkus and Nicole Byer". Headgum. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  7. ^ Laime, Elizabeth (September 19, 2014). "242 – Lauren Lapkus!". Totally Laime (Podcast). Earwolf. Event occurs at 20:53. Archived from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  8. ^ "Today In History: September 6". The Gazette. Janesville, Wisconsin. Associated Press. September 6, 2016. Retrieved March 15, 2017. Today's Birthdays: ... Actress Lauren Lapkus is 31.
  9. ^ "Lauren Lapkus Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l "BA #088: Lauren Lapkus". The Box Angeles podcast. July 19, 2015.
  11. ^ Lapkus, Lauren, "I sleep so well here," Chicagoly Magazine, summer 2016, pp. 16–19, p. 17.
  12. ^ Bogert, Jamie (December 11, 2014). "Podcast Pick of the Week: With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus". Bust.com. Archived from the original on March 15, 2015.
  13. ^ Ryan, Kyle (June 15, 2015). "Lauren Lapkus on podcasts, Jurrasic World and Landing another TV Series". The A.V. Club.
  14. ^ "Netflix Orders Innovative Sketch Series 'The Characters' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. February 1, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  15. ^ Pedersen, Erik (November 17, 2016). "HBO Sets Premiere Dates For 'Girls,' 'Last Week Tonight' & New Comedy 'Crashing'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  16. ^ "Asssscat". UCB Theatre.
  17. ^ "Wild Horses Show". Twitter. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  18. ^ "Orange is the New Black star Lauren Lapkus's Chicago Wedding". Salvatore's. August 1, 2014. Archived from the original on February 14, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  19. ^ "OITNB Star Lauren Lapkus Valentines Day Separation Message". TMZ. February 14, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
  20. ^ https://people.com/tv/lauren-lapkus-marries-mike-castle/
  21. ^ "Orange Is the New Black Actress Lauren Lapkus Marries Mike Castle — Inside Her 'Romantic' and 'Intimate' Wedding Day". People.com. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
  22. ^ @laurenlapkus (May 18, 2021). "We are expecting a baby girl this summer. I am over the moon. So grateful and happy.