Rachel Dratch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rachel Dratch
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Dratch in 2022
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Rachel Susan Dratch
February 22, 1966 Lexington, Massachusetts, U.S.
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| Education | Dartmouth College (BA) |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
| Children | 1 |
Rachel Susan Dratch (born February 22, 1966) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. She is best known for being a cast member on the famous TV show Saturday Night Live (SNL) from 1999 to 2006.
After graduating from Dartmouth College, she moved to Chicago to study improvisational theatre, which is a type of acting where performers make up scenes on the spot. On SNL, she played many funny characters, including the very popular Debbie Downer. She has returned to the show as a guest star, often playing U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar.
Dratch has also appeared in many other TV shows, like 30 Rock and The King of Queens. She has acted in movies such as Click, That's My Boy, and Wine Country. In 2012, she wrote a book about her life called Girl Walks into a Bar....
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Early Life and Education
Rachel Dratch was born in Lexington, Massachusetts. Her mother, Elaine, was a transportation director, and her father, Paul, was a radiologist (a doctor who uses X-rays). She has a younger brother, Daniel, who is a TV writer and producer.
Growing up, Dratch loved making people laugh and was known as a "class-clown type." She acted in many school plays at Lexington High School, where she discovered she preferred comedy over drama.
In 1988, Dratch graduated from Dartmouth College. She studied drama and psychology. While in college, she was part of an improvisational comedy group, which helped prepare her for her future career.
Career
After college, Dratch joined The Second City, a famous comedy theater in Chicago. She performed there for four years and won an award for Best Actress in a Revue. At The Second City, she worked with other future stars like Tina Fey and Adam McKay.
Dratch and Tina Fey also created a two-woman show called Dratch & Fey. It was very successful and was praised by critics in New York City.
Saturday Night Live
Dratch joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 1999 and was a main member until 2006. She became famous for her unique and funny characters.
Some of her most well-known recurring characters were:
- Debbie Downer: A woman who always says sad or negative things, ruining the mood for everyone around her. This is one of her most famous roles.
- Denise McDenna: One of "The Boston Teens," who was a loud and funny teenager from Boston, often seen with her friend Sully (played by Jimmy Fallon).
- Sheldon: A nerdy boy from the morning announcement show at a middle school called Wake up, Wakefield.
- Abe Scheinwald: A Hollywood producer who always picked bad movie ideas.
Even after leaving the show, Dratch has returned many times as a guest. She has played Senator Amy Klobuchar in sketches about political debates.
Television and Film Roles
Besides SNL, Dratch has appeared in many TV shows. She had a recurring role on The King of Queens and played several different characters on 30 Rock. She has also been in episodes of Monk, Wizards of Waverly Place, and Ugly Betty.
She has acted in many movies, including Down with Love, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, and Sisters. She often appears in comedies with her former SNL castmates.
Stage and Writing
In 2022, Dratch performed on Broadway for the first time in a play called POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great ... Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive. Her performance was so good that she was nominated for a Tony Award, which is a major award for theater acting.
In 2012, she published her book, Girl Walks into a Bar...: Comedy Calamities, Dating Disasters, and a Midlife Miracle. In the book, she shares stories about her career and personal life.
Personal Life
In 2009, Dratch met John Wahl. A year later, on August 24, 2010, she gave birth to their son, Eli Benjamin. Dratch has said she was surprised and happy to become a mother at age 44. As of 2019, she and Wahl were no longer a couple but remain good friends and raise their son together.
Selected Work
Dratch has a long list of credits in film, television, and theater. Here are some of her notable projects.
Film
- Down with Love (2003)
- Click (2006)
- I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007)
- My Life in Ruins (2009)
- Just Go with It (2011)
- That's My Boy (2012)
- Sisters (2015)
- Wine Country (2019)
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) (voice role)
Television
- Saturday Night Live (1999–2007)
- The King of Queens (2002–2004)
- 30 Rock (2006–2012)
- Wizards of Waverly Place (2009)
- Bob's Burgers (2014–2025) (voice role)
- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2015–2025)
- Harley Quinn (2020–2023) (voice role)
- American Dad (2022–2023) (voice role)
Theater
- Love's Labour's Lost (2013)
- POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great ... Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive (2022)
- Guys and Dolls (2022)
See also
In Spanish: Rachel Dratch para niños
