Summary
- Melissa Rauch's career in Hollywood was negatively impacted by criticism of her hands, which led to her losing potential job opportunities.
- Despite the initial setback, Rauch gained global acclaim for her role as Bernadette Rostenkowski in The Big Bang Theory, which catapulted her career.
- Rauch has expanded her career beyond acting and is now a writer and producer, working on projects such as the Night Court revival and collaborating with her husband on various ventures.
Has the career of Melissa Rauch in Hollywood been impacted negatively by her hands? She struggled with unemployment and financial challenges in the earlier days of her career, but her fortunes took a turn when she was cast as Bernadette Rostenkowski in The Big Bang Theory.
Initially, the character was only meant for a brief appearance, but she ended up becoming a staple of the popular sitcom and consequently catapulting the actress to global acclaim. Despite this early uncertainty, Rauch’s career has continued to evolve since her time on Big Bang.
Starting January 2013, Rauch has now embraced a lead role in the reboot of Night Court, an NBC sitcom that reimagines the beloved original series from the 1980s. Since its premiere, the show has earned a strongly positive reception, with the Jersey-born star being particularly lauded for her performance.
Yet, for Rauch, she almost never had this kind of career in the first place, after a director reportedly dismissed her for a role upon seeing her hands.
Melissa Rauch Revealed Her Struggles In Hollywood, Which Included Her 'Hobbit Hands'
Melissa Rauch shared her experiences during a January 2023 appearance on The View, where she was promoting her Night Court sequel. During the discussion, she recounted an instance when a commercial director criticized her hands during an audition, which resulted in her losing a potential job in a restaurant advertisement.
It was Sara Haines, one of The View co-hosts, who brought up the topic of enduring criticism in Hollywood, to which Rauch responded with a personal anecdote. She explained to the panel, “When I was first auditioning and going out for commercials, my hands really stood in the way. I sort of have Hobbit hands.... especially when I was living in New York, they were always chapped.”
The incident that stood out to Rauch involved a nearly secured role in a commercial for Friday’s, where she was to be cast as a waitress. She was close to being selected and even had been asked about her availability for the upcoming week. At the callback, however, the director requested a view of her hands.
“I did that, and I heard [him] from behind the camera go, ‘Jesus Christ!,” Rauch recalled, as was reported by Entertainment Weekly. “I didn’t get the job.”
The Big Bang Theory Was One Of Melissa Rauch’s First Major Roles
Before her significant break in The Big Bang Theory, Melissa Rauch was familiar to audiences through her work on VH1’s Best Week Ever, where she was part of a comedic panel that reviewed and joked about the latest events in pop culture and celebrity news. In addition to this, she appeared in several films, including Delirious in 2006, and I Love You, Man in 2009.
Rauch’s television career was kickstarted by her performances in 12 Miles of Bad Road, an HBO series where she appeared in three episodes, and the sitcom Kath & Kim on NBC, where she had a recurring role across six episodes from 2008 to 2009.
It was in 2009 when Rauch began to gain wider recognition, landing the recurring role of Bernadette Rostenkowski on Big Bang. Bernadette started as the character Penny (Kaley Cuoco)’s co-worker at The Cheesecake Factory, and soon entered into a relationship with Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg).
The popularity of Rauch’s character led to her becoming a more central figure in the storyline. By the following season, she was elevated to series regular status.
Melissa Rauch Is Now A Writer And Producer As Well
When Melissa Rauch faced the setback at the beginning of her career, she persisted nonetheless and managed to establish success as an actress. Her journey didn’t stop there, though, as she expanded her horizons into the realms of writing and producing.
In her Night Court revival, Rauch not only stars as Judge Abby Stone, the daughter of characters from the original series, but she also takes on the role of co-producer alongside her husband, Winston Beigel. This project is the latest joint venture between the pair.
Beigel himself is involved in the entertainment industry as a director, writer, and producer. His portfolio includes executive producing and co-writing The Condom Killer, a short film from 2009, and the 2015 feature film The Bronze. In both projects, Rauch was not just a lead actress, but also a collaborator in writing and producing with Beigel.
The power couple also teamed up to write The Miss Education of Jenna Bush, a comedic stage play about former President George W. Bush’s daughter, Jenna Bush Hager. The play was distinguished with the Solo Outstanding Show award at the New York International Fringe Festival.
Rauch’s success story serves as a testament to her determination, transforming the disheartening experience of being judged on her appearance into a thriving career that spans multiple facets of the entertainment industry.
