Rachael Harris

A veteran of the famed L.A.-based comedy troupe, the Groundlings, actress-comedian Rachael Harris first broke into show business doing commercials. A former shill for such major brands as T-Mobile, Dinty Moore, Quaker Oats, and Geico, Harris became a familiar face in advertising in the mid-to-late 1990’s, before making the leap to legitimate acting roles. More than just a bespectacled pretty face – a look many compared to a blonde Tina Fey – Harris showed a deft touch for comedy and showcased her extensive improv experience in a number of roles. Her best known, however, was probably that of Kirstie Alley’s harried make-up assistant, Kevyn, on the short-lived Showtime comedy series, “Fat Actress” (2005-06). Though that show was not renewed for a second season, fans of Harris were gratified to see the actress return to the airwaves in the mid-season replacement offering “Notes from the Underbelly” (ABC, 2007-), where Harris was singled out by critics as the best thing about the new show.

Born Rachael Elaine Harris on Jan. 12, 1968, this future comedian and actress originally hailed from Worthington, OH. An alumni of Worthington High School, she graduated from Ohio’s Otterbein College with a major in theater. Moving to Los Angeles in the early-1990s, Harris hooked up with The Groundlings, soon becoming a member of the main company, where she further honed her skills. A gifted mimic, Harris quickly became an invaluable utility player and eventually stayed on as an instructor.

Harris made her screen debut as a guest star on a 1993 episode of the undersea sci-fi adventure, “SeaQuest DSV" (NBC, 1993-96). She then followed up with an appearance on another sci-fi mainstay, “Star Trek: Voyager” (UPN, 1995-2001) and a recurring role as college coed Simone Flosser on the benign family-friendly sitcom, “Sister, Sister” (WB, 1994-99). Other guest gigs followed, among them – "Frasier” (NBC, 1993-2004), "The West Wing" (NBC, 1999-2006), "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO, 2000- ), “Monk" (USA, 2002- ) and "Reno 911" (Comedy Central, 2003- ).

In 2002, Harris landed a breakthrough gig as a correspondent on the Emmy winning news satire “The Daily Show” (Comedy Central, 1996- ) – a major launching pad for gifted comics. This pseudo-journalistic cred led to Harris becoming a contributor on several of VH1’s pop culture countdown specials, including "I Love the 80’s Strikes Back" (2003), “I Love the 70s” (2003), “I Love the ‘90s” (2004) and the weekly series, "Best Week Ever" (2004- ). In 2005, Harris won her milestone role on the quasi-reality comedy series “Fat Actress” (Showtime, 2005-06). And though it did not last long, it was her first legitimate acting gig on a show that received its share of publicity and was the first to single out her impeccably snarky comic timing, even against someone as skilled as Kirstie Alley.

Harris’ knack for comedic improvisation also came in handy on the feature front. In 1999, she duly impressed actor-director Christopher Guest, who recruited Harris for three of his acclaimed mockumentaries: “Best in Show”(2000), “A Mighty Wind” (2003) and “For Your Consideration” (2006). Harris also showcased her impressive timing with memorable appearances in the Eddie Murphy vehicle “Daddy Day Care” (2003) and the Ben Stiller-Owen Wilson buddy cop farce, “Starsky & Hutch” (2004). Apart from these commercial pics, however, Harris also found time to appear in smaller, more personal projects – most notably, a co-starring turn in the comedy short “I’m Not Gay” (2005), written and directed by her husband, actor Adam Paul.

Returning to the small screen in 2007, Harris scored a key supporting role in the ABC midseason replacement “Notes from the Underbelly.” In it, Harris portrayed Cooper, best friend and confidante to newlywed Lauren (Jennifer Westfeldt). A romantically jaded divorce attorney, Cooper’s penchant for spouting well-intentioned – but brutally frank – words of discouragement made her character a fast favorite with fans of “Underbelly” – especially those not content to jump on the baby train.