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Scrubs Intern
Background:
"Before getting ‘Scrubs,’ I had always threatened myself I'd have to become a
dental hygienist if I quit acting - to me, that would be the hardest job. I
would tell myself, 'Just stick it out for a little longer.' It definitely was a
turning point." Sarah Chalke.
Canadian actress Sarah Chalke first received attention while portraying Becky
Conner (1993-1997; replacing Alicia Goranson), Roseanne and Dan’s oldest
daughter, on the popular ABC-TV sitcom “Roseanne.” In 2001, she regained
recognition, thanks to the female lead character of socially awkward medical
intern Dr. Elliot Reid (2001-Present) on NBC's popular sitcom “Scrubs.” Next,
she will appear in the upcoming comedy films Chaos Theory, alongside Ryan
Reynolds, Emily Mortimer and Stuart Townsend, and Mama's Boy, starring Diane
Keaton and Jon Heder.
The 5' 6'' tall blue-eyed blonde is currently engaged to her boyfriend,
entertainment lawyer Jamie Afifi. The couple, both of whom hail from Canada,
have been dating since 2003.
Sarah Cassandra
Childhood and Family:
Born on 27 August 1976 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Sarah Cassandra Chalke grew
up in Vancouver, British Columbia. Her mother, Angie, comes from Rostock,
Germany, and her father, Doug Chalke, is a lawyer. Both of them are mediators
who also run a child adoption agency. The middle child of the family, Sarah has
an older sister named Natasha and a younger sister named Piper.
Sarah graduated from High School in 1995, while shooting the 1994-1995 season of
"Roseanne" (1988). She speaks German and French fluently and is a vegetarian.
She has dogs named Harley and Tankers, and a brown Labrador named Lola, which
the “Scrubs” cast members bought to her under an auction. During her offs, she
enjoys cooking with friends (especially Thai and sushi), playing the guitar,
hiking, skiing (she's an instructor), snowboarding, kayaking and reading. Sarah,
who maintains to migrate between California and British Columbia, also
volunteers at a hospice for terminally ill children and works for the Audrey
Hepburn Children's Fund.
“I don’t smoke, I try to eat right, and I love doing yoga and going for hikes
with my dog.” Sarah Chalke.
Roseanne’s Girl
Career:
At the age of 8, Sarah Chalke began appearing in local Vancouver musical theater
productions. In 1989, she did a "The More You Know" spot on the NBC's series of
public service announcements (PSAs) and was hired as an environmental reporter
for the Canadian series “Kid Zone” in 1992. She soon landed more TV jobs,
including in the adventure drama inspired by Gene Stratton-Porter's novel, City
Boy (1992), the crime drama Relentless: Mind of a Killer (1993), and the female
buddy drama Woman on the Ledge (1993). She was also spotted as a guest in an
episode of Canadian drama "Neon Rider" and Canada's CBC's half-hour
adventure-fantasy series for children, "The Odyssey."
1993 marked Sarah’s with her big break role as Becky Conner, Roseanne (played by
Roseanne Barr) and Dan’s (played by John Goodman) oldest daughter who is quite
bright and is an overachiever, but also quick-tempered sometimes, on ABC’s
long-running sitcom, “Roseanne.” She got the role after Alicia Goranson, who
played the original Becky, quit the show to go to college. Although she was once
replaced by Lecy Goranson in the role of Becky for the 1995-1996 season, Sarah
soon returned to the show and stayed until it ended in 1997.
During her “Roseanne” years, Sarah appeared in many TV movies, including Ernest
Goes to School (1994), Beyond Obsession (1994; based on Richard Hammer's book),
Robin of Locksley (1996), Dead Ahead (1996; alongside Stephanie Zimbalist) and
Stand Against Fear (1996). In 1997, she could be seen in such made-for-TV movies
as the fact-based true crime story Daughters, the sport drama A Child's Wish and
the college drama Dying to Belong (alongside Hilary Swank). She also appeared in
an episode of the Western series starring Kris Kristofferson, "Dead Man's Gun."
The next year, Sarah returned to Vancouver to star in the Canadian TV flick,
Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy, and in its television series version, which based
upon the adventures of author and rancher Richmond P. Hobson, Jr. in Northern
British Columbia. Her role as Gloria McIntosh later received a Gemini nomination
in 2000. She followed it up with a quite low-profile film projects like Kellie
Benz' romantic comedy Cinderella: Single Again (2000; she played the title role
opposite Christopher Shyer), Scott Marshall's comedy Spin Cycle (2000), Dana
Lustig's drama thriller Kill Me Later (2001; starring Selma Blair) and Sean S.
Cunningham's XCU: Extreme Close Up (2001).
"When I first opened the script and read the pilot, I was laughing out loud. I
just hadn't seen anything on the air like it and I wanted to be a part of it."
Sarah Chalke (on her role in “Scrubs”).
2001 marked another breakout year for Sarah. Instead of quitting acting to
attend college as she had planned before, she played the female lead role of
socially awkward medical intern Dr. Elliot Reid, Zach Braff's Dr. John 'J.D.'
Dorian's close friend, on NBC’s sitcom "Scrubs." The role later earned Sarah a
Teen Choice Award nomination for Choice TV Actress – Comedy.
On her role on the NBC hit series “Scrubs,” Sarah explained: "I'm having the
time of my life. I've never looked forward to going to work so much every day.
I'm loving it; it's great. It's what I love to do and I wouldn't want to be
doing anything else."
Meanwhile, Sarah voiced Marie Antoinette/X-Stream Erin on several episodes of
MTV and Teletoon's animated sitcom "Clone High" in 2002-2003 and appeared in the
comedy TV-movie Awesometown in 2005. She was also seen in 2005 romantic comedy
films: Evan Oppenheimer's Alchemy, in which she co-starred opposite Thomas
Cavanagh, and Nisha Ganatra's Cake, starring Heather Graham.
Recently, in 2006, Sarah, who lost her aunt and grandmother to breast cancer,
went to play the lead in Lifetime's movie Why I Wore Lipstick To My Mastectomy,
in her effort to encourage breast cancer awareness. It’s a biopic based on
Geralyn Lucas' book about a young woman tries to maintain a positive attitude
while fighting breast cancer. She also spent her summer performing on stage in
New York in the off-Broadway production of “Modern Orthodox and then in the
drama “Create Fate” in Williamstown.
Sarah is currently on set and will soon complete her upcoming films: Marcos
Siega's romantic drama comedy Chaos Theory (alongside Ryan Reynolds, Emily
Mortimer and Stuart Townsend) and Tim Hamilton's comedy Mama's Boy, starring
Diane Keaton and Jon Heder.
“I'm having the time of my life. I've never looked forward to going to work so
much every day. I'm loving it; it's great. It's what I love to do and I wouldn't
want to be doing anything else." Sarah Chalke.
Awards:
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