Mary Lynn Rajskub – Actress and Comedian

Mary Lynn Rajskub is an American actress and comedian best known for her role as Chloe O’Brian on the Fox action drama 24, which ran from 2003-2010. She has also starred in several other movies such as Dude, Where’s My Car?, Sweet Home Alabama, Punch-Drunk Love, Safety Not Guaranteed, The Kings of Summer and Night School. Additionally she hosts a podcast called Kickin’ It Mary Lynn Style on Nerdist network.

Mary Rajskub was born on June 22, 1971 in Detroit, Michigan to Betty and Tony Rajskub. Her father is a pipefitter and her mother an assistant pharmacist. Growing up near Trenton High School and then the College for Creative Studies were two of Mary’s main influences.

She was part of the school’s theater troupe and performed in several plays, such as Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Additionally, she has appeared in music videos for bands Beck, Weezer and Sheryl Crow.

Her parents both worked as drug specialists’ associates and she was raised in a conservative family environment. She is of Irish, Polish and Czechoslovak descent but holds American nationality.

Rajskub began her acting career in the 1990s, appearing on several television series. Her first role was an Oompa-Loompa character from a community theater production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

After graduating from Trenton High School, she went on to study painting at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit before transferring to the San Francisco Art Institute and graduating with a degree. Since then, she has featured in several films such as Mysterious Skin, Legally Blonde 2, Sweet Home Alabama, Dude Where’s My Car?, Punch-Drunk Love Safety Not Guaranteed and The Anniversary Party.

She is married to Matthew Rolph and they have one son, Valentine Anthony. Married since 2009, the couple has been together for almost a decade.

In 2013, she launched Fame-ish, a blog where she chronicled her youth in Detroit. She describes herself as an “mumblecore nerd” and an otaku who loves to cook.

Her work on 24 and other projects has earned her multiple accolades, such as an Emmy and two Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Furthermore, she was nominated for both Teen Choice Award and People’s Choice Awards.

She is a stand-up comedian who has performed at various venues around the country. Additionally, she’s one-half of the comedy duo Girls Guitar Club with Karen Kilgariff.

She was a guest on the June 2012 episode of Don’t Tell My Mother!, an online platform where celebrities share true stories they wouldn’t want their mothers to hear. Additionally, she has been featured on Live Storytelling and Nerdist podcast Kickin’ it Mary Lynn Style.

Rajskub recently performed at Zanie’s Comedy Club in Rosemont on Thursday and Friday, as well as Zanie’s Chicago on Wells Street this Saturday. She’s currently working on her next film project, hosting podcasts, and writing a book about her life.