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Sara Rue (American Actress)
Sara Rue’s age tells only part of the story. Born Sara Forbes Schlackman on January 26, 1979, in New York City, she made her screen debut at just nine years old — appearing alongside Hollywood veterans Burt Lancaster and Kevin Spacey in the 1988 drama film Rocket Gibraltar. That early start was no accident. Raised by parents who were both active in Broadway theatre, her path into performance was shaped long before most children had even considered the profession.
Today, she is best known to television audiences as Claude Casey, the sharp and endearing lead of the ABC sitcom Less Than Perfect, a role she held for four seasons alongside Zachary Levi. Before that, she built a loyal following playing Carmen Ferrara in the teen comedy-drama Popular. Both performances established her as one of American television’s most recognisable character actresses — someone audiences returned to, season after season, because she made every role feel genuinely lived in.
Her talent has been formally recognised. In 2004, she won the Special Jury Prize for Performance at the Indianapolis International Film Festival for her work in A Slipping-Down Life, a distinction that drew critical attention well beyond her television work. She later expanded her career further, hosting The CW reality series Shedding for the Wedding and earning recurring roles in Rules of Engagement, Mom, and Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, among others. Over sixty acting credits across more than three decades mark a career built on consistent, reliable craft.
| Full Name | Sara Forbes Schlackman (birth name); Sara Rue (professional name) |
| Date of Birth | January 26, 1979 |
| Place of Birth | New York City, New York, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity / Religion | Ashkenazi Jewish, English, and some Scottish ancestry; Jewish faith |
| Profession | Actress, Producer |
| Years Active | 1988–present |
| Education | Professional Children’s School, New York City |
| Known For | Claude Casey in Less Than Perfect; Carmen Ferrara in Popular; Brenda in Rules of Engagement |
| Career Start | Rocket Gibraltar (1988) — film debut at age nine |
| Spouse(s) | Mischa Livingstone (m. 2001; div. 2007–2008); Kevin Price (m. 2011–present) |
| Children | Talulah Rue Price (b. February 9, 2013); Adelaide Rue Price (adopted October 2016) |
| Parents | Marc Schlackman (father; stage manager); Joan Schlackman née Rue (mother; former actress) |
| Siblings | Leah Schlackman (younger sister) |
| Awards | Special Jury Prize — Indianapolis International Film Festival (2004); Best Acting Ensemble — Ashland Independent Film Festival (2008) |
| Estimated Net Worth | Approximately $1 million (estimated; not officially confirmed) |
| Salary | Not publicly disclosed |
| Residence | Los Angeles, California, United States |
Who is Sara Rue?
Sara Rue, born Sara Forbes Schlackman on January 26, 1979, in New York City, is an American actress best known for playing Claude Casey on Less Than Perfect and Carmen Ferrara on Popular. She began acting at age nine and has remained active in film and television since 1988.
Early Life and Education
Sara Rue was born Sara Forbes Schlackman on January 26, 1979, in New York City, New York. She grew up in the city with both parents deeply rooted in Broadway theatre — an environment that exposed her to professional performance from a very early age.
Childhood and Family Background
Sara Rue’s full name at birth was Sara Forbes Schlackman. Her father, Marc Schlackman, worked as a Broadway stage manager, while her mother, Joan Schlackman (née Rue), was a former actress who later worked as a municipal employee. Both parents were active figures in New York’s theatre community, and that setting left a clear mark on their daughter.
Rue is the elder of two daughters. Her younger sister, Leah Schlackman, has remained largely out of the public eye. Sara later adopted her mother’s maiden name — Rue — as her professional stage name, a quiet but meaningful nod to her family roots.
She was raised in a Jewish household, and her ancestry includes Ashkenazi Jewish, English, and some Scottish heritage, as noted in published biographical records.
Educational Journey
Sara Rue attended the Professional Children’s School in New York City, an institution specifically designed to support young performers balancing academic study with active professional careers. The school has historically served as a training ground for child actors working in film, television, and theatre.
Her university-level education has not been publicly confirmed in any verified source and is therefore not publicly available.
Career Overview
Sara Rue’s career spans more than three decades and over sixty acting credits across film and television. She entered the profession at the age of nine and has remained consistently active ever since — moving between comedic and dramatic roles, recurring television parts, and feature film appearances with equal ease.
Early Career
Rue made her screen debut at the age of nine, playing Jessica Hanson in the drama film Rocket Gibraltar — cast as the on-screen daughter of Kevin Spacey, alongside Hollywood legend Burt Lancaster. It was a remarkable entry point for a child performer, and it reflected the kind of early professional environment her Broadway-rooted upbringing had prepared her for.
Her television debut came shortly after, when she was cast as Edda Pasetti in the NBC sitcom Grand, appearing in 26 episodes. Recurring roles followed steadily — Monica in the ABC sitcom Phenom, then Darby Gladstone in Minor Adjustments, which ran across both NBC and UPN for twenty episodes.
She transitioned into film work with appearances in Can’t Hardly Wait, a starring performance as Violet in A Slipping-Down Life, and the role of Debbie in A Map of the World. Her television breakthrough arrived when she was cast as Carmen Ferrara in the teen comedy-drama Popular, a role she played across 43 episodes over two seasons.
Film work continued alongside her television presence. She appeared as Nurse Martha in Michael Bay’s Pearl Harbor and as Gypsy Vale in Gypsy 83. A smaller but visible role as a babysitter in Gore Verbinski’s The Ring further extended her film profile. On stage, she appeared in Little Egypt at the Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles, performing alongside French Stewart, Jenny O’Hara, and Gregg Henry.
Her most defining television role came when she was cast as Claude Casey — the lead of the ABC sitcom Less Than Perfect — a part she held for four seasons alongside Zachary Levi. Around the same period, she appeared as the Attorney General in Mike Judge’s Idiocracy, in an uncredited performance.
Career Growth and Notable Roles
Following her run on Less Than Perfect, Rue maintained a consistent presence across American television. She took on a recurring role as Brenda in the comedy series Rules of Engagement — playing Jeff Bingham’s softball teammate and close friend — and starred in the ABC series Eastwick. She also became a national spokesperson for Jenny Craig, a role that brought her significant public visibility beyond her acting work.
She hosted Shedding for the Wedding on The CW before landing a regular role as Kim in the ABC sitcom Malibu Country. A recurring role as Candace Hayes in the CBS sitcom Mom followed, as did the role of Dora Winston in the TV Land comedy series Impastor.
Her range continued to develop across genres. She played Olivia Caliban in Season 2 of Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, appeared as Nell Forester in The Rookie, and later took on the role of Julia in B Positive, alongside a feature film appearance in American Pie Presents: Girls’ Rules. At present, she remains an active working actress with a filmography that continues to grow.
Major Achievements and Awards
Sara Rue’s work has earned formal recognition at both national and independent levels. She won the Special Jury Prize for Performance at the Indianapolis International Film Festival for her starring role in A Slipping-Down Life — a distinction that drew critical attention to her dramatic capabilities beyond television comedy. She later shared the Ashland Independent Film Festival’s Best Acting Ensemble award for her role in Man Maid.
Across her career, she has accumulated over sixty acting credits in film and television — a body of work spanning more than three decades. Her national profile as a Jenny Craig spokesperson also reached audiences far beyond the entertainment industry, making her one of the more publicly recognised figures of her generation in both acting and lifestyle media.
Sara Rue Net Worth and Salary
Sara Rue has built her financial standing across a career of more than three decades in American film and television. Her income has come from multiple streams, and her longevity in the industry remains the foundation of her overall earnings.
Salary Details
Sara Rue’s salary per project or television episode has never been publicly disclosed. Her known income sources include television acting, feature film appearances, producing credits, and brand endorsements. Among the latter, her national partnership with Jenny Craig represented a significant and high-profile revenue stream alongside her on-screen work.
Net Worth Estimate
Sara Rue’s net worth is estimated at approximately $1 million, based on publicly available reporting across multiple entertainment and celebrity biography sources. Her primary source of wealth is a sustained acting career spanning over thirty-five years in film and television.
It should be noted that celebrity net worth figures are unofficial estimates derived from publicly available information and should be treated as approximations rather than confirmed financial disclosures.
Personal Life and Family
Sara Rue is currently married to Kevin Price and is the mother of two daughters. Her personal life has been marked by two marriages, a growing family, and a privately maintained home life that she has kept largely out of the public spotlight.
Husband and Relationships
Rue has been married twice. Her first marriage was to Mischa Livingstone, a British film director, writer, and producer. The couple married on October 27, 2001, but separated in May 2006. Their divorce was subsequently filed and finalised between 2007 and 2008.
She later married Kevin Price, a teacher, on May 21, 2011. The ceremony was a traditional Jewish wedding held at Bel-Air Bay Club in Los Angeles. Rue and Price remain married at present.
Children
Sara Rue has two daughters with her husband Kevin Price. Her elder daughter, Talulah Rue Price, was born on February 9, 2013. Her younger daughter, Adelaide Rue Price, was born in mid-October 2016 and joined the family through an open adoption — an arrangement made with Adelaide’s birth mother. Both Sara and Kevin were present in the delivery room at the time of Adelaide’s birth. Shortly afterward, Sara introduced Talulah to her new sister over a FaceTime call.
FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About Sara Rue
Key questions answered about the American actress and her personal and professional life
She was born Sara Forbes Schlackman in New York City, New York, and raised in the city by parents who were both active in Broadway theatre. She began her professional acting career at the age of nine and has remained active in film and television ever since.
She adopted the stage name Sara Rue from her mother's maiden name — Joan Schlackman (née Rue). The name change was a professional decision made early in her career and has remained her public identity throughout her time in film and television.
The couple married in a traditional Jewish ceremony held at Bel-Air Bay Club in Los Angeles. Prior to her marriage to Kevin Price, Sara was married to British filmmaker Mischa Livingstone from 2001 to 2007. She and Kevin Price remain married at present and have two daughters together.
Talulah Rue Price was born on February 9, 2013. Her younger daughter, Adelaide Rue Price, was born in mid-October 2016 and joined the family through an open adoption with the birth mother. Both Sara and her husband Kevin Price were present in the delivery room at the time of Adelaide's birth.
She played Claude Casey across four seasons of Less Than Perfect alongside Zachary Levi, and appeared as Carmen Ferrara in 43 episodes of Popular. She also hosted Shedding for the Wedding on The CW, held a recurring role as Brenda in Rules of Engagement, and played Olivia Caliban in Season 2 of Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events.
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