“The Big Bang Theory’s” Melissa Rauch has undeniably undergone a stunning transformation, especially when it comes to style. While many might know her for her “Big Bang” character’s meek, nerdy demeanor, the actor herself stands out for her luscious blonde hair, bright smile, and overall confident-looking appearance. However, despite her seemingly bright demeanor, Rauch unfortunately wasn’t spared from suffering some battle scars during her rise to fame.
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One might think working on a sitcom as crowd-pleasing as “The Big Bang Theory” might mean the show’s actors lead just as happy-go-lucky of lives as their characters do. But, for Rauch, who played Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz from 2009 to 2019, an untold truth about her is that not all has been laughs and giggles throughout her life, contrary to what television fans may wish to believe. On her way to reaching the status she has today, she faced several hardships and setbacks that shaped who she is as both a person and performer.
She was denied roles because of her hands
Most aspiring actors probably hope to achieve near-immediate stardom as soon as they dive into the industry. However, before audiences grew familiar with her for her “Big Bang Theory” character Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz, Melissa Rauch paid her dues and once had difficulty landing roles.
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In one instance, Rauch was nearly offered the role of a waitress in a commercial. However, she was ultimately denied the part after the director allegedly caught sight of her hands. “When I was first auditioning and going out for commercials and everything, my hands really stood in the way,” she said on a January 2023 episode of “The View,” via ABC News. “I sort of have hobbit hands. Especially when I was living in New York, they were always sort of like, chapped.”
Thankfully, Rauch said in a January 2024 episode of “The View” that her hands haven’t caused as much of a problem for her in the industry since she started earning better roles. However, her comparison of her hands to those of hobbits from “The Lord of the Rings” did garner some attention after she brought it up. “Even TMZ would stop me, like, ‘Hey! Show us your hobbit hands!” she said.
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Michelle Rauch suffers from anxiety
Even though she’s moved on from her days of struggling to find roles, and gained prominence through her involvement in projects like “The Big Bang Theory” and “Night Court” to name a few, Melissa Rauch hasn’t lived a completely happy or stress-free life, as one would expect successful actors do. In fact, she’s reportedly grappled with feelings of stress and anxiety, especially when she doesn’t have a project lined up.
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However, Rauch has also found ways to help manage her anxiety whenever she’s searching for her next gig. Before she had her big break, she found a rather thrilling way to ease her stress when she and her husband purchased season passes to “The Happiest Place on Earth.” While some might go to places like Disneyland for the magic and vibes, Rauch was there for the roller coasters. “Whenever I was bummed out about work, we would go to Space Mountain, and it was like a physical injection of anti-depressants,” she told Esquire in March 2013.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
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She experienced a miscarriage
On a more personal level, “The Big Bang Theory Star” Melissa Rauch faced tragedy during her initial attempt to start a family. While she announced she was pregnant with her first child in 2017, Rauch also revealed she’d previously had a miscarriage. “The miscarriage I experienced was one of the most profound sorrows I have ever felt in my life,” she told Glamour in July 2017. “It kick-started a primal depression that lingered in me. The image of our baby on the ultrasound monitor — without movement, without a heartbeat—after we had seen that same little heart healthy and flickering just two weeks prior completely blindsided us and haunts me to this day.”
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Despite the tragedy, Rauch and her husband, Winston Rauch, have since gone on to raise two kids together. Their eldest daughter Sadie was born in 2017, while their son Brooks was born in 2020. While there still may be a noticeable void left by the absence of their first child, Rauch said the experience made her grateful for her next pregnancy, and she imaginably still holds onto this feeling as she now enjoys life with her kids. “All I really know for sure is that this experience has changed me forever,” she told Glamour. “I know it’s made me grateful for every moment of my current pregnancy, and I hope it will make me a better mother in some capacity when I can finally hold the child that has been in my heart in my arms.”
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