Mayim Bialik is a Jewish American acress.
Born Mayim Hoya Bialik in San Diego, California to Barry Bialik and Beverly Winkelman, Mayim’s great-great-grandfather’s
uncle was Hayim Nachman Bialik, Israel’s national poet. Her grandparents
emigrated from Poland, then-Czechoslovakia,
and Hungary in the 1930s.
Bialik was raised in a Reform
Jewish household and earned her bachelor’s degree in neuroscience,
Hebrew, and Jewish Studies from the University of California –
Los Angeles in 2000. She completed her Ph.D. on the Prader-Willi syndrome
in 2007.
Bialik began acting as a child in the late 1980s and
her first job was a role in the horror film Pumpkinhead (1988).
She appeared in Beaches (1988) as the daughter of Bette
Midler’s character. She also appeared in the music video of
Michael Jackson’s “Liberian Girl,” among other minor
roles.
In the 1990s, Bialik played roles on Fox’s "Molloy"
and NBC’s "Blossom" series, and she also did voiceovers
for several cartoon television shows. In the 2000s, she had various
roles ranging from an appearance on Larry
David’s "Curb Your Enthusiasm" on HBO and the role
of a school guidance counselor on ABC Family’s "The Secret
Life of the American Teenager." In 2009, Bialik was nominated by
Clinton Kelly for a makeover on TLC’s What Not To Wear.
Bialik is most well-known for her role as Dr. Amy Farrah
Fowler on "The Big Bang Theory" television show. She joined
the cast in season three (2009-2010) and became part of the main cast
the following year. Bialik plays a neurobiologist on the television
show, which correlates well to her background off-camera. In 2012, Bialik
was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
for her role in "The Big Bang Theory"; and for the Screen
Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy
Series.
In addition to her acting career, Bialik is also an
author and a blogger. In March 2012, she published the book Belong
the Sling: A Real-Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the
Attachment Parenting Way. She also blogs about parenting at Kveller,
“a Jewish Twist on Parenting.”
