Rachel Brosnahan, born Rachel Elizabeth Brosnahan on July 12, 1990, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is an American actress celebrated for her performances across television, film, and theater.
Best known for her role as Miriam “Midge” Maisel in the Amazon Prime Video series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Brosnahan has established herself as a versatile and talented performer.
Raised in Highland Park, Illinois, from the age of four, she grew up in a close-knit family with parents Earl and Carol Brosnahan, who worked in children’s publishing.
Her mother is British, and her father is American with Irish and French ancestry.
Siblings
Rachel has two younger siblings, a sister named Lydia Brosnahan and a brother reportedly named Alec Brosnahan.
Lydia, born on August 14, 1998, in Highland Park, Illinois, shares a close bond with Rachel, often accompanying her to high-profile events such as the 2025 Golden Globe Awards.
Less is known about Alec, as he maintains an even lower profile, and public information about him is limited.
Career
Brosnahan’s career began in her teens, with her first film role as Lisa in the 2009 horror movie The Unborn while still in high school.
During her time at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she graduated in 2012 with a degree in theater and a minor in psychology, she landed guest roles in television shows like Gossip Girl, The Good Wife, and Grey’s Anatomy.
Her breakout came in 2013 with the role of Rachel Posner in Netflix’s House of Cards, earning her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.
This role propelled her into the spotlight, leading to recurring parts in series like The Blacklist and Manhattan.
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Her defining role came in 2017 as Midge Maisel in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, a performance that showcased her comedic and dramatic range as a 1950s housewife pursuing stand-up comedy.
Brosnahan’s film career includes roles in The Courier (2020), I’m Your Woman (2020), which she also produced, and Dead for a Dollar (2022).
In 2025, she starred as Lois Lane in the DC Universe’s Superman and appeared in the espionage thriller The Amateur.
Her stage work is equally impressive, with Broadway debut in The Big Knife (2013), a role as Desdemona in Othello (2016), and a critically acclaimed performance in the 2023 revival of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window.
Brosnahan also founded Scrap Paper Pictures, her production company, in 2019, further expanding her influence in the industry.
Accolades
For her role in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Brosnahan won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2018 and secured two consecutive Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 2018 and 2019.
Her performance also earned her two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Critics’ Choice Television Awards, and a Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy.
Her work in House of Cards garnered a Primetime Emmy nomination in 2015 for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.
On stage, her role in the 2023 Broadway revival of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window earned her a Drama League Award nomination for Outstanding Distinguished Performer.
Brosnahan’s six Emmy nominations, including five for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, underscore her consistent excellence.
Her ability to balance television, film, and theater while earning critical acclaim has solidified her status as one of Hollywood’s brightest stars.
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