Actress Laurie Metcalf, 56, has filed for divorce from husband of nearly seven years, Matt Roth.
Metcalf is probably most recognizable for her role as Roseanne Conner’s slightly flaky but still sarcastic sister Jackie on the 80’s and 90’s hit Roseanne , where she was a constant presence- working alongside the titular Roseanne at the plastics factory, as well as the sandwich shop that appeared later in the series. Chronically single and unlucky in love, Metcalf’s character Jackie was a staple in the Conner family house- eventually taking a spouse whom she divorced and raising her son, Andy, as a single mom.
Metcalf- in real life- married the actor who played her on-screen boyfriend, Fisher. The couple met and fell in love on the set of Roseanne and have three children together- 18-year-old Will, 11-year-old Donovan and 6-year-old Mae. In the divorce filings- which cite irreconcilable differences as grounds for the divorce- Roth seeks joint legal and physical custody of the couple’s three children.
Metcalf is no stranger to successful, post-marriage parenting arrangements. Prior to her marriage to Roth, she was married to Jeff Perry. Although the pair later divorced, they happily raised daughter Zoe, born in 1984- together, co-parenting the now adult child. Of her relationship with her ex’s wife Linda, Metcalf said:
“I don’t know what to call my relationship with Linda, it’s so solid and strong… There’s not really a term for it, but I love her, so I call her my sister-in-law.”
Perry commented on parenting Zoe with Metcalf and his new wife, saying the experience was positive:
“Laurie was fine, or pretended to be, when Zoe called Linda ‘Linda-mom,’ …It led to a pretty great menagerie.”
Court papers indicate that Metcalf and Roth have been separated since November of 2008.
