Alison Brie first gained widespread recognition as one of Hollywood’s most versatile television actresses by juggling two distinct and memorable roles on two very different shows. On the one hand, she portrayed an earnest and slightly naive college student in the quirky, cult-favorite comedy Community (NBC, 2009–14; Yahoo!, 2015), and on the other, she played the quietly betrayed wife of a 1960s advertising executive in the critically acclaimed drama Mad Men (AMC, 2007–15). These dual roles, so contrasting in tone and style, demonstrated Alison Brie’s impressive range and cemented her status as a rising star capable of handling both comedic and dramatic material with equal finesse.
Born Alison Brie Schermerhorn on December 29, 1983, in Pasadena, California, she began performing at a young age, often participating in productions at the local Jewish Community Center in Los Feliz. After graduating from South Pasadena High School in 2001, she pursued a degree in drama at the California Institute of the Arts. During her studies, she also spent time at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, Scotland, further honing her craft.
Following college, Alison Brie continued to work in theater while actively auditioning for television and film roles. Her early television appearances included a guest spot in 2006 on Hannah Montana (Disney, 2006–2010), where she played a young hairdresser. She then landed a lead role in My Alibi (ABC Family, 2008–09), a series adapted from a popular web show about a group of high school students caught in a prank gone wrong.
It wasn’t long before Alison Brie’s talent caught the attention of casting directors for more high-profile projects. In 2007, she joined the cast of Mad Men, where she portrayed Trudy Campbell, the composed but increasingly disillusioned wife of Pete Campbell, played by Vincent Kartheiser. The show’s success brought her considerable acclaim and opened the door to even more opportunities.
Shortly after, she was cast in Community, where she played Annie Edison, a tightly wound but gradually rebellious student navigating the chaos of community college life. Her performance in the ensemble comedy earned her a place on numerous “Sexiest Celebrity” lists and showcased her comedic timing and charm. The role significantly elevated her profile and proved that Alison Brie could hold her own in both dramatic and comedic settings.
With her growing fame, Alison Brie expanded her career into film. In 2011, she appeared in Scream 4, the fourth installment in the popular horror franchise, which reunited much of the original cast. She followed this with roles in romantic comedies such as Save the Date (2012) and The Five-Year Engagement (2012), as well as indie films like The Kings of Summer (2013) and the blockbuster animated hit The Lego Movie (2014).
In 2015, Alison Brie starred opposite Jason Sudeikis in Sleeping with Other People, a romantic comedy that highlighted her comedic prowess, and played a leading role in Get Hard, starring Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart. As her television commitments on Community and Mad Men came to a close, she took on a recurring voice role as Diane Nguyen in the critically praised animated series BoJack Horseman (Netflix, 2014–present). That same year, she also served as an executive producer for the sitcom Teachers (TV Land, 2016–present).
On the big screen, Alison Brie appeared in How to Be Single (2016) and the indie drama A Family Man (2016). In 2017, she co-starred with Aubrey Plaza and Kate Micucci in The Little Hours, a quirky comedy set in a 14th-century Italian convent. That year also marked her return to television in a leading role on GLOW (Netflix, 2017–present), a comedy-drama inspired by the real-life women’s wrestling circuit of the 1980s.
Throughout her career, Alison Brie has consistently demonstrated a unique ability to navigate a wide variety of genres and formats. Whether on stage, screen, or in voiceover, she brings depth, humor, and authenticity to every role she takes on. As her filmography continues to grow, so too does the recognition of Alison Brie not just as a talented actress, but as a versatile and enduring presence in entertainment.
Alison Brie has been part of several movies, films, and music projects throughout her career, but one of her standout roles was in The LEGO Movie (2014), which is widely regarded as her highest-rated work. On the flip side, No Stranger Than Love (2015) is often cited as one of Alison Brie’s lower-rated films. While opinions can vary, these two titles tend to represent the high and low points in terms of critical reception for Alison Brie’s filmography.