Katie Leclerc
Encyclopedia
Katie Lynn Leclerc is an American actress. She has appeared on several television series, including Veronica Mars
and Fashion House
. In 2011, she received a lead role on the show Switched at Birth
, starring as Daphne Vasquez.
and grew up in Lakewood
, Colorado
. She is the youngest of three siblings in a close-knit family. She is hard-of-hearing and at age 20 was diagnosed as having Ménière's disease
, a degenerative inner ear disorder whose symptoms include fluctuating hearing loss and vertigo
; both her father and older sister have Ménière's disease
as well. Although she is hard of hearing, she is able to use speech.
. When she moved to San Diego, Katie continued to pursue theatre at Valley Center High. She took part in commercials for Pepsi
, Cingular, Comcast
, and GE
. In 2006, she was in the Rascal Flatts
video "What Hurts the Most
" as a student in the classroom. She started her television career when she guest-starred on Veronica Mars
. Since, she has acted in many other television shows. Her first main actress role was in the show Switched at Birth
, where she plays Daphne Vasquez, a girl who is deaf and was given to the wrong family at the hospital after she was born. In 2011, she appeared as a girlfriend of Rajesh Koothrappali
on The Big Bang Theory
.
Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars is an American television series created by Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during television network UPN's final two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor, The CW Television Network. Veronica Mars was produced by Warner Bros...
and Fashion House
Fashion House
Fashion House is an American telenovela that aired at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT Monday through Saturday on MyNetworkTV stations. The series premiered on September 5, 2006 and concluded on December 5, 2006...
. In 2011, she received a lead role on the show Switched at Birth
Switched at Birth (TV series)
Switched at Birth is an American television series that premiered on ABC Family on June 6, 2011 at 9:00 ET/PT. The one-hour scripted drama revolves around two teenagers who were switched at birth and grew up in very different environments...
, starring as Daphne Vasquez.
Personal life
Katie Leclerc was born in San Antonio, TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and grew up in Lakewood
Lakewood, Colorado
Lakewood is a Home Rule Municipality that is the most populous city in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Lakewood is the fifth most populous city in the State of Colorado and the 172nd most populous city in the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that in April 1, 2010...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. She is the youngest of three siblings in a close-knit family. She is hard-of-hearing and at age 20 was diagnosed as having Ménière's disease
Ménière's disease
Ménière's disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can affect hearing and balance to a varying degree. It is characterized by episodes of vertigo and tinnitus and progressive hearing loss, usually in one ear. It is named after the French physician Prosper Ménière, who, in an article published...
, a degenerative inner ear disorder whose symptoms include fluctuating hearing loss and vertigo
Vertigo
Vertigo is a form of dizziness.Vertigo may also refer to:* Vertigo , a 1958 film by Alfred Hitchcock**Vertigo , its soundtrack** Vertigo effect, or Dolly zoom, a special effect in film, named after the movie...
; both her father and older sister have Ménière's disease
Ménière's disease
Ménière's disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can affect hearing and balance to a varying degree. It is characterized by episodes of vertigo and tinnitus and progressive hearing loss, usually in one ear. It is named after the French physician Prosper Ménière, who, in an article published...
as well. Although she is hard of hearing, she is able to use speech.
Career
Katie Leclerc discovered her passion for acting in grade school when she got the lead role in a production of AnnieAnnie (musical)
Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...
. When she moved to San Diego, Katie continued to pursue theatre at Valley Center High. She took part in commercials for Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
, Cingular, Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
, and GE
Gê
Gê are the people who spoke Ge languages of the northern South American Caribbean coast and Brazil. In Brazil the Gê were found in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Piaui, Mato Grosso, Goias, Tocantins, Maranhão, and as far south as Paraguay....
. In 2006, she was in the Rascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts is an American country music band that originated in Columbus, Ohio, United States of America. Since its inception, Rascal Flatts has been composed of three members: Gary LeVox , Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney...
video "What Hurts the Most
What Hurts the Most
"What Hurts the Most" is the title of a song written by American songwriter Jeffrey Steele and English songwriter Steve Robson. Initially recorded by country music artist Mark Wills in 2003 on his album And the Crowd Goes Wild, it was covered by Bellefire a year later...
" as a student in the classroom. She started her television career when she guest-starred on Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars is an American television series created by Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during television network UPN's final two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor, The CW Television Network. Veronica Mars was produced by Warner Bros...
. Since, she has acted in many other television shows. Her first main actress role was in the show Switched at Birth
Switched at Birth (TV series)
Switched at Birth is an American television series that premiered on ABC Family on June 6, 2011 at 9:00 ET/PT. The one-hour scripted drama revolves around two teenagers who were switched at birth and grew up in very different environments...
, where she plays Daphne Vasquez, a girl who is deaf and was given to the wrong family at the hospital after she was born. In 2011, she appeared as a girlfriend of Rajesh Koothrappali
Rajesh Koothrappali
Rajesh Ramayan "Raj" Koothrappali, Ph.D. is a fictional character on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actor Kunal Nayyar....
on The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom serve as executive producers on the show, along with Steven Molaro. All three also serve as head writers...
.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Gravy Train | Lydia Faye | Short film |
| 2009 | Flying By Flying By Flying By is a 2009 drama film directed by Jim Amatulli and starring Billy Ray Cyrus, Heather Locklear, Olesya Rulin, and Patricia Neal. It was the final film for Patricia Neal.-Plot:... |
Ally | |
| 2009 | Claire | ||
| 2011 | Seven Lanterns | Rachel Hawthorne | Short film, post-production |
| 2011 | Katie | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Veronica Mars Veronica Mars Veronica Mars is an American television series created by Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during television network UPN's final two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor, The CW Television Network. Veronica Mars was produced by Warner Bros... |
Crystal | Episode: "Silence of the Lamb" |
| 2006 | Fashion House Fashion House Fashion House is an American telenovela that aired at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT Monday through Saturday on MyNetworkTV stations. The series premiered on September 5, 2006 and concluded on December 5, 2006... |
Sara | 4 episodes |
| 2007 | Tokersville Queen | Episode: "Salute to America" | |
| 2007 | Saints & Sinners Saints & Sinners (2007 TV series) Saints & Sinners is a telenovela which premiered on March 14, 2007 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on the American television network MyNetworkTV. Twentieth Television produced this limited-run serial, based on the a 2000 TV Azteca telenovela titled La Calle de las Novias... |
Bride | Episode: "Dance, Dance Revolution" |
| 2008 | Teen Girl | Episode: "Friday Night Lights" | |
| 2008 | Mila | Episode: "Protect and Serve" | |
| 2010 | Deaf Girl | Episode: "Lily Pad" | |
| 2011 | Switched at Birth Switched at Birth (TV series) Switched at Birth is an American television series that premiered on ABC Family on June 6, 2011 at 9:00 ET/PT. The one-hour scripted drama revolves around two teenagers who were switched at birth and grew up in very different environments... |
Daphne Vasquez | Main Character |
| 2011 | The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom serve as executive producers on the show, along with Steven Molaro. All three also serve as head writers... |
Emily | Episode: "The Wiggly Finger Catalyst" (Season 5) |