Natasha Leggeros biography, net worth, fact, career, awards and life story

April 2024 · 10 minute read
IntroAmerican actress and comedian
A.K.A.Leggero
IsActor 
Television actor 
Comedian 
Voice actor 
Film actor 
FromUnited States of America 
TypeFilm, TV, Stage & Radio 
Humor 
Genderfemale
Birth26 March 1974, Rockford
Age:46 years
Star signAries
Family
Spouse:Moshe Kasher 

Natasha Leggero (born March 26, 1974) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. She rose to fame after appearing as the host of MTV’s The 70s House (2005), and for her tenure as a regular roundtable panelist on Chelsea Handler’s late-night talk show Chelsea Lately. Her comedy, characterized as observational, has been noted by critics for its use of satire as commentary on such themes as celebrity culture and class.

Her stand-up television appearances include performances on The Tonight Show with Jay LenoThe Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Last Call with Carson Daly, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and she has appeared on multiple Comedy Central stand-up programs as well as their animated show Ugly Americans, wherein she voiced Callie Maggotbone. She also appeared in season 5, episode 7 of The League, playing the role of Andre’s (Paul Scheer) comedy class teacher.

In 2015, she co-created the period sitcom Another Period for Comedy Central, in which she starred alongside co-creator Riki Lindhome.

Early life

Leggero was born March 26, 1974 in Rockford, Illinois and is of Italian and Swedish descent. She has stated that a DNA test revealed 6% Sub-Saharan African ancestry. Leggero was raised Roman Catholic, but converted to Judaism as an adult.

Commenting on her childhood, she stated: “I would say [we were] lower-middle-class, but I feel like my mom would start crying if she heard that. But my dad was a used car dealer and my mother worked in a locksmith shop as the bookkeeper, and then they got divorced, and I do remember, like, nuns bringing us food—like big canned goods. And then, you know, we didn’t really go on vacation–ever… I had so many jobs growing up: I mowed lawns; I worked at a grocery store; I had two newspaper routes; I worked at a catering place… I definitely hustled.”

She began performing at age 10, in plays in Chicago. Leggero attended Rockford East High School, and worked at a grocery store as a teenager.

After graduating from high school, Leggero attended Illinois State University, where she studied for two years and spent a semester studying abroad in England. While at Illinois State, Leggero auditioned for the Stella Adler Conservatory in Chicago, and was accepted into the theater program. She then relocated to New York City to attend the conservatory, spending two years studying. In 1996, she moved to Sydney, Australia with her then-boyfriend, and lived there for a year before returning to New York to attend Hunter College, where she graduated in 2000 with a B.A. in Theater criticism. She relocated to Los Angeles shortly before the September 11 attacks.

Career

Leggero shot an unaired pilot called The Strip for NBC, with Tom Lennon and Ben Garant from Reno 911!. Alongside Andy Kindler and Greg Giraldo, she was a judge on the 2010 season of NBC’s Last Comic Standing, hosted by Craig Robinson. Leggero played Emma in NBC’s 2011 sitcom Free Agents. From 2010 to January 2012, Leggero co-hosted The Lavender Hour podcast with comedian Duncan Trussell.

From 2010 to 2012, she voiced the role of Callie Maggotbone on the animated series Ugly Americans. In 2012, she also appeared in six episodes of NBC’s Are You There, Chelsea? as Nikki, who was Rick’s (the bar manager’s) ex-girlfriend. Leggero was featured in every first-season episode starting with the second episode, “Sloane’s Ex.”

She also played the sex-obsessed Haley in the web series Burning Love, a spoof of the TV series The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. In 2013, Leggero appeared in an episode of the Drunk History television series on Comedy Central.

On September 2, 2013, Leggero participated in the Comedy Central Roast of James Franco as one of the Roasters; the following day, Brickleberry premiered in its second season. Leggero voiced the busty ranger Ethel in place of Kaitlin Olson, who was in the first season only.

Tubbin’ with Tash debuted on October 2, 2013 on Leggero’s YouTube channel. The premise of the show is Leggero interviewing guests while in a hot tub. In August 2015, she debuted her Comedy Central standup special, Live at Bimbo’s (originally entitled Diamond Pussy), which she filmed in San Francisco.

In 2015, Leggero and Riki Lindhome created the Comedy Central series Another Period, which they also starred in together; the series premiered June 23, 2015, and was renewed for a second season, which premiered June 15, 2016. On May 23, 2016, it was renewed for a third season, which aired in 2018. In 2016 and 2017, Leggero and husband Moshe Kasher embarked on The Honeymoon Tour, in which they performed standup shows and provided humorous relationship advice throughout the United States.

New Year’s Eve incident

On December 31, 2013, Leggero was criticized for a joke she made during NBC’s New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly, when, in response to a controversial tweet posted by SpaghettiOs on the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, she quipped: “It sucks that the only survivors of Pearl Harbor are being mocked by the only food they can still chew.” Her remarks were met with a backlash over social media; in response, Leggero posted in a blog entry that she did not feel that “the amazing courage of American veterans and specifically those who survived Pearl Harbor is in any way diminished by a comedian making a joke about dentures on television. Do we really believe that the people who fought and defended our freedom against Nazis and the Axis powers will find a joke about Spaghetti O’s too much to bear? Sorry, I have more respect for Veterans than to think their honor can be impugned by a glamorous, charming comedian in a fur hat.” She also called on those offended by the remarks to donate to Disabled American Veterans.

Comedic style

Leggero’s comedy has been characterized as observational, with frequent commentary on celebrity culture and class. Her approach to standup has been noted for its heavy use of persona, which largely relies on costumes and “an air of mock-refinement and elitism.” Journalist John Wenzel wrote that Leggero’s use of persona “[allows her to] indict the most bloated, superficial aspects of our culture.” Maggie Lange of GQ noted:

All performers have a character to some extent, but Leggero is one of the few with a costume. She’s like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but like a seasoned comedian in socialite’s clothing. She’s always been this way. Who is the most formally dressed being at every Roast? Natasha Leggero. Who is perhaps the only person to have ever worn long white gloves to the Laugh Factory? Natasha Leggero. It’s always like she’s going to another party. While other comedians are trying to out-casual each other, she’s sitting with impeccable posture, dripping diamonds, dripping disdain.

Personal life

Between 2011 and 2012, Leggero dated comedian Duncan Trussell, with whom she co-hosted the podcast, The Lavender Hour.

In 2015, she married fellow comedian Moshe Kasher. During an October 3, 2017 interview with Stephen Colbert, Leggero announced that she and Kasher were expecting their first child. On February 24, 2018, Leggero announced the birth of their daughter via Instagram.

She resides in Los Angeles, California.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007The Exorcist ChroniclesLeah
2009He’s Just Not That Into YouAmber Gnech
2013Tome of the UnknownBeatriceShort film; pilot for the miniseries Over the Garden Wall
2013Dealin’ with IdiotsTipsy Jessica
2014NeighborsStreet prostitute
2014Let’s Be CopsAnnie
2015The Breakup GirlKim
2015A Better YouTamara
2016The Do-OverNikki

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004The Joe Schmo ShowRita “The Drunk”2 episodes
2005MTV’s The 70s HouseDawnHost; 10 episodes
2005–2008Reno 911!Various3 episodes
2005Comedy Central Roast of Pamela AndersonHerself (red carpet interviewer)Uncredited; television special
2005Premium BlendHerselfEpisode: “Johnny Lampert, Roy Wood Jr., Natasha Leggero and Stephen Rannazzisi”
2006It’s Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaStripper #1Episode: “Charlie Gets Crippled”
2007‘Til DeathMindyEpisode: “Performance Anxiety”
2007Red Eye w/Greg GutfeldHerselfGuest panelist; episode dated December 8, 2007
2008–2014Chelsea LatelyHerselfGuest panelist; various episodes
2008Samantha Who?Female CustomerEpisode: “The Gallery Show”
2008SuperNews!Hillary Clinton (voice)Episode: “Super Short”
2008SuperNews!Sarah Palin (voice)Episode: “Top Gov”
2008The Sarah Silverman ProgramDr. LeggeroEpisode: “Vow Wow”
2008Worst WeekLizEpisode: “The Gift”
2009Aqua Teen Hunger ForceComputer Technician (voice)Episode: “Fry Legs”
2009–2010The Smoking Gun Presents: World’s Dumbest…HerselfCommentator; 28 episodes
2010Til DeathSandyEpisode: “Snore Loser”
2010–2012Ugly AmericansCallie Maggotbone (voice)Main cast; 31 episodes
2010Last Comic StandingHerselfJudge (season 7); 10 episodes
2010–2011Nick Swardson’s Pretend TimeVarious5 episodes
2011Comedy Central PresentsHerselfEpisode: “Natasha Leggero”
2011After LatelyHerself2 episodes
2011Free AgentsEmma ParkerMain cast; 8 episodes
2012The Life & Times of TimFemale Rodney (voice)2 episodes
2012Are You There, Chelsea?Nikki Natoli6 episodes
2012The Life & Times of TimFemale Rodney (voice)2 episodes
2012China, ILJen (voice)Episode: “Frankensteve”
2012Regular ShowLaDonna / Girl in Line (voice)Episode: “Access Denied”
2012–2013The Burn with Jeff RossHerself2 episodes
2012NTSF:SD:SUV::Mona LisaEpisode: “Time Angels”
2013–2015BrickleberryEthel (voice)Main cast (season 2–season 3)
2013WhitneyDanielleEpisode: “Lost in Transition”
2013The Jeselnik OffensivePanelist1 episode
2013CommunityMystiEpisode: “Heroic Origins”
2013Ghost GhirlsSissyEpisode: “Hooker With A Heart of Ghoul”
2013Arrested DevelopmentJackieEpisode: “Borderline Personalities”
2013Drunk HistoryHerselfNarrator; episode: “San Francisco”
2013High School USA!Rachel Lewis (voice)Episode: “Adoption”
2013Comedy Central Roast of James FrancoHerself (roaster)Television special
2013The LeagueStand-up teacherEpisode: “The Bringer Show”
2013–2017@midnightHerself7 episodes
2013Comedy Bang! Bang!Judy ElevenudaEpisode: “Andy Dick Wears a Black Suit Jacket & Skinny Tie”
2013–2014BetasBrenda3 episodes
2013–2014Lucas Bros. Moving Co.Natasha (voice)3 episodes
2013Key & PeeleWhite Woman #2Episode: “The Power of Wings”
2013The Birthday BoysSuperintendentEpisode: “Going All the Way”
2014SuburgatoryNora4 episodes
2014Inside Amy SchumerMiaEpisode: “Slut-Shaming”
2014ClarenceNature Kate / Heida (voice)Episode: “Nature Clarence”
2014Garfunkel & OatesVivian3 episodes: “The Fadeaway”, “Eggs” and “Maturity”.
2015Marry MeLaguna MatataEpisode: “Spoil Me”
2015MulaneyRodeoEpisode: “Life is a Series of Different Apartments”
2015–2018Another PeriodLillian Bellacourt32 episodes; also creator, executive producer, writer
2015Modern FamilyDanaEpisode: “Fight or Flight”
2015The Comedy Central Roast of Justin BieberHerselfOne night television special
2015Drunk HistoryElizabeth BislandEpisode: “Journalism”
2016SuperstoreShoplifterEpisode: “Shoplifter”
2016–2017DiceCarmen13 episodes
2016–2017American Dad!Planet Hollywood Waitress / Karen (voice)2 episodes
2016BoJack HorsemanHeather (voice)Episode: “Start Spreading the News”
2017Justice League ActionPoison Ivy (voice)Episode: “Garden of Evil”
2018TeachersHonourEpisode: “Leggo My Preggo”
2018Comedy KnockoutHerself2 episodes
TBABrokeElizabeth

Web

YearTitleRoleNotes
2006Fire GuysBlack Ladder Team leaderEpisode 3
2012–2013Burning LoveHaley14 episodes
2012Escape My LifeSkylar Browning8 episodes
2013Tubbin’ with TashHerselfSeries creator and star
2015Joe Rogan ExperienceHerselfPodcast Episode 653
2015The Adam Carolla ShowHerselfPodcast May 31
2015LimboLucy / LuciferIndependent short film
2016WTF with Marc MaronHerselfEpisode 707

Discography

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