Rachel Leah Bloom (born April 3, 1987) is an American actress, comedian, singer, writer, and producer. She is best known for co-creating and starring as Rebecca Bunch in The CW musical comedy-drama series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015–2019). The role has won her numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a TCA Award, a Critics' Choice Television Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award.
Bloom first became known for her YouTube comedy music videos, including the Hugo Award-nominated video "Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury". She has also appeared in films, including Most Likely to Murder (2018), The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019), and Trolls World Tour (2020). Her one-woman stage show turned comedy special Rachel Bloom: Death, Let Me Do My Special premiered on Netflix on October 15, 2024, after successful Off-Broadway runs at both the Orpheum Theatre and Lucille Lortel Theatre. She also released a memoir titled I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are, which was published by Grand Central Publishing on November 17, 2020.
She attended Manhattan Beach public schools including Mira Costa High School, where she was involved in the school's drama program. Bloom has said she used performance as a way to try to fit in. In 2009, Bloom graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Drama. While at NYU, she was a head writer and director with the school's sketch comedy group, Hammerkatz. During college, Bloom first performed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York with the group, and later on her own at its venue in Los Angeles. She was once roommates with comedian Ilana Glazer after college in Brooklyn.
In college, she worked as a writer's intern at Saturday Night Live and in 2012, she unsuccessfully auditioned for the show. The audition video she submitted included a bit as Katharine Hepburn doing the voice for Bugs Bunny in Space Jam.
Bloom released her first album of musical comedy, Please Love Me, on May 13, 2013. It featured the viral songs "Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury" and "You Can Touch My Boobies". Her second album, Suck It, Christmas, was a collaboration with Dan Gregor (her husband) and Jack Dolgen. Released on November 19, 2013, the album is a comedic look at Chanukah with songs including "Chanukah Honey". Bloom provided the voice of Princess Peach in the song "Luigi's Ballad" on Starbomb's self-titled debut album, released in December 2013. ]]
Bloom also worked as a television writer on Allen Gregory and Robot Chicken.
Bloom co-starred in the film Most Likely to Murder, opposite Adam Pally and Vincent Kartheiser. The film was directed by Dan Gregor, Bloom's husband. It premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in March 2018, and was released on Digital and on Demand in May 2018.
Bloom and her Pet adoption Wiley appeared together in an #AdoptPureLove PSA for the Shelter Pet Project that began airing in 2019.
In November 2020, it was announced that Bloom would be releasing a memoir, titled I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are, published by Grand Central Publishing. The book was released on November 17, 2020. It explores Bloom's own mental health struggles and experiences with bullying, both as a child and as an adult in the entertainment industry.
In 2022, Bloom co-starred in the Hulu show, Reboot, in which she played Hannah, the bitter daughter and co-worker of Paul Reiser's character. The series, which first premiered in September 2022, was created by Steven Levitan, and was nominated for a Critics Choice Award for Best Comedy Series, and Bloom was nominated for a 2023 HCA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Comedy Series.
In 2022, Bloom began touring the country with a new standup/storytelling/musical called Death, Let Me Do My Show. It then ran off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in September 2023 to critical acclaim. The show received an encore off-Broadway run at the Orpheum Theatre (Manhattan) in December 2023. Bloom was co-nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Original Lyrics in 2024.
Her Netflix special, Death, Let Me Do My Special was adapted from the off-Broadway show and premiered on Netflix on October 15, 2024.
On January 10, 2016, Bloom won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy. The following week, Bloom won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series. On September 23, 2019, Bloom won the 71st Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for her work on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
Bloom has a history of mental illness, having been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and OCD, about which she has candidly spoken.
On April 25, 2016, Bloom received the Visionary Award from the East West Players at their annual gala. The award seeks to honor "individuals who have raised the visibility of the Asian Pacific American (APA) community through their craft”; her show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend was lauded for its decision to cast an Asian-American male in a trope- and stereotype-subverting lead role.
In 2016, on behalf of her work on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Bloom was honored by Planned Parenthood with the Excellence in Entertainment award as well as by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for her work in promoting West Covina, the setting of the show . Also on behalf of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Bloom was given the key to the city of West Covina and raised funds for NAMI through a massive prop/costume auction. She also participated in The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company 2nd Annual CREATE-A-THON Fundraiser. In 2019, Bloom was honored by the Human Rights Campaign as an Ally for Equality, and received the Ana Huna Leadership Award from Miry's List, an organization that welcomes new arrival refugee families to America.
Bloom hosted Teen Line's 2018 Food for Thought Brunch as well as Girls Rock Camp Foundation's first annual Girls to the Front benefit. In 2022, she was involved in a push to demand abortion protections from major studios, and in August 2024, she signed an open letter asking for better disability representation in Hollywood.
On June 10, 2020, Bloom participated in the #ShareTheMicNow Instagram initiative. Fifty-two black women took over the Instagram feeds of 52 white women with large platforms, including Julia Roberts, Elizabeth Warren, and Diane von Fürstenberg to draw attention to their work to catalyze change. Bloom's Instagram account was taken over by author Christine Michel Carter.
On November 18, 2020, Bloom was awarded the Lifesaver Award from ELEM/Youth in Distress in Israel, a nonprofit aiding youth in distress in Israel, at its Hats off to Heroes virtual gala.
After the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023, Bloom signed an open letter by Creative Community for Peace, calling for the world to "stand with Israel as it defends itself against a terrorist regime in Gaza Strip that seeks Israel's destruction." In February 2024, Bloom headlined a comedy show fundraising for Israel, including Sheba Medical Center and The Koby Mandell Foundation.
Career
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
"Holy Shit (You've Got to Vote)"
Personal life
Filmography
Film
2014 The Fuzz Roxy 2017 Click, Clack, Moo: Christmas at the Farm Cow (voice) A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. 2018 Most Likely to Murder Kara Doblowski Also producer 2019 Changeland Vanessa (voice) Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Barbara Gordon (voice) Direct-to-video The Angry Birds Movie 2 Silver (voice) 2020 Trolls World Tour Barb (voice) 2021 Extinct Op (voice) 2022 Various voices The School for Good and Evil Honora Bar Fight! Chelsea 2023 Your Place or Mine Scarlet 2026 Filming Silver (voice) In production
Television
2011 Allen Gregory Staff writer; 4 episodes 2012 How I Met Your Mother Wanda Episode: "The Drunk Train" 2012–2019 Robot Chicken Various voices 10 episodes; also writer 2013 Very Mallory Mallory 5 episodes 2013–2014 The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange Chickpea / Breakfast Pastry (voice) 2 episodes; wrote episode: "Little Cart of Scaries" 2014–2016 BoJack Horseman Laura / Sitcom Writer (voice) 5 episodes 2014 Additional voices Television film 2015–2019 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Rebecca Bunch Main role; also co-creator, executive producer, and writer 2016 Lip Sync Battle Herself Episode: "Michael Shannon vs. Rachel Bloom" Adam Ruins Everything Episode: "Adam Ruins Hollywood" 2017 Bill Nye Saves the World 2 episodes Nightcap Episode: "Spinster Code" 2017–2025 The Simpsons Annette (voice) 4 episodes 2018 Portlandia Rachel Episode: "No Thank You" iZombie Nellie Episode: "My Really Fair Lady" Drunk History Herself Episode: "Heists" Autumn Blaze (voice) Episode: "Sounds of Silence" Explained Herself / narrator Episode: "The Female Orgasm" 2018–2020 Muppet Babies Dot the Dragon (voice) 2 episodes 2019 Cybil (voice) 2 episodes 2020 Vampirina Esmeralda / Crystal Ball (voice) 2 episodes Diary of a Future President Ms. Wexler Episode: "The National Mall" Into the Dark Ellie Burgis Episode: "Pooka Lives!" Gayme Show Herself Episode: "Acting Battle" RuPaul's Drag Race Herself / Guest Judge 2 episodes 2021 Close Enough Kira (voice) Episode: "Cyber Matrix" Blue's Clues & You! Ms. Marigold Episode: "Blue's Show and Tell Surprise" The Chicken Squad Rebecca (voice) Episode: "Honey Bee Boogie Woogie" Barb (voice) TV special 2022 iCarly McKenna Donatacci Episode: "iCupid" Reboot Hannah Korman Main role 2023 The Muppets Mayhem Samantha Swiftie Episode: "Track 8: Virtual Insanity" Julia Elaine Levitch 5 episodes 2024 City Island Venus Flytrap (voice) Episode: "Venus Flytrap" Frasier Phoebe Glazer Episode: "The Squash Courtship of Freddy's Father" Rachel Bloom: Death, Let Me Do My Special Herself Stand-up special Is It Cake? Holiday Herself Episode: “All-Stars Cakemas!” Dinner Time Live with David Chang Herself Episode: "Halloween" 2025 Bad Thoughts Sarah Episode: "Love"
Discography
Studio albums
Soundtrack albums
Singles
2010 Please Love Me "Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury" 4 2011 "I Steal Pets" — "I Was a Mermaid and Now I'm a Pop Star" — 2012 "Pictures of Your Dick" — "You Can Touch My Boobies" (feat. Nicole Shabtai & Tess Paras) — 2013 "The Cake Farts Song (Live)" — Suck It, Christmas!!! (A Chanukah Album) "Chanukah Honey" — 2014 rowspan="4" "Who Wants to Watch the Tony Awards This Year?" — "OcDance" — 2017 "Ladyboss" — "I Don't Care About Award Shows" —
Other appearances
2013 Starbomb "Luigi's Ballad" 2014 "Happy All the Time" "A Christmas Song (Reprise)" "The Story of Buddy the Elf" 2019 "Silver Suite" 2020 "Barracuda" "Crazy Train" "Rock You Like a Hurricane" "Just Sing (Trolls World Tour)" "Stacy's Mom"
Music videos
2010 Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury Rachel 2011 I Steal Pets Rachel I Was a Mermaid and Now I'm a Pop Star Rachel Charlie Brown: Blockhead's Revenge Lucy Van Pelt / Sally Brown Produced by Funny or Die 2012 The Secret of the Gypsy Queen Ilsa Produced by Skeptoid Media Pictures of Your Dick Rachel You Can Touch My Boobies Rachel We Don't Need a Man Rachel 2013 Die When I'm Young Rachel If Disney Cartoons Were Historically Accurate Princess Rachel Chanukah Honey Rachel Luigi's Ballad Princess Peach (voice) 2014 NOBODY WILL WATCH THE F*CKING TONY AWARDS WITH ME Rachel The OCDance! Rachel 2016 Holy Shit (You've Got to Vote) Herself Public service advocacy with various artists 2017 Ladyboss Rachel Produced by Bola Ogun and Vanity Fair I Don't Care About Award Shows Rachel
Awards and nominations
2011 Hugo Awards Best Dramatic Presentation Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury 2013 LA Weekly Best YouTube Song You Can Touch My Boobies 2015 67th Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Short-Format Animated Program Robot Chicken 2016 Golden Globe Awards Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Gold Derby Awards Best Comedy Actress Breakthrough Performer of the Year Television Critics Association Individual Achievement in Comedy Online Film and Television Awards Best Actress in a Comedy Series EWwy Awards Best Actress, Comedy 68th Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics Outstanding Main Title Theme Music Gotham Awards Breakthrough Series – Long Form Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Actress in a Comedy Series 2017 Golden Globe Awards Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy 69th Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics 2018 TCA Awards Individual Achievement in Comedy 2019 71st Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics Outstanding Main Title Theme Music 2023 Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) TV Astra Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Comedy Series Reboot 2024 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Lyrics Death, Let Me Do My Show 2025 Critics' Choice Awards Best Comedy Special Death, Let Me Do My Special
External links
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