# Kate Micucci
**Kate Micucci** (born 1980) is an American actress, comedian, musician, and artist who is one half of the musical comedy duo [Garfunkel and Oates](https://www.edgepedia.org/garfunkel-and-oates) with [Riki Lindhome](https://www.edgepedia.org/riki-lindhome), and who is known for playing Stephanie Gooch on *Scrubs*, Shelley on *Raising Hope*, and Lucy on *The Big Bang Theory*, and for voicing [Velma Dinkley](https://www.edgepedia.org/velma-dinkley) in Scooby-Doo animation since 2015 and Webby Vanderquack in *DuckTales* (2017)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/29622/kate-micucci).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1980, Jersey City, New Jersey; raised in Nazareth, Pennsylvania[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/) |
| Education | A.A. in Fine Arts, Keystone College; B.A. in Studio Art, Loyola Marymount University, class of 2003[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2177528/bio/) • [4](https://alumni.lmu.edu/alumnigroups/featuredalumni/alumnifeatures/katemicucci/) |
| Signature duo | Garfunkel and Oates with Riki Lindhome; Micucci is "Oates" and plays the ukulele[4](https://alumni.lmu.edu/alumnigroups/featuredalumni/alumnifeatures/katemicucci/) |
| Signature TV roles | Stephanie Gooch on *Scrubs*; Shelley on *Raising Hope*; Lucy on *The Big Bang Theory* (8 episodes, 2013–2017)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/) • [5](https://www.fernsehserien.de/kate-micucci/filmografie) |
| Voice roles | Velma Dinkley (from *Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!*, 2015), Webby Vanderquack (*DuckTales*, 2017), Sadie Miller (*Steven Universe*)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/) • [6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/kate-micucci/) |
| Recognition | Emmy nomination for the song "Frozen Lullaby" from *Garfunkel and Oates: Trying to Be Special*[7](https://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/kate_micucci_co-star_of_dont_think_twice/) |
| Children's work | Debut children's album *My Hat* (2023); picture book *The Monster and Puppet Show!* with Mo Willems (February 2026)[8](https://www.hbgacademic.com/contributor/kate-micucci/) • [9](https://thebabybookworm.com/2025/12/08/make-art-be-kind-love-yourself-an-interview-with-the-sensational-kate-micucci/) |
## Early life and education
Micucci was born in [Jersey City, New Jersey](https://www.edgepedia.org/jersey-city-new-jersey), and spent most of her school years in Pennsylvania, including the small town of Nazareth[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2177528/bio/) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/). Her mother is a piano teacher, and piano lessons were part of her life every day from the age of 4[10](https://blacknews.uk/kate-micucci-on-putting-together-kids-songs-like-a-puzzle-making-the-monster-and-puppet-show-picturebook). In college she majored in art, concentrating on painting and making puppets: she earned an A.A. in Fine Arts from Keystone College, then a B.A. in Studio Art from [Loyola Marymount University](https://www.edgepedia.org/loyola-marymount-university) in Los Angeles, where she made more puppets[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2177528/bio/).
Her first jobs after college were piecemeal. She has described babysitting, teaching piano, and teaching sand castle building, and she built professional sandcastles for parties in Los Angeles[11](https://magazine.lmu.edu/articles/funny-business/) • [12](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/pop-hiss/story/2011-01-24/musical-comedy-outfit-garfunkel-oates-are-side-players-no-more). A neighbor's tip led her to a commercial casting director, which brought her first commercial agent and a string of commercials[11](https://magazine.lmu.edu/articles/funny-business/). Her acting career began with a small role on *Malcolm in the Middle*, followed by the female lead, Toni, on the short-lived NBC sitcom *Four Kings* opposite [Seth Green](https://www.edgepedia.org/seth-green)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/).
## Garfunkel and Oates
Micucci and the actress Riki Lindhome formed the musical comedy duo Garfunkel and Oates, named as a nod to [Art Garfunkel](https://www.edgepedia.org/art-garfunkel) and [John Oates](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-oates), whom the pair describe as famous "second bananas" in pop music[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/) • [13](https://www.gq.com/story/garfunkel-oates-kate-micucci-riki-lindhom). Micucci is Oates, explaining the choice to GQ with "I'm short, and if I'm not careful, I have a mustache"[13](https://www.gq.com/story/garfunkel-oates-kate-micucci-riki-lindhom). The two began performing at Los Angeles comedy clubs and recording single-take "couch videos" of their original comic songs for YouTube[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/) • [14](https://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/garfunkel_and_oates1). Micucci plays the trademark ukulele in the duo, and Lindhome plays guitar[4](https://alumni.lmu.edu/alumnigroups/featuredalumni/alumnifeatures/katemicucci/) • [15](https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/npr/338305684/plus.npr.org/throughline).
The duo's songs pair sweet melodies with risqué humor; as Micucci told [CBS News](https://www.edgepedia.org/cbs-news) in 2011, "We sing kind of dirty songs, basically, and we go around the world and play them"[16](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/garfunkel-and-oates-we-sing-dirty-songs/). Their monthly shows at the [Upright Citizens Brigade](https://www.edgepedia.org/upright-citizens-brigade) theater in Los Angeles sold out regularly, and they also sold out two-woman shows at Largo, Meltdown, and the Super Serious Show[12](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/pop-hiss/story/2011-01-24/musical-comedy-outfit-garfunkel-oates-are-side-players-no-more) • [17](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2177528/). Variety named them Comics to Watch in 2010[17](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2177528/).
**Television series and special.** The IFC scripted series *Garfunkel and Oates* (2014), which the pair co-created, wrote, and starred in, playing lightly fictionalized versions of themselves, was IFC's third highest series premiere in the network's history, though it was canceled after a single season[17](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2177528/) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/). The Vimeo special *Garfunkel and Oates: Trying to Be Special* followed, and its song "Frozen Lullaby," with music and lyrics by Micucci and Lindhome, received an Emmy nomination[7](https://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/kate_micucci_co-star_of_dont_think_twice/). The two have also written songs for Universal's *Search Party*, Paramount's *SpongeBob SquarePants* animated feature, and *The Big Bang Theory*; per [Simon Helberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/simon-helberg), the song Howard sings to Bernadette in *The Big Bang Theory* episode "The Romance Resonance" was actually composed by Micucci and Lindhome[17](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2177528/) • [18](https://bigbangtheory.fandom.com/wiki/Kate_Micucci). For Netflix's *Waffles + Mochi*, they wrote original songs performed by guest stars including Sia and [Jack Black](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-black)[19](https://time.com/5947005/waffles-mochi-review-netflix/).
## Acting career
Micucci's musical bent shaped her breakthrough television role: the oddball ukulele player Stephanie Gooch, girlfriend of lawyer Ted Buckland ([Sam Lloyd](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-lloyd)) on *Scrubs*, for which she also wrote and performed original songs[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/) • [20](https://kraft-engel.com/clients/kate-micucci/). After *Scrubs* ended she joined *'Til Death* as Allison "Ally" Stark, the fourth actress to play the character in four seasons[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/). Her film career began with a supporting role in *Bart Got a Room* (2008), and her highest-profile film role for years was the best friend of [Kristen Bell](https://www.edgepedia.org/kristen-bell)'s lead in the romantic comedy *When in Rome* (2010)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/). She later co-starred in [Mike Birbiglia](https://www.edgepedia.org/mike-birbiglia)'s improv-comedy drama *Don't Think Twice* (2016) and in Jeff Baena's *The Little Hours* (2017), a comedy set in a 14th-century Italian convent, in which she played Sister Ginerva[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/) • [21](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.filmtrackonline.com/mongrelmedia/starcm_vault_root/media/publicwebassets/littlehourspresskit_%7B45159082-6b39-41b8-82d3-3d52709a84a3%7D.pdf). She also produced the film *Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss* in 2020[22](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621222162).
**Voice acting.** Micucci became an in-demand voice actor, appearing in *Steven Universe* (as Sadie Miller), *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles*, *Adventure Time*, *Bob's Burgers*, and *Rick and Morty*, among others[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/) • [6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/kate-micucci/). In 2015 she took over the role of Velma Dinkley beginning with *Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!*, and she has voiced the character in subsequent Scooby-Doo projects[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/). She voiced Webby Vanderquack in Disney's *DuckTales* (2017) and Daisy in *Nature Cat*[6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/kate-micucci/) • [20](https://kraft-engel.com/clients/kate-micucci/). More recent voice work includes starring as Mia in *Angry Birds Mystery Island: A Hatchlings Adventure* (2024, 24 episodes) and Dippy in *Dog Man* (2025)[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/29622/kate-micucci) • [23](https://flicklist.tv/people/kate-micucci).
## Music, art, and children's work
Beyond the duo, Micucci performs solo. Her solo music show *Playin' with Micucci* ran at the Steve Allen Theater and Largo in Los Angeles, and she has held a residency singing her original songs among the puppets at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Los Angeles, performing live with her puppet Camille[20](https://kraft-engel.com/clients/kate-micucci/) • [8](https://www.hbgacademic.com/contributor/kate-micucci/). She has released the singles "Bucket of Beans" and "You Got a Bike"[22](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621222162).
After her son was born, she made her first children's album, *My Hat*, released in 2023, produced by Grammy-nominated producer Jake Sinclair and recorded entirely on tape[10](https://blacknews.uk/kate-micucci-on-putting-together-kids-songs-like-a-puzzle-making-the-monster-and-puppet-show-picturebook) • [20](https://kraft-engel.com/clients/kate-micucci/). She describes building songs "like a puzzle" and tells children who are afraid to share their creations to "share what you make and bring joy to people"[10](https://blacknews.uk/kate-micucci-on-putting-together-kids-songs-like-a-puzzle-making-the-monster-and-puppet-show-picturebook). Her picture book *The Monster and Puppet Show!*, part of Mo Willems's *Elephant & Piggie Like Reading!* series, was scheduled for release in February 2026, and a related single, "A Song About a Book About a Monster and a Puppet," appeared on Apple Music on August 14, 2026[9](https://thebabybookworm.com/2025/12/08/make-art-be-kind-love-yourself-an-interview-with-the-sensational-kate-micucci/) • [22](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621222162). She has also continued live collaboration: at the New Victory Theater's 2026–27 season she accompanies Mo Willems on ukulele as he performs classic stories for young audiences[24](https://www.theatermania.com/news/kate-micucci-will-accompany-mo-willems-in-a-show-at-new-victory-theater_1838805/).
## Health
In December 2023 Micucci announced that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer and had surgery to remove carcinogenic cells from her lungs; she said she had never smoked a cigarette and called the diagnosis "pretty weird"[25](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-12-19/actor-kate-micucci-says-shes-cancer-free-i-dont-need-to-do-any-other-treatment). She subsequently announced she was cancer-free and did not need any other treatment[25](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-12-19/actor-kate-micucci-says-shes-cancer-free-i-dont-need-to-do-any-other-treatment). Her management notes that the diagnosis came the day *My Hat* debuted, which prevented her from sharing the album widely at its initial release[26](https://www.mayersconsulting.com/kate-micucci).
## Personal life
Micucci married musician Jake Sinclair on February 16, 2018, and they have one child[27](https://www.imdb.com/it/name/nm2177528/bio/). She lives in New York City[8](https://www.hbgacademic.com/contributor/kate-micucci/).
## References
1. [Kate Micucci – Actress, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kate-micucci/)
2. [Kate Micucci – TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/29622/kate-micucci)
3. [Kate Micucci – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2177528/bio/)
4. [Kate Micucci '03 – Loyola Marymount University Alumni](https://alumni.lmu.edu/alumnigroups/featuredalumni/alumnifeatures/katemicucci/)
5. [Filmografie Kate Micucci – fernsehserien.de](https://www.fernsehserien.de/kate-micucci/filmografie)
6. [Kate Micucci – Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/kate-micucci/)
7. [Kate Micucci, Co-star of "Don't Think Twice" – Under the Radar](https://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/kate_micucci_co-star_of_dont_think_twice/)
8. [Kate Micucci – Hachette Book Group](https://www.hbgacademic.com/contributor/kate-micucci/)
9. [Make Art, Be Kind, Love Yourself: An Interview With Kate Micucci – The Baby Bookworm](https://thebabybookworm.com/2025/12/08/make-art-be-kind-love-yourself-an-interview-with-the-sensational-kate-micucci/)
10. [Kate Micucci on Putting Together Kids' Songs 'Like a Puzzle' – Black News](https://blacknews.uk/kate-micucci-on-putting-together-kids-songs-like-a-puzzle-making-the-monster-and-puppet-show-picturebook)
11. [Kate Micucci '03 Makes Her Mark – LMU Magazine](https://magazine.lmu.edu/articles/funny-business/)
12. [Musical comedy outfit Garfunkel & Oates are side players no more – Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/pop-hiss/story/2011-01-24/musical-comedy-outfit-garfunkel-oates-are-side-players-no-more)
13. [The GQ+A: Garfunkel and Oates's Kate Micucci and Riki Lindhome – GQ](https://www.gq.com/story/garfunkel-oates-kate-micucci-riki-lindhom)
14. [Garfunkel and Oates – Under the Radar](https://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/garfunkel_and_oates1)
15. [Working And Dating In LA, Living To Sing The Tale | NCPR News](https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/npr/338305684/plus.npr.org/throughline)
16. [Garfunkel and Oates: We sing dirty songs – CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/garfunkel-and-oates-we-sing-dirty-songs/)
17. [Kate Micucci – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2177528/)
18. [Kate Micucci – The Big Bang Theory Wiki](https://bigbangtheory.fandom.com/wiki/Kate_Micucci)
19. [Michelle Obama's Wonderful Netflix Show Waffles + Mochi – TIME](https://time.com/5947005/waffles-mochi-review-netflix/)
20. [Kate Micucci – Kraft-Engel Management](https://kraft-engel.com/clients/kate-micucci/)
21. [The Little Hours press kit](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.filmtrackonline.com/mongrelmedia/starcm_vault_root/media/publicwebassets/littlehourspresskit_%7B45159082-6b39-41b8-82d3-3d52709a84a3%7D.pdf)
22. [Kate Micucci – Apple Snapshot](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621222162)
23. [Kate Micucci – FlickList.tv](https://flicklist.tv/people/kate-micucci)
24. [Kate Micucci Will Accompany Mo Willems in a Show at New Victory Theater – TheaterMania](https://www.theatermania.com/news/kate-micucci-will-accompany-mo-willems-in-a-show-at-new-victory-theater_1838805/)
25. [Kate Micucci announces she's cancer-free after surgery – Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-12-19/actor-kate-micucci-says-shes-cancer-free-i-dont-need-to-do-any-other-treatment)
26. [Kate Micucci – Mayers Consulting](https://www.mayersconsulting.com/kate-micucci)
27. [Kate Micucci – Biografia, IMDb (Italian)](https://www.imdb.com/it/name/nm2177528/bio/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Mc to Mi*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license