Why Rose From Walk Of Shame Looks So Familiar
The R-rated comedy "Walk of Shame" was a major starring vehicle for Elizabeth Banks when it debuted in 2014. In the film, Banks plays a character named Meghan -– a TV reporter forced to trek across the city after a night of heavy drinking in order to make it to a potential job opening. However, beyond Banks, the film is also chock full of comedians and scene-stealing supporting characters. These range from stand-up legends like Tig Notaro and Bill Burr to seasoned "Saturday Night Live" veterans like Kevin Nealon.
With all of that said, one character who appears in "Walk of Shame" and makes a particularly major impression is the character known as Rose, who is Meghan's best friend alongside Sarah Wright's Denise. No stranger to comedies of all shapes and sizes herself, Rose is portrayed by actress Gillian Jacobs. Jacobs should look familiar to many viewers, so let's dive into some of her most notable credits and see where you may have seen her before.
Gillian Jacobs attended Greendale College in Community
To date, there is arguably no role that Gillian Jacobs is better known for than her role as Britta Perry in "Community." Created by Dan Harmon, the series followed a mismatched study group at Greendale Community College. In many ways a caricature of activists, Britta tries to present herself as a prototypically "cool" reformer but almost always gets her facts wrong or presents herself as deeply misinformed on a topic. As a result, she is frequently referred to as "the worst" by those around her.
One of the best elements of Gillian Jacobs' portrayal of Britta Perry in "Community" was that she was allowed to be just as (if not more) unhinged than many of her male counterparts. In a sitcom landscape where female characters are often forced to play straight characters, Britta (as well as Alison Brie's Annie) got to play increasingly cartoonish versions of themselves as the show frequently deviated from its original premise and took left turns into the absurd. Now we're just waiting on that "Community" movie.
Gillian Jacobs was a rival to Hannah in Girls
Lena Dunham's Hannah Horvath encountered numerous rivals over the course of HBO's "Girls," and one of the most memorable of the bunch is the one portrayed by Gillian Jacobs. A successful artist and love interest to Adam (Adam Driver), Mimi-Rose Howard made a massive impression on audiences during her Season 4 tenure in the series. This was largely due to her being the opposite of Hannah (particularly in terms of her success and her overall grasp on life), despite sharing many similarities with the show's protagonist.
Mimi-Rose Howard's presence on the HBO series made for plenty of awkward laughs, but it also allowed for the series to delve into some brutally serious topics as well –- something "Girls" never had a problem shying away from in the first place. Specifically, her character's decision to get an abortion without consulting Adam stands out as a perfect encapsulation of the series' concerted effort to subvert expectations. Despite having less screen time than other supporting characters who appeared on "Girls" throughout its run, Jacobs made a clear impression on audiences, and her role in the HBO series eventually led her to team up with Judd Apatow for another series down the line, this time at Netflix.
Gillian Jacobs played Mickey in Netflix's Love
Following her success in ensemble performances with shows like "Community" and "Girls," Gillian Jacobs eventually found herself starring in the Netflix romantic comedy series "Love." Starring alongside comedian Paul Rust, Jacobs played Mickey, a self-destructive addict who finds herself romantically involved with Rust's endlessly neurotic Gus. Created by "Knocked Up" director Judd Apatow (and co-created by Rust), "Love" ran for three seasons on Netflix, debuting in 2016 and coming to an end in 2018.
Though "Love" was a two-hander grounded by Jacobs and Rust, it was Jacobs who arguably anchored the series. Frequently tasked with delivering some of the show's heavier storylines, Jacobs more than capably portrayed Mickey as a troubled woman trying to navigate romantic life in Los Angeles while balancing out her personal issues. That being said, despite the heavy nature of the series at times, Gillian Jacobs still managed to land plenty of laughs to help offset the serious tones.
Gillian Jacobs was a sorority sister in Life of the Party
In 2018, Melissa McCarthy partnered with her real-life husband Ben Falcone for "Life of the Party." A take on the 1986 film "Back to School" starring Rodney Dangerfield, "Life of the Party" sees McCarthy star as Deanna, a middle-aged woman who winds up attending college with her daughter. In the film, Gillian Jacobs plays Helen -– a sorority sister of Deanna's daughter (Molly Gordon), who is much older than the other members of the Greek organization after spending eight years in a coma.
Ultimately, "Life of the Party" did not fare incredibly well with critics when it debuted in 2018. Though Melissa McCarthy has proven herself as a box office draw in the years since "Bridesmaids" made its debut, "Life of the Party" ultimately failed to make an impression with critics and earned a 38% on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the critically panning of the film, it was a box office success, and Gillian Jacobs continued to stand out as a scene-stealer.
Gillian Jacobs battled an evil curse in the Fear Street trilogy
One of Gillian Jacobs' most recent projects also happens to be one of her most unique. Returning to Netflix in 2021, Jacobs appeared in the "Fear Street" trilogy from director Leigh Janiak. Taking on the role of Ziggy Verman in the film's 1994 segments (Ziggy is portrayed by "Stranger Things" star Sadie Sink in the flashbacks), Jacobs portrays the survivor of the Camp Nightwing massacre as a scrappy survivor jaded by her experience, and willing to do anything in her power to break the curse. The trilogy debuted in July 2021 and has received widespread praise from critics and audiences alike.
Upon reviewing Gillian Jacobs' filmography, one of the things that stands out about her appearance in the "Fear Street" films is the drastic shift in genre. Though not strictly a comedian, some of her biggest work to date is in the comedy realm. As such, seeing her appear in such a brutally violent and terrifying Netflix horror project was a surprise for many of her fans, but a welcome one.
Of course, that's merely an assortment of the many projects that you might know Gillian Jacobs from over the years. The actress has appeared in numerous films and TV shows, and she continues to flex her muscles across all sorts of genres.