Kaitlin Olson

In the HBO Max comedy-drama series Hacks (2021–2026). She played Mackenzie "Mickey" Molng, the lead role in the Fox comedy series The Mick (2017–2018). She has appeared in several comedy films, including Leap Year (2010), The Heat (2013), Finding Dory (2016), and Champions (2023). Olson received her first Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her role as Cricket Melfi in the Quibi comedy series Flipped (2020), in the category of Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series. She went on to receive three more Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2022, 2024 and 2026 for her role in Hacks.

• Name — Kaitlin Olson • Birth Name — Kaitlin Willow Olson • Birthplace — Portland, Oregon, U.S. • Occupation — * Actress • comedian • Years Active — 2000–present • Education — University of Oregon • Children — 2

Olson was born in Portland, Oregon, on August 18, 1975, to Donald Lee Olson, a publisher, and Melinda Leora, a nurse and the CEO of Earth Mama Angel Baby organics. Shortly after she was born, Olson's family moved to Spokane, Washington, then to Vashon Island, Washington, in Puget Sound. Olson lived there until she was eight. Her family went back to the Portland area, settling in Tualatin, where she grew up on a farm. Her father worked as the publisher of the Portland Tribune from 2000 to 2001. At age 12, Olson was in a serious bicycle accident involving a vehicle, resulting in a fractured skull requiring reconstructive surgery. She graduated from Tigard High School in Tigard, Oregon, in 1993. She studied theater at the University of Oregon, graduating with a bachelor's degree in theater arts in 1997. After college, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting professionally.

After moving to Los Angeles, Olson became a member of theater comedy troupe The Groundlings Sunday Company. She trained with Sunday Company for a year, which led to her receiving a recurring role on Curb Your Enthusiasm. In 2000, Olson made her debut television appearance in the HBO comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm as Becky, Cheryl Hines's character's sister. The same year as her television debut, Olson also had a minor role in the film Coyote Ugly. She received more regular work after being cast on The Drew Carey Show (1995–2004). Carey would end up working closely with Olson, stating he knew she was "headed for stardom." He later cast Olson in the Green Screen Show (2004–2005). She also toured Bosnia, Kosovo, and Norway with Carey and several other comedians, providing entertainment for U.S. military troops through the USO. She went on to make guest appearances in several television series, including Punk'd in 2003, Miss Match in 2003, George Lopez in 2004, and Out of Practice in 2006. Olson received wider recognition when she was cast as Deandra "Sweet Dee" Reynolds in the FX sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (since 2005), one of the then-four (later five) main characters on the series. She garnered critical acclaim for her performance, with particular praise for her physical comedy. In 2007, Olson played a recurring role as Hartley Underwood, the "one-armed" neighbor in the FX drama series The Riches. She had voice roles in numerous animated series, including Family Guy (2009–2011), Brickleberry (2012), Bob's Burgers (2015–2019), and The Simpsons (2016). She also had roles in the comedy film Weather Girl (2009), the romantic comedy film Leap Year (2010), and the animated film Escape from Planet Earth (2013). In the action comedy film The Heat (2013), Olson appeared as a Bulgarian drug addict who engages in an exchange of cultural perspectives (and insults) with Melissa McCarthy's character. She also appeared as an Arizona cop in the road comedy film Vacation (2015). In 2016, Olson provided the voice of Destiny, a near-sighted whale shark, in Disney's animated sequel film Finding Dory. Olson then starred as Mackenzie "Mickey" Molng in the Fox sitcom The Mick, which premiered in January 2017. She also served as an executive producer for the series. The second season of The Mick premiered in September 2017. Fox canceled the series after the season ended in April 2018. Olson appeared in the dark comedy thriller film Arizona (2018), and guest starred in the Netflix workplace comedy series Space Force (2020). She also starred as Cricket Melfi in the Quibi comedy series Flipped (2020), which earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series. Olson has guest starred as Deborah "DJ" Vance Jr. in the HBO Max comedy-drama series Hacks. For her performance in the series, she received three nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, in 2022, 2024, and 2026. She had a voice role in the Netflix animated series Agent Elvis and starred in the sports comedy-drama film Champions. The next year, she appeared in the teen comedy film Incoming. Olson took the leading-star role as the character Morgan Gillory in the ABC crime drama series High Potential in 2024, a remake of the French-Belgian series HPI. She also guest starred as her It's Always Sunny character, Deandra "Sweet Dee" Reynolds, in the ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary during a cross-over event in 2025.

• Illustration — Olson with husband Rob McElhenney, 2010 Olson married her It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-star, Rob McElhenney, in Malibu, California, on September 27, 2008. The couple secretly started dating during the second season of the series. In 2009, McElhenney and Olson announced their purchase of Skinner's Bar in Philadelphia; it was renamed Mac's Tavern. In 2010, Olson went into labor at a Los Angeles Dodgers home game against the Philadelphia Phillies; their son was born in their California home as planned. Their second son was born in 2012. They have two dogs, a cat, and a gerbil. In June 2016, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released a video in tribute to the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting; in the video, Olson and others narrated the stories of the people killed there.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2000–2020 — Curb Your Enthusiasm — Becky — 7 episodes • 2002–2004 — The Drew Carey Show — Traylor — 12 episodes • 2002 — Meet the Marks — Kaitlin Marks — Main role • 2003 — Punk'd — Field Agent — 2 episodes • Miss Match — Jillian — Episode: "Who's Sari Now?" • The Man Show — Crazy Hot Girl in the Bar — Season 5, Episode 20 • 2004 — Significant Others — Lauren — Episode: "The First Time" • George Lopez — Janet — Episode: "Home Sweet Homeschool" • 2005 — Kelsey Grammer Presents: The Sketch Show — Various roles — 6 episodes; also writer • 2005–present — It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia — Deandra "Sweet Dee" Reynolds — Main role • 2006 — Out of Practice — Debbie — Episode: "Model Behavior" • 2007 — The Riches — Hartley Underwood — 5 episodes • 2011 — Family Guy — Brenda Quagmire — Episode: "Screams of Silence: The Story of Brenda Q"; voice role • 2012 — Unsupervised — Carol / Danielle — 7 episodes; voice role • Brickleberry — Ethel Anderson — Main role; voice role • 2014–2015 — New Girl — Ashley — 2 episodes • 2015–2019 — Bob's Burgers — Helen — 2 episodes; voice role • 2016 — Cassius & Clay — Ordwood Cassius — Unsold pilot; voice role • The Simpsons — Quinn — Episode: "The Girl Code"; voice role • 2017–2018 — The Mick — Mackenzie "Mickey" Molng — Main role; also executive producer • 2018 — Mean Jean — Birdie — Unsold pilot • 2020 — Flipped — Cricket Melfi — Main role • Who Wants to Be a Millionaire — Herself — Episode: "Dr. Phil, Kaitlin Olson & Lauren Lapkus" • Space Force — Edison Jaymes — Episode: "Edison Jaymes" • 2021–2026 — Hacks — DJ Vance — Recurring role • 2023 — Agent Elvis — CeCe Ryder — Main role; voice role • 2024–present — High Potential — Morgan Gillory — Main role; also producer • 2025 — Abbott Elementary — Deandra "Sweet Dee" Reynolds — Crossover episode: "Volunteers"

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2015 — Disney Infinity 3.0 — Destiny — Voice role

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2022–2023 — The Always Sunny Podcast — Herself — 6 episodes

• Year — Artist — Title — Role — Notes • 2021 — Imagine Dragons — "Follow You" — Herself — Co-starring with Rob McElhenney