Cristin Milioti biography, age, height, boyfriend, best roles 2025

Biography of Cristin Milioti

Cristin Milioti is an American singer and actress. She's best known for playing Tracy McConnell on "How I Met Your Mother," Betsy Solverson on "Fargo," and Sofia Falcone on "The Penguin."

Actress Cristin Milioti in a blue sweater against a white background — Cristin Milioti

Childhood and Youth

Cristin was born on August 16, 1985, in Cherry Hill, a Philadelphia suburb in New Jersey, to parents Vincent and Catherine Milioti.

In school, Cristin had a short haircut. Her spiky hair made her an easy target for classmates' teasing. Even teachers sometimes mistook her for a boy.

After attending an arts camp, she developed an interest in acting and joined the school drama club. During her school years, though, she was more drawn to singing than acting—she was always in bands or choir.

Milioti later admitted she joined the drama club simply because it was the one place where she felt safe from bullying—the kids there were always friendly and accepting. By senior year, she realized acting was her true calling.

Cristin Milioti sitting on a couch in her childhood, with a large dog sitting next to her — Cristin Milioti in childhood

Besides theater, the girl sang and worked part-time at a party supply store. Her job involved moving boxes from shelf to shelf—the only part thirteen-year-old Cristin enjoyed was counting inflatable balloons.

After graduating from high school in 2003, Milioti pursued acting at New York University. But it never felt right for her. As she later admitted, she was miserable there and wasn't exactly a model student, so she dropped out sophomore year.

Theater

In 2006, Milioti made her Broadway debut. She started as an understudy in Martin McDonagh's "The Lieutenant of Inishmore," then joined the main cast of the musical "Coram Boy" in 2007.

She then focused on off-Broadway productions: "The Devil's Disciple" at the Irish Repertory Theatre, "Some Americans Abroad" at the Second Stage Theatre, and "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" at the New York Theatre Workshop.

For her role in the 2009 production of "Stunning" at the Lincoln Center Theater, Milioti was nominated for the Lucille Lortel Award.

In 2011, the actress returned to Broadway in the musical "Once," staged at New York Theatre Center. Cristin's performance was so compelling that she earned a Tony Award nomination the following year.

In 2013, Cristin and Steve Kazee, with whom she sang a duet in "Once," won a Grammy Award. That same year, Milioti left the theater to fully focus on her film career.

Cristin Milioti and Steve Kazee sitting on chairs on stage in the production 'Once' — Cristin Milioti on Broadway

Film Roles

The actress had her first film experience in 2006. She made her debut in the television drama "3 Lbs," playing Megan Rafferty. Unfortunately, the series was quickly canceled due to low ratings.

Cristin then landed the role of Katerina, one of mafia boss John Sacrimoni's daughters, in "The Sopranos." She appeared in the final three episodes of one of television's greatest series. Viewers were deeply moved by the emotional scene where the Sacrimoni family mourns his death.

Cristin Milioti's first leading role was as the romantically inexperienced Sammy Smalls in the film "The Good Wife" (2009). She starred opposite Mark Rendall, who played her character's love interest, Eugene.

In 2013, she played Teresa Petrillo in Martin Scorsese's drama "The Wolf of Wall Street." She plays a hairdresser and the wife of the main character, stockbroker Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio.

Cristin Milioti in a swimsuit and holding a glass in a scene from the movie "The Wolf of Wall Street" — Cristin Milioti in the movie "The Wolf of Wall Street"

Fans of the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother" eagerly awaited her appearance. Cristin played Tracy McConnell, the Mother, whose story of meeting Ted Mosby unfolds throughout the series.

Cristin appeared in the finale of the eighth season and became the main character in the ninth. The series also showcased Milioti's beautiful rendition of "La Vie En Rose."

La Vie En Rose - Cristin Milioti (How I Met Your Mother)

In 2014, she appeared as Zelda in the comedy series "A to Z."

The following year, Cristin starred in the musical comedy "It Had to Be You" as Sonia.

In 2015, Milioti was cast in the second season of "Fargo." She played Betsy Solverson, a police officer's wife and homemaker battling cancer. Meanwhile, her husband investigates a complicated and dangerous case. Despite everything, she maintains a positive attitude.

The actress also appeared in the popular sci-fi anthology "Black Mirror" in the first episode of the fourth season, "USS Callister." She played Nanette Cole, a programmer at Callister Inc.

Cristin Milioti in a blue suit in a scene from the series "Black Mirror" — Cristin Milioti in the series "Black Mirror"

She scored the leading role of Sarah Wilder in the comedy "Palm Springs" (2020). She starred alongside Andy Samberg. They play a young couple trapped in a time loop on the eve of Sarah's sister's wedding. As they relive the same day over and over, their relationship gradually evolves from hatred to love. Critics and audiences praised both the film—calling it one of the best comedies in recent years—and Cristin's performance.

A year later, the series "Made for Love" was released. In this sci-fi series, Milioti played the central role of Hazel Green, who's escaping from her husband after he implanted a tracking chip in her head.

In 2022, viewers could see the actress in the eight-episode series "The Resort." The plot centers on Emma (Milioti's character) and her relationship with her husband Noah, played by William Jackson Harper. Their ten-year marriage is falling apart, but a mysterious event forces them to work together.

Beyond her live-action roles, Milioti has also made her mark in voice acting. She brought Sirena to life in "The Venture Bros." and contributed her talents to both "Family Guy" and "Hit-Monkey."

Cristin Milioti's Personal Life

Milioti prefers to keep her personal life private. What we do know is that in 2008, she began dating actor and furniture designer Jesse Hooker (who happens to be Judy Garland's grandson).

Cristin Milioti and Jesse Hooker posing together at a social event — Cristin Milioti and Jesse Hooker

In 2013, while Cristin shot down engagement rumors about her and Jesse, she confirmed they were still together and happy. In 2014, she mentioned in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, "I've been in a relationship for five years, and we were introduced by a mutual friend."

Cristin's last appearance on Hooker's social media was in 2016, suggesting they quietly split, though the actress never publicly addressed the breakup. By 2022, he was posting photos of a woman and child with loving captions, clearly showing he'd moved on with his new wife and family.

In 2017, Milioti adopted a dog from a shelter and named him Rupert.

Cristin Milioti sitting on a bench, embracing a small fluffy white dog — Cristin Milioti and her dog Rupert

Cristin Milioti Now

In September 2024, the mini-series "The Penguin" premiered on Max. The series spins off from Matt Reeves' superhero film "The Batman," which starred Robert Pattinson and was based on DC Comics.

In the eight-episode series, the actress transformed into Sofia Falcone, the heir of a mafia family. Cynical, brilliant, unhinged, yet wickedly charismatic, Sofia emerged as the series' co-lead alongside the Penguin himself, played by an unrecognizable Colin Farrell.

Cristin Milioti in a white suit holding a glass in a frame from "The Penguin" series — Cristin Milioti in "The Penguin" series

For her work in this mini-series, the actress was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

In early 2025, during an interview with journalists, Milioti admitted she would like to return to the role of Sofia Falcone in Matt Reeves' sequel to "The Batman." She said she'd be ready to jump into filming "even in the middle of the night" if they called.