Eliza Coupe was born on April 6, 1981, in Plymouth, New Hampshire. She graduated from Plymouth Regional High School in 1999. Coupe attended Skidmore College before transferring to and graduating from California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) with a degree in Theater.
Coupe began her career in improvisational comedy. She performed regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in both New York and Los Angeles. She was a member of the improv troupe “The Smokes.”
Coupe’s television career gained momentum with her role as Denise “Jo” Mahoney in the ABC comedy series “Scrubs” (2009-2010). She became a series regular in the ninth season. Subsequently, she starred as Jane Kerkovich-Williams in the ABC comedy series “Happy Endings” (2011-2013), which garnered critical acclaim and a cult following. She also starred as Tiger in the Hulu series “Future Man” (2017-2020). Other notable television roles include appearances in “Community,” “House of Lies,” “Casual,” “Wrecked,” “Quantico,” and “Pivoting.” She co-created, co-wrote, and starred in the short-form comedy series “Making It” for Go90.
Coupe has appeared in several feature films. Her film credits include roles in “Somewhere” (2010), directed by Sofia Coppola; “Shanghai Calling” (2012); “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” (2013); “The Disaster Artist” (2017); “Egg” (2018); and “I Feel Pretty” (2018).
Coupe’s performance in “Happy Endings” was widely praised, contributing to her recognition as a comedic actress. Her involvement in the ensemble cast of “Scrubs” and “Future Man” further solidified her presence in television comedy. She has received nominations for ensemble awards for her work on “Happy Endings.”