Margo Harshman carved out a memorable role as the recurring character of Alex Jensen on the hit CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. As Sheldon Cooper’s assistant for a few seasons, Harshman’s Alex brought humor and sass to the already quirky show.
But what has the actress done since leaving behind her fan-favorite Big Bang character?
Background Info
Harshman was born in San Diego, California, on March 4th, 1986. She is one of five children, having two older sisters, one older brother, and one younger brother. When she was twelve, her family moved to Orange County, where she graduated high school and went to community college.
At the age of two, Harshman was entered into a beauty pageant by her grandmother. She was involved in gymnastics and dance during her childhood and learned to play the piano. When Harshman turned eight, her acting career formally began when she met her first manager.
Acting Career
In 2000, Harsham received her first acting credit. She appeared in the film The Elf Who Didn’t Believe as Jolie, a young girl. It was her acting debut.
Even Stevens
When she was fourteen, she was cast in the Disney Channel television series Even Stevens, starring Christy Carlson Romano (Ren) and Shia Lebouf (Louis).
Harshman’s character was Tawny Dean, the female best friend of Lebouf’s character Louis. Even Stevens ran for three years, comprising sixty-five episodes. Harshman appeared in forty-seven of those episodes as well as the 2003 Even Stevens film, The Even Stevens Movie.
Run of the House
Run of the House was a television comedy sitcom that ran for one season in 2003. In it, Harshman starred as fifteen-year-old Brooke Franklin, a teen destined to be raised by her older siblings after her parents temporarily move.
After Run of the House, Harshman acted in several guest roles on prominent television series, including Without a Trace, Everwood, Grey’s Anatomy, Journeyman, 90210, and Boston Legal. She also appeared in a few films, such as Simon Says, Hiding Victoria, Rise: Blood Hunter, and College Road Trip.
In 2008, Harshman appeared in the film Keith, which starred Jesse McCartney and Elisabeth Harnois. She played the role of Brooke, a minor character.
Bent was a 2012 television mini-series and Harshman landed the role of Screwsie, the flirtatious sister of the main character Alex (Amanda Peet). Harshman appeared in six episodes of the show.
Big Bang Theory
Harshman is most known for her role on The Big Bang Theory, where she portrayed the character of Alex Jensen for four episodes in season six between 2012 and 2013.
Alex Jensen is the assistant to Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and a Caltech doctoral student of physics.
However, instead of helping with research Cooper asks her to do menial tasks. Her character is attracted to Leonard (Johnny Galecki), much to the chagrin of Penny (Kaley Cuoco).
Unfortunately, Harshman’s character’s attraction to Leonard, who already had a girlfriend, made her unlikable to some fans. Otherwise, her character was considered bland, and many were indifferent toward her.
What did she do after The Big Bang Theory?
Harshman is still acting. In 2013, after The Big Bang Theory, she performed in the television series Betas. Her character, Lisa, appeared in four episodes. She also had guest roles in the series Bones and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
NCIS
In 2016, Harshman landed the role of Delilah Fielding in NCIS. Her character is the wife of Timothy McGee (Sean Murray).
Over the course of three seasons and sixteen episodes in which she appears, her character becomes paralyzed and must use a wheelchair. Additionally, Harshman’s character becomes a mother to twins John and Morgan McGee.
Additionally, Harshman starred in the Hallmark for-television film Love on the Vines in 2016. She played Diana Armstrong, the lead character who inherits a vineyard and enters into a relationship with the business’s co-owner.
What is Margo Harsman doing now?
Margo is still acting and recently appeared in one episode of the How I Met Your Mother spin-off, How I Met Your Father, in 2022.
She played the role of Mia, the new girlfriend of the character Jesse (Christopher Lowell) and the person with whom Jesse’s sister, Ellen (Tien Tran), had a one-night stand.
Margo also just finished shooting a movie called Exposure, where she has top billing in the film.
Relationships and Marriage
During the filming of Even Stevens, Harshman notoriously dated her co-star, Shia Lebouf.
In 2017, she married musician, Austen Hooks. In late 2018 Harshman filed for divorce after less than two years of marriage. The couple did not have any children, and their divorce appeared to be amicable.
Harshman continues to reside in Los Angeles and is believed to be single.