Sara Gilbert, now 50 years old, has built an impressive entertainment career that spans decades, earning her a net worth of $30 million as of 2025. From her iconic role as Darlene Conner on Roseanne to launching the Emmy-winning daytime show The Talk, Gilbert has worn many hats — actress, writer, director, producer, and mother. Her financial success isn’t just about being on screen; it’s about smart decisions behind the scenes, too.
How Did Sara Gilbert Become Famous?
Most fans first met Sara Gilbert as the witty, sarcastic Darlene Conner on Roseanne, which debuted in 1988 when she was just 13 years old. The ABC sitcom quickly became one of the most-watched shows in America, and Gilbert’s standout performance made her a household name. She continued in the role until 1997 and later returned for both the 2018 reboot and the spin-off The Conners.
But acting wasn’t her only calling. In 2010, Gilbert launched The Talk on CBS, where she served as co-host and executive producer. The show became a daytime TV staple, winning multiple Daytime Emmy Awards — and earning Gilbert major industry credibility as a creator and leader.
What Is Sara Gilbert’s Salary from “The Conners”?
While Sara’s income has come from a variety of projects, The Conners has been a significant source of earnings in recent years. As of the show’s third season, Gilbert reportedly earned $400,000 per episode. With 20 episodes per season, that adds up to $8 million annually from the show alone — not including producing credits or backend profits.
That’s a huge jump from her early years on Roseanne, when she was a young teen actor. Her longevity in the industry, combined with smart negotiation and consistent performances, helped her command top dollar in today’s market.
What Are Some of Sara Gilbert’s Most Notable Roles?
While Roseanne and The Conners are her most iconic works, Gilbert has racked up a seriously impressive list of film and TV credits. She starred opposite Drew Barrymore in the cult classic Poison Ivy (1992), appeared in High Fidelity (2000) with John Cusack and Jack Black, and had a recurring role as Leslie Winkle on The Big Bang Theory from 2007 to 2010.
She’s also had recurring roles on shows like ER, 24, Twins, and The Class, proving her range across comedy and drama. And let’s not forget she directed and wrote projects like Persona Non Grata and Even the Losers, and served as an executive producer on both The Talk and The Conners.
How Did Her Early Life Influence Her Career?
Born Sara Rebecca Abeles on January 29, 1975, in Santa Monica, California, Gilbert comes from a family with deep ties to Hollywood. Her maternal grandfather, Harry Crane, created The Honeymooners, and her half-siblings include Little House on the Prairie stars Melissa and Jonathan Gilbert. At age 6, when Melissa received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Sara decided she wanted to act — and never looked back.
She changed her last name to Gilbert in 1984 and kicked off her career with a TV movie called Calamity Jane. She later attended Yale University, graduating with honors in 1997 with a degree in art and photography — balancing a high-profile acting career with academic success.
What Has She Done Outside of Acting?
Gilbert is just as successful behind the camera as she is in front of it. She’s credited with writing and directing multiple smaller projects, and she wrote 11 episodes of the Canadian documentary series Dogs with Jobs. But her biggest success behind the scenes is undoubtedly The Talk, which has aired over 2,200 episodes and earned multiple Emmys.
She’s also a savvy real estate investor. In 2016, she purchased a $6.85 million mansion in LA’s Hancock Park. She previously owned properties in Beverly Hills and the Sunset Strip, including one she sold to actress Penélope Cruz for $3.3 million.
What About Her Personal Life and Relationships?
Sara has always been open about her journey with identity and family. While dating her Roseanne co-star Johnny Galecki as a teen, she realized she was a lesbian — something Galecki supported fully. She publicly came out in 2010, around the same time she launched The Talk.
She was in a long-term relationship with producer Ali Adler from 2001 to 2011. The couple had two children — son Levi and daughter Sawyer — before parting ways. Gilbert later married musician Linda Perry in 2014 and gave birth to a son, Rhodes, in 2015. They filed for legal separation in 2019.
Balancing career, motherhood, and personal identity hasn’t been easy, but Gilbert has always been candid about the challenges. When she left The Talk in 2019, she said, “I think my life was slightly out of balance… I wasn’t able to spend as much time with my three kids as I’d like.” Her honesty resonated with fans and reflected her priorities.
What Awards and Recognition Has Sara Gilbert Received?
Gilbert’s work has earned her recognition from both critics and fans. She was nominated twice for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Roseanne at the Emmys in the early ’90s. She’s won four Young Artist Awards, an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Poison Ivy, and multiple Daytime Emmys for The Talk — including a win for Outstanding Talk Show Host in 2017.
In 2009, she was honored with a Humanitarian Award at the LA Femme International Film Festival, recognizing her impact both on and off the screen.