Brosnahan was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the daughter of Carol and Earl Brosnahan, who worked in children's publishing. Her mother is British. Her father is American, and is of Irish descent. From the age of four, Brosnahan was raised in Highland Park, Illinois. She has a younger brother and sister. Brosnahan is the niece of the late fashion designer Kate Spade. Brosnahan has said she grew up in a non-religious household, and, while she is not Jewish, was "happily immersed" in the Jewish culture because of Highland Park's Jewish community; she attended many Passover Seders, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, and Hanukkah observances in Chicago's North Shore. Brosnahan attended Wayne Thomas Elementary School, and then Northwood Junior High School. She performed in musical theater during junior high school and high school. At Highland Park High School, she was on the wrestling team for two years and was a snowboarding instructor. When Brosnahan was 16, she took a class with Carole Dibo, director of Wilmette's Actors Training Center and now Brosnahan's manager. Brosnahan graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2012.
Career
Brosnahan was cast in her first movie role as Lisa in the Michael Bay horror film The Unborn while she was still in high school. During college, she performed in single episodes of television series such as Gossip Girl, The Good Wife, Grey's Anatomy, and In Treatment. After college, she began landing recurring roles in series such as the crime thriller The Blacklist, and the short-lived medical drama Black Box. She first appeared on stage in 2009 in Up at Steppenwolf Theatre followed by her Broadway debut in The Big Knife with Roundabout Theatre Company in 2013. In 2016 she played Desdemona in Othello at New York Theatre Workshop opposite David Oyelowo and Daniel Craig. In 2013, she starred in the critically acclaimed Netflix political dramaHouse of Cards with Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. Although she was initially booked for only two episodes, she caught the eye of showrunnerBeau Willimon, and her character was significantly expanded. Her role brought her career prominence and received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. In 2016, she appeared in Woody Allen's Amazon series Crisis in Six Scenes with Allen, Elaine May, and Miley Cyrus. Since 2017, she has appeared as the title character in the Amazon period comedy series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Brosnahan said that, while she is not Jewish, her exposure to Jewish culture growing up helped prepare her for the role of Midge Maisel, a 1950s Jewish housewife who pursues a career in stand-up comedy when her marriage falls apart. Her performance earned her a Primetime Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Critics' Choice Television Awards, among others. After her Emmy Award win, Brosnahan stated that The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel resonated with viewers because "the show is equal parts fantasy and reality. It has beautiful clothes, beautiful sets. I think in some ways it's aspirational too. It's about a woman who's reinventing herself after completing the dream she had laid out for herself. Everything falls apart; she finds herself anew. It's never too late to do that. And it's funny and, I think, filled with joy at its core, and that's something we need a lot more of in the world right now." Brosnahan appeared in the drama film The Courier, alongside Benedict Cumberbatch. The film was released in January 2020.
Personal life
It was reported in 2018 that Brosnahan had married actor Jason Ralph, but she later revealed in January 2019 that they had been married "for years" before their relationship became public. Both attended the 76th Golden Globe Awards ceremony in 2019, where she thanked him during her acceptance speech.
Activism
Brosnahan has twice completed the "Live Below the Line" challenge.
