Laurie Metcalf Is On Such Good Terms With Her Ex-Husband She Calls His New Wife 'Sister-In-Law'

It's not every day when a former couple becomes close friends. But Laurie Metcalf and Jeff Perry serve as living proof of how exes can keep the flame alive as companions long after their split. While it's been over 40 years since the pair divorced in 1986 after just three years of marriage, their daughter Zoe Perry has helped keep them closer than ever. "We just knew we loved this girl, and we weren't gonna screw that up," Jeff told the New York Post in 2008 when asked about their amicable co-parenting relationship. 

After their divorce, Jeff married casting director Linda Lowy in 1989 and Metcalf married actor Matt Roth in 1993, whom she divorced in 2014 after welcoming three children. Lowy adjusted well to her stepmother role to Zoe, developing a close bond with Metcalf. Considering how Zoe Perry has grown up to be mom Laurie Metcalf's twin, it would've been impossible for Lowy to avoid Perry's ex. "My stepmom reminded me of a conversation she had with my mom early on, who said, 'Well, we're a family,' and that generosity sort of bred. So I have four amazing parents who support me!" Zoe said about her blended family in the same 2008 New York Post interview.

Perry and Metcalf were already among the celebs who have co-parenting down to a science, but then they took things further with Metcalf and Lowy's creating an odd-defying bond. These two celebs are so close that Metcalf sees her friendship with Lowy more as a sisterhood. "I don't know what to call my relationship with Linda, it's so solid and strong," she said in the 2008 interview. "There's not really a term for it, but I love her, so I call her my sister-in-law." 

Laurie Metcalf's close friendship with her "sister-in-law" Linda Lowy proved beneficial when Lowy helped Metcalf land an onscreen gig on "Grey's Anatomy." The Emmy award-winning casting director spent 17 years working under Shonda Rhimes' Shondaland, casting for hit shows like "Grey's Anatomy," "Scandal," "How to Get Away With Murder," and "Inventing Anna." With Lowy having major pull at the regarded production company, she was able to help her husband, Jeff Perry, and his ex-wife, Laurie Metcalf, land roles on "Grey's Anatomy."

Metcalf appeared in Season 2 on the "Thanks for the Memories" episode, where she played Beatrice Carver, a patient with terminal cancer. Jeff was also acting on the show at the time, playing Meredith Grey's father, Thatcher Grey, but he and Metcalf's characters never crossed paths on screen. Even though Metcalf and Jeff made an "unwritten pact" to keep their daughter out of the acting business (via People), growing up on set and attending red carpet premieres with her parents rubbed off on Zoe Perry, and she eventually caught the acting bug. 

Zoe joined her parents in landing a role on "Grey's Anatomy", appearing in the episode "Beautiful Doom" on Season 9. She also joined her dad in an episode of "Scandal," which Jeff starred in. What's more, Zoe is best known for her portrayal of Mary Cooper in the hit CBS sitcom "Young Sheldon." Zoe's role is the younger version of Metcalf's character from "The Big Bang Theory." The actor played the role with her signature brunette hair from 2007 to 2018, but in 2026, Metcalf stunned with a gray hair transformation at the Tony Awards. This family is definitely as close as their resumes show, since they keep sharing credits and fans love to see them on the screen.