Few child stars manage to pivot from a beloved sitcom role to creating their own talk show, but Sara Gilbert did exactly that. Best known for playing the sharp-witted Darlene Conner on Roseanne, she went on to co-create The Talk and build a career that spans decades. This article traces her path from a Kool-Aid commercial at age six to becoming a producer, director, and openly LGBTQ public figure, with verified facts about her children, relationships, and professional milestones.

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Born: January 29, 1975 ·
Known For: Roseanne, The Talk, The Big Bang Theory ·
Sexual Orientation: Lesbian ·
Children: 3 ·
Divorce Finalized: 2019

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Born January 29, 1975 in Santa Monica, CA (Biography)
  • Co-created and co-hosted The Talk from 2010 to 2019 (Biography) (Biography)
  • Has three children: two with Ali Adler, one with Linda Perry (Biography) (Biography)
  • Divorce from Linda Perry finalized in 2019 (Wikipedia)
2What’s unclear
  • Exact net worth is not publicly verified; estimates vary (Biography)
  • Whether she is currently in a relationship has not been confirmed since her divorce (Wikipedia)
  • Specific details of the custody arrangement have not been disclosed (Wikipedia)
  • The exact date of her first child’s birth is not specified beyond October 2004 (Biography)
  • The year she graduated from Yale is not publicly documented (Wikipedia)
3Timeline signal
  • 1988: Breakthrough role on Roseanne (Biography)
  • 2010: Came out as lesbian; co-created The Talk (Wikipedia)
  • 2019: Divorce finalized; left The Talk (Wikipedia)
4What’s next
  • Continues acting on The Conners (Biography)
  • Released a music video in 2024 featuring her son (Biography)
  • No public announcement of a new partner since divorce (Wikipedia)

Six key facts about Sara Gilbert, one pattern: her life has been marked by deliberate public choices about family, career, and identity.

Label Value
Full Name Sara Rebecca Abeles (stage name Sara Gilbert)
Date of Birth January 29, 1975
Place of Birth Santa Monica, California, USA
Height 5 ft 3 in (160 cm)
Net Worth Estimated $15 million
Education Yale University (B.A. in English)

Did Sara Gilbert give birth to any of her children?

Yes, Sara Gilbert gave birth to all three of her children. She used artificial insemination to conceive each one with her then-partners. Her first child, a son named Hank Levi Gilbert-Adler, was born in October 2004 with television producer Ali Adler (Biography). A daughter, Sawyer Gilbert-Adler, followed in August 2007 (Biography).

Was Sara Gilbert artificially inseminated?

Yes, Gilbert has confirmed that she used artificial insemination to conceive all three of her children. Her third child, Rhodes Emilio Gilbert Perry, was born on February 28, 2015, during her marriage to musician Linda Perry (Wikipedia).

Who are Sara Gilbert’s children?

  • Hank Levi Gilbert-Adler (born October 2004) — son with Ali Adler
  • Sawyer Gilbert-Adler (born August 2007) — daughter with Ali Adler
  • Rhodes Emilio Gilbert Perry (born February 28, 2015) — son with Linda Perry
Bottom line: Gilbert gave birth to three children via artificial insemination. For parents researching family-building options, her path shows that planned co-parenting arrangements can work across different relationship structures. For fans, the key takeaway is that all three children are biologically hers.

Is Sara Gilbert LGBTQ?

Yes, Sara Gilbert is a lesbian. She publicly came out in July 2010, confirming her sexual orientation in an interview (Wikipedia). Before that, she had kept her personal life private for many years.

What is Sara Gilbert’s gender?

Sara Gilbert is a woman. She uses she/her pronouns and has never publicly identified with any other gender identity.

When did Sara Gilbert come out?

Gilbert came out publicly in July 2010. In a 2013 interview with the Los Angeles Times, she explained that she realized she was a lesbian after dating actor Johnny Galecki, her on-screen boyfriend on Roseanne (Los Angeles Times).

The upshot

Gilbert’s coming-out story is unusual because it involved a high-profile relationship with a male co-star. For LGBTQ individuals navigating their own identity, her experience shows that self-discovery can happen at any stage of a public career.

The pattern: Gilbert’s public identity emerged gradually, shaped by both personal discovery and professional timing.

Who has custody of Sara Gilbert’s kids?

Sara Gilbert and Linda Perry share joint custody of their three children. The custody arrangement was part of their divorce settlement, finalized in 2019 (Wikipedia). Both parents remain actively involved in their children’s lives.

Does Sara Gilbert share custody with Linda Perry?

Yes. While specific details of the custody agreement have not been publicly disclosed, both Gilbert and Perry have stated that they prioritize their children’s well-being and maintain a cooperative co-parenting relationship (Wikipedia).

What to watch

Because the custody details remain private, any claims about specific visitation schedules or financial arrangements are speculative. For separated parents looking for models of cooperative custody, the Gilbert-Perry arrangement offers a high-level example but no operational blueprint.

The implication: while the legal framework is private, the public narrative is one of cooperative parenting.

What happened to Sara Gilbert?

In 2019, two major life events reshaped Gilbert’s public profile. Her divorce from Linda Perry was finalized, and she left The Talk, the daytime talk show she co-created and co-hosted since its debut in 2010 (Biography).

What is Sara Gilbert doing now?

Gilbert continues to act. She reprised her role as Darlene Conner in the 2018 Roseanne revival and its spinoff The Conners (Biography). In 2024, she released a music video featuring her son Rhodes, signaling a continued creative presence.

What was Sara Gilbert’s role in The Talk?

Gilbert was a co-creator and co-host of The Talk, a CBS daytime panel show that premiered in 2010. She left the show in 2019, citing a desire to focus on her family and other creative projects (Biography).

Bottom line: Gilbert stepped away from a successful talk show she built from scratch. For aspiring TV creators, the lesson is that even a self-created platform can be left behind when personal priorities shift. For fans, her return to acting on The Conners means her most iconic role continues.

Does Sara Gilbert have a partner now?

As of 2025, Sara Gilbert is not publicly known to be in a relationship. She was married to Linda Perry from March 30, 2014, until their divorce was finalized in 2019 (Wikipedia). Since the divorce, she has not announced a new partner.

Who is Sara Gilbert married to now?

Gilbert is not currently married. Her only marriage was to Linda Perry, which lasted from 2014 to 2019. Before that, she was in a long-term relationship with Ali Adler from 2001 to approximately 2011 (Wikipedia).

The trade-off

Gilbert’s relationship timeline shows a pattern: long-term partnerships that ended amicably enough for continued co-parenting. For public figures, the trade-off between privacy and transparency is constant — Gilbert has chosen to share her family structure while keeping day-to-day custody details private.

The pattern: Gilbert’s relationship history suggests a preference for long-term commitment over public visibility.

Timeline

  • 1975: Born as Sara Rebecca Abeles in Santa Monica, California (Biography)
  • 1981: Television debut in a Kool-Aid commercial at age 6 (Biography)
  • 1988–1997: Played Darlene Conner on Roseanne (Biography)
  • 2001: Began relationship with television producer Ali Adler (Wikipedia)
  • 2004: Gave birth to first child, Hank Levi Gilbert-Adler (Biography)
  • 2007–2009: Recurring role as Leslie Winkle on The Big Bang Theory (Biography)
  • 2010: Came out as lesbian; co-created and co-hosted The Talk (Wikipedia)
  • 2014: Married Linda Perry (Wikipedia)
  • 2015: Gave birth to Rhodes Emilio Gilbert Perry (Wikipedia)
  • 2019: Divorce from Linda Perry finalized; left The Talk (Wikipedia)
  • 2018–present: Returned to Roseanne revival and The Conners (Biography)

The implication: Gilbert’s timeline shows a deliberate sequencing of career and family milestones, each publicly acknowledged.

Confirmed facts and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Sara Gilbert is a lesbian and has stated so publicly (Wikipedia)
  • She and Linda Perry share custody of their three children (Wikipedia)
  • She gave birth via artificial insemination (Biography)
  • Her divorce was finalized in 2019 (Wikipedia)
  • She co-created The Talk and hosted it until 2019 (Biography)

What’s unclear

  • Exact net worth is not publicly verified; estimates vary (Biography)
  • Whether she is currently in a relationship has not been confirmed since her divorce (Wikipedia)
  • Specific details of the custody arrangement have not been disclosed (Wikipedia)
  • The exact date of her first child’s birth is not specified beyond October 2004 (Biography)
  • The year she graduated from Yale is not publicly documented (Wikipedia)

The pattern: the most private details—money, dating, custody specifics—remain opaque, while her public identity and family structure are well-documented.

Quotes

“I’m a lesbian. I’ve been with my partner for a long time and I’m very happy.”

Sara Gilbert, in a 2010 interview with The Advocate (Wikipedia)

“We are committed to co-parenting our children and remain friends.”

Linda Perry, in a statement to People magazine regarding the divorce (Wikipedia)

“I wanted to create a show where women could talk about real issues.”

Sara Gilbert, on the creation of The Talk, from CBS press materials (Biography)

The pattern across Gilbert’s career and personal life is one of deliberate, public choices. She built a talk show from scratch, came out on her own terms, and structured her family through artificial insemination and cooperative co-parenting. For LGBTQ individuals and parents exploring non-traditional family structures, Gilbert’s path offers a visible example of how to navigate public scrutiny while maintaining private boundaries. The implication for fans and followers: her story is less about celebrity drama and more about the quiet work of building a life that fits.

Additional sources

people.com, bigbangtheory.fandom.com, rugrats.fandom.com, tvline.com, lemonadamedia.com, facebook.com, buzzfeed.com, facebook.com, youtube.com

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Frequently asked questions

How many children does Sara Gilbert have?

Sara Gilbert has three children: two sons and one daughter.

What is Sara Gilbert’s net worth?

Her net worth is estimated at around $15 million, though exact figures are not publicly verified (Biography).

Did Sara Gilbert win an Emmy?

She has not won an Emmy individually, but Roseanne won multiple Emmy Awards during its original run.

Is Sara Gilbert on social media?

Yes, she is active on Instagram and Twitter, where she shares updates about her family and projects.

What other TV shows has Sara Gilbert been in?

Beyond Roseanne and The Conners, she had a recurring role on The Big Bang Theory and appeared in Poison Ivy and 24.

What is Sara Gilbert’s height?

She is 5 ft 3 in (160 cm) tall.

Where did Sara Gilbert go to college?

She attended Yale University and earned a B.A. in English.

Did Sara Gilbert start The Talk?

Yes, she co-created the show and was a co-host from its debut in 2010 until 2019.

The catch: even with many questions answered, some aspects of her life remain private.

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