Traylor Howard

About Traylor Howard

Traylor Howard began her life and education in Orlando, Florida, attending Lake Highland Preparatory School. During her time there, she even appeared in a commercial for Juicy Fruit gum. She completed her studies at Lake Highland in 1984. Later, Howard pursued higher education at Florida State University, earning a degree in communications and advertising, complemented by a minor in English.

Her professional acting journey took a significant turn in 1996 when she secured her first prominent television role on the NBC sitcom Boston Common. She played Joy Byrnes, a doctoral student and the romantic interest of Boyd Pritchett, for the show's entire two-season run. The Orlando Sentinel, her hometown paper, offered a rather harsh critique of the series, dubbing it "magna cum lousy." From 1998 to 2001, Howard was a leading figure in the ABC sitcom Two Guys and a Girl, known initially as Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place. In this show, she embodied Sharon Carter, the titular "girl," acting alongside Ryan Reynolds and Richard Ruccolo.

The year 1998 also saw Howard taking on the romantic lead in the film Dirty Work, opposite Norm Macdonald. In 2000, she appeared in the movie Me, Myself & Irene, playing the adulterous wife of Jim Carrey's character. That same year, she was featured in the Foo Fighters' music video for "Breakout," which was connected to the song's inclusion in the aforementioned film. Also in 2000, Howard demonstrated her theatrical talents in Joel Field's play How I Fell in Love at the Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts. It was noted that actor George Clooney paid her a visit while she was performing at the festival.

The early 2000s continued to bring opportunities, with Howard starring in the short-lived sitcom Bram & Alice in 2002, sharing the screen with Alfred Molina. That same year, she made a guest appearance on an episode of the acclaimed drama The West Wing. In 2005, Howard was part of the cast of the film Son of the Mask. From 2005 to 2009, she was a consistent presence on the USA Network comedy-drama detective series Monk, portraying Natalie Teeger, the devoted assistant to Tony Shalhoub's character.

Following the conclusion of Monk, Howard chose to step away from acting to dedicate more time to her children. However, she later reprised her beloved role as Natalie Teeger for a special Peacock At-Home Variety Show short episode titled "Mr. Monk Shelters in Place" in May 2020 and in the Monk follow-up film, Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie, released in December 2023.

Traylor's name itself is derived from