Ray Romano paved the way for stardom down the road of comedy. Romano began as a stand-up performer, increasing his visibility in comedic spaces. Romano’s wry humor and raw talent caught the attention of television writer Phil Rosenthal. With similar backgrounds, Rosenthal and Romano teamed up to develop the show Everybody Loves Raymond.

The sitcom ran for nine seasons in as many years. Not only did it dominate television ratings throughout its lifetime, but the series also elevated Romano into superstardom.

When Everybody Loves Raymond ended in 2005, Romano remained prominent in Hollywood. He lent his voice to animated films like Ice Age (2002) and starred in various feature films like Rob the Mob (2014) and The Last World (2008).

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However, some fans of Romano couldn’t picture the actor playing any character besides Raymond Barone. This might have limited another actor, but Romano was more than willing to prove to audiences that he was more than one character.

In 2017, Romano co-starred in the film The Big Sick. The film was wildly popular amongst audiences and provided the perfect mix of laughter and tears. In fact, Romano felt that the genre suited him quite well.

“The dramedy is the perfect vehicle for me,” said Romano during an interview with USA Today. “You’ve got to wean people slowly off the Everybody Loves Raymond (persona). I saw one review say, ‘It’s good to see Ray Romano in something. His expiration date had run out, and now he’s back.’ But I get that it takes time to see me as something else.”