Gallo on the set of "Bones," in period dress for the long-awaited wedding of the main characters. Alumni You’ll Recognize this Alum from ‘Undeclared,’ ‘Bones,’ and More Stories You May Like With ‘The Diplomat,’ an Actor Alum Sees his Star Rise Andrea Savage ’94 Makes ’em Laugh For a Veteran Hollywood Scout, it’s All About ‘Location, Location’ Veteran actor Carla Gallo ’97 has a long list of credits on TV and in movies—and now, she’s co-starring in the hit comedy ‘Platonic’ By Melissa Newcomb Carla Gallo ’97 has interned as a researcher in a crime-solving unit; performed in a traveling carnival; worked as an accountant at a family-run zoo; investigated biker gangs as a federal agent; and even contemplated a career in the adult film industry. It would seem a strangely eclectic résumé—except that Gallo is a prolific actor, and these are just a few of her many characters. Her impressive list of credits includes the forensic-themed mystery series “Bones”; HBO’s Depression-era dark fantasy show “Carnivàle”; and “Undeclared,” a sitcom about navigating college life. In the lab as intern Daisy on "Bones." (Her part as an aspiring porn star? That was in the David Duchovny dramedy “Californication.”) Gallo is currently co-starring in “Platonic,” an Apple TV+ comedy in which two former best friends—played by Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne—reconnect as adults and navigate their new friendship. On the series, which was recently renewed for a third season, Gallo plays Katie, a quirky mother who’s a friend of the main duo; seen at school and social gatherings, she often makes questionable decisions. With costar Rose Byrne on the "Platonic" set. It was Gallo’s first major job following the entertainment industry’s back-to-back disruptions of the pandemic and the Writers’ Guild strike. “‘Platonic’ was the perfect role for me; I can’t believe that in my late 40s I’d get one of the best jobs I’ve ever had,” she says. “It’s a comfort show that’s light and fun. I hope this one runs for a really long time, because it just keeps getting better and better and has really found an audience.” I can’t believe that in my late 40s I’d get one of the best jobs I’ve ever had. Gallo was “discovered” as a senior at Manhattan’s LaGuardia High School—an elite institution specializing in the performing and visual arts—when the casting director of the indie film Spanking the Monkey spotted her; she shot the movie before heading to the Hill. But her love of performing came much earlier: in second grade, when her teacher (also the theater director) encouraged the shy youngster to take the lead in the school play, Cinderella Wore Combat Boots. Stories You May Like With ‘The Diplomat,’ an Actor Alum Sees his Star Rise Andrea Savage ’94 Makes ’em Laugh “I remember the audience laughing and applauding,” says Gallo. “And I’m not kidding: that feeling was the ‘click’ for me of knowing I wanted to do this.” Bruce Levitt, a longtime professor of performing and media arts on the Hill, recalls directing Gallo in a production of the Sam Shepard family drama A Lie of the Mind. Gallo played the level-headed younger sister of the play’s violent, troubled protagonist. “Carla was quite wonderful and a delight to work with,” Levitt says. Getting prepped for filming. “She had a very strong stage presence and terrific imagination, always making great choices as she developed the character.” After graduating from Arts & Sciences with a degree in theatre arts, Gallo moved back to her family home in Brooklyn and worked as a receptionist while auditioning for TV and movies in NYC and LA, ultimately relocating to the West Coast. One of her first TV roles was on “Undeclared,” in which she played a college freshman who was studying psychology and dating the lead. Gallo (left) with a friend at Slope Day. In her next project, “Carnivàle,” she was a much different character: a young woman in the 1930s Dust Bowl whose family runs an exotic dance act. Gallo also appeared in the movie Neighbors and its sequel—both also featuring Rogen and Byrne, her “Platonic” costars—about the chaos that ensues when a fraternity moves next door to a young couple with a baby. Carla was quite wonderful and a delight to work with. She had a very strong stage presence and terrific imagination. Prof. Bruce Levitt Among her most high-profile roles to date was on Fox TV’s “Bones,” where she appeared in some three dozen episodes over nearly a decade as Daisy, an eager (and very chatty) intern at the forensic lab where the show is based. While it ended in 2017, she and castmate Emily Deschanel currently cohost a rewatch podcast, dubbed Boneheads. Despite Gallo’s many credits, she admits that she’s had an up-and-down pathway in Hollywood, and has sometimes worked outside the industry to make ends meet. With fellow cast members of the movie Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising. “I’ve probably had over 3,000 auditions and a handful of beautiful jobs—but there were so many more that I thought I was going to get and put my heart into, but never even got a response,” she says. “I think it’s actually easier to leave than to endure it, because there’s so much rejection. I’m proud I have stuck to it and never left. My biggest goal is very basic: to never stop working.” Top: Gallo on the set of "Bones," in period dress for the long-awaited wedding of the main characters. (All photos provided) Published January 23, 2026 Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. 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