Facts about Stephanie Courtney, AKA 'Flo' from the Progressive Commercials & Her Private Life

Stephanie Courtney's husband is Scott Kolanach, and they have been married since 2008. Unlike his wife, who works in front of the camera in the entertainment industry, he works behind the scenes.

Stephanie Courtney is an actress and comedian famous for her role as "Flo" in the Progressive Corporation insurance company adverts. Her character in the advert became known for her bright red lip color, upbeat personality, and apron.

She became the face of the commercials in 2008, but her acting career had begun over a decade before then. Since her career kicked off, she has starred in several movies, series, and stage plays, while also being a comedian.

Stephanie Courtney Started as a Stand-up Comedian in 1996

Born and raised in Stony Point town in New York, Courtney started doing plays as a child. She fell in love with acting and always showed up for rehearsals to watch others when it was not her turn.

As she grew older, she started doing free theatre in New York before moving to Los Angeles. After her move, she navigated toward stand-up comedy, and within six months, she got a manager.

Before she got her manager, her comedy career had already taken off. It all started when her friend invited her to perform at a comedy club event, and she had two weeks to prepare for her routine.

Courtney later revealed that preparing her routine was relatively easy as she loved comedy more than acting. She said:

"Stand-up was a lot easier than trying to stage a play at a theater. I could perform and be seen without having to spend a lot of money looking for a location to rent."

In addition, comedy made her feel more comfortable as she was in charge of what material she shared with the audience. It empowered her, and she noted it was a healthier side of the entertainment business.

In 1999, she starred in her first commercial, which was a big deal for the actress. Unfortunately, she did not bag a lot of commercials and had to take on other jobs as she realized that her income did not match the hours she put into commercials.

Courtney also took on acting roles during this period, and just as she was about to give up trying for commercials, she landed the deal with Progressive and quickly became the face of their brand.

By this time, she was already living in California as she had left New York at her manager's request. While in California, she fell in love with improv leading her to join an improvisational and sketch comedy group.

She Met Her Husband at a Theater Company

The improvisational and sketch comedy group Courtney joined was known as The Groundlings. The notable company boasts alums such as Jennifer Coolidge, Maya Rudolph, Kathy Griffin, Lisa Kudrow, and Will Ferrell, among others.

While with the group, she met her husband, Scott Kolanach. He was working as the lighting director for the theatre. According to her, he made sure she had good lighting whenever she went on stage because he liked her.

However, the actress is not the only one to have met her husband in the same group. Melissa McCarthy met her husband, Ben Falcone when they took comedy writing classes at the group's school.

She Can Live Her Daily Life without Being Recognized

Despite being known and associated with her Progressive commercial, Courtney revealed that fans rarely recognized her in person. She remarked that during the commercial, she would spend hours on hair and makeup.

However, she likes to keep her style and makeup simple when she is not facing the camera. She often chooses staple and solid colors for her wardrobe and prefers a low-key lifestyle.