Dr Phyllis Gardner is a Professor of Medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She was one of the first people to be skeptical of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of disgraced biotechnology company Theranos who has been found guilty of investor fraud. And that is how Dr Phyllis as a character is played out in the American drama miniseries The Dropout, that based on the podcast of the same name. The series premiered on the streaming platform Hulu on 3 March 2022.
Stay with us through this few-minute read and we shall tell you all about Dr Phyllis Gardner in real life, where she is now, her married life, and more.
Who Plays Dr Phyllis Gardner In The Dropout?
So, the highly anticipated The Dropout is about the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes. Based on real-life events, the show follows Elizabeth (actor Amanda Seyfried) from her teenage years to her time as head Theranos, which claimed to be able to run several tests with just a few drops of blood.
Eventually, viewers are shown how the company’s fraudulent practices emerged, and Elizabeth was found guilty earlier in 2022 of defrauding her investors.
The Hulu series goes deep on Elizabeth and the people around her who championed her vision. To tell this story, the makers gathered a stellar cast of TV legends.
So, it is Laurie Metcalf who plays Dr Phyllis Gardner, a clinical pharmacologist, in a recurring role.
The American actress has received myriad accolades throughout her career spanning over four decades, including two Tony Awards and three Primetime Emmy Awards. That also includes nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Awards.
Laurie, age 66, is best known among film fans for playing Greta Gerwig in the coming of age film Lady Bird. She has also been a regular on network TV for decades, with appearances on the shows like Roseanne, The Big Bang Theory, and The Conners.
Dr Phyllis Gardner On Elizabeth Holmes And Theranos
Dr. Phylis Gardner had a pre-Theranos encounter with Elizabeth Holmes, that had left her skeptical towards her.
Phyllis was used to being approached by entrepreneurial students looking to make a dent in the biotech world. That is how Elizabeth also approached her after arriving at Stanford in 2002 with an idea to build a patch that would scan the wearer for infections and release antibiotics as appropriate.
She tried to explain to Elizabeth why that might not work but she was not getting through to her. So, when Elizabeth seemed unstoppable with her plans, Dr. Phyllis was worried.
Shortly afterward, Elizabeth dropped out of Stanford, and in 2003, she founded the blood-testing startup Theranos.
Theranos went on to raise more than $700 million from investors, also racking up a $9 billion valuation.
Meanwhile, over the years, Phyllis had been hearing rumors about what the company was up to from people who had worked there.
Eventually, Phyllis also started coming back into the Theranos story. She just started barfing all over the place, warning people about the truth that she knew about Elizabeth and the fraud she had been doing with Theranos. But of course, no one listened to it at first.
Where Is Dr Phyllis Gardner Now?
Eventually, after Theranos failed to produce the results it had promised its investors, the company’s policies and claims received widespread media attention. The company was dissolved in 2018, and its founder was indicted on fraud charges. Her trial concluded in 2022, and she was awaiting sentencing at the time of this writing.
Dr Phyllis Gardner, on the other hand, continued to vocally expose Elizabeth and her double-dealing. As per LinkedIn, she carried on with his tenure at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr Phyllis Gardner Net Worth
Dr Phylis Gardner reportedly held less than $4 million as net worth as of March 2022.
If you speak of her salary, the estimated total pay for a professor is $189,652/year in the Stanford, California area, with an average salary of $161,984/year, according to glassdoor.com.
Dr Phyllis Gardner Husband
Dr. Phyllis Gardner has been married to her husband Andrew Perlman for some good time now. Born in November 1947, Andrew turned 74 in 2021.
Andrew also briefly worked on a Theranos advisory board. Although Dr Phyllis’ comments helped bring down Theranos, Gardner’s family owned stock in the company as a result of Andrew’s work.
Together with her husband, Phyllis has two kids, Nicola Perlman of Somerville, Massachusetts (born March 1987); and Jay Perlman of Stanford, California (born August 1989).
Related FAQs
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How Old Is Dr Phyllis Gardner?
Dr Phyllis was born in July 1950. So, in 2021, she turned 71 years old.
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Where Is Dr Phyllis Gardner From?
Dr Phyllis Gardner reportedly continues to reside on the Stanford Campus. It was not yet understood where exactly it is that he is from.
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Is Dr Phyllis Gardner On Facebook?
Dr Phyllis Gradner did not appear to be anywhere on social media, including Facebook, as of 25 March 2022.
