Katey Sagal is marking her 72nd birthday on January 19, 2026 – and proving that age has done absolutely nothing to dull her star power. Best known to millions as the razor-sharp, sofa-dwelling matriarch Peggy Bundy on Married… with Children, Katey became one of the most recognisable faces of late-'80s and '90s television.
As Peggy, she subverted every sitcom housewife stereotype going: unapologetically lazy, fiercely sarcastic, wildly confident and never remotely interested in domestic perfection.
The series also starred Christina Applegate and Ed O’Neill and is one of the longest-running sitcoms in American television history, covering 11 seasons with 259 episodes in its run, cementing Katey as a comedy icon and a cult favourite.
After Married… with Children ended, Katey took on a role In the sci-fi animated world of Futurama, voicing Leela, the tough, one-eyed spaceship captain whose emotional depth and moral backbone made her one of the show’s most beloved characters. It was a complete tonal shift – smart, strange and heartfelt – and proof that Katey's range extended far beyond sitcom punchlines.
In an interview with ABC, Katey admitted no-one on the cast thought the show would last. "I remember reading the script and thinking, 'This is hysterically funny, but no one will watch it because it's just too outside the box. We'll get cancelled immediately,'" she said. "It was on a network nobody had heard of."
What Katey also recalled about the show is that her co-star Ed O’Neill instantly made her laugh. "We had great chemistry together," she said. "I just remember going to work and laughing all the time and I'm not exaggerating."
Then came her most dramatic transformation yet. As Gemma Teller Morrow on Sons of Anarchy, Katey delivered a powerhouse performance that redefined her career. Gemma was ferocious, manipulative, deeply loyal and terrifyingly maternal – a Shakespearean anti-heroine wrapped in leather and chaos.
The role earned Katey a Golden Globe and introduced her to a whole new generation of fans who may never have known her Bundy past. More recently, Katey was cast as Dr. Kureha in the massive Netflix live-action hit One Piece. Season 2 is set to drop in March 2026.
Kurt Sutter, the creator of Sons of Anarchy, is also her real-life partner. The two married in 2004 and have since become one of Hollywood’s more refreshingly unpolished couples.
On Instagram, Sagal frequently shares candid photos and videos with Kurt – equal parts affectionate, irreverent and unfiltered – giving fans glimpses into a relationship that feels grounded rather than glossy.
Their creative partnership extends beyond television. Together, they co-founded Skull Petal, a clothing brand that blends street and road wear with a distinctly rebellious edge. Designed to move "effortlessly between the highway and downtown," the label reflects both their shared aesthetic and their refusal to soften with age.
At 71, Katey remains unapologetically herself: sharp, stylish, creatively restless and utterly uninterested in playing by anyone else’s rules. From sitcom legend to dramatic powerhouse to fashion entrepreneur, her career is a reminder that reinvention isn’t a phase – it's a lifelong skill.