While still in high school, Philipps worked at toy
trade fairs as a real-life
Barbie, her sister Cool Teen Skipper. She made her film debut in the comedy
The Smokers in 2000, and had various small appearances on television. In 2001, Philipps was cast as Audrey Liddell in the teen drama ''
Dawson's Creek''. Philipps appeared in several films, including
Home Room (2002) and
White Chicks (2004). She was cast in the
UPN sitcom Love, Inc. in a role originally intended for
Shannen Doherty. The show lasted one season (2005–2006). In 2006, she had a major recurring role as Hope Bobeck on
ER, alongside her
Freaks and Geeks co-star
Linda Cardellini. Philipps had a co-credit for the storyline of the 2007 comedy film
Blades of Glory. A year later, she appeared in a supporting role in
Made of Honor. and on an episode of
How I Met Your Mother. In 2008 to 2009 she was a recurring character on
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, appearing in five episodes as Kacy Corbin. From 2009 to 2015, Philipps portrayed Laurie Keller in the television series
Cougar Town. Her primary recurring character was the Red Plains Rider. On a 2010 appearance on
Chelsea Lately, Philipps said that she auditioned for the hit television show
Glee just one week after giving birth, following a pregnancy during which she gained 80 pounds. Philipps starred on the
HBO series
Vice Principals (2016–2017). In 2017, she signed on as co-lead opposite
Casey Wilson in
Tina Fey's comedy pilot
The Sackett Sisters for
NBC, but it was not picked up. In 2018 and 2019, Philipps played Sheba Goodman in season 4 of
Netflix's
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. She had a
late-night talk show called
Busy Tonight, which aired on
E! from October 28, 2018, to May 16, 2019. It was cancelled the same day Philipps was nominated for a 2019 Critics Choice Award. In August 2020 she began hosting a
podcast,
Busy Philipps is Doing Her Best, along with former
Busy Tonight writers Caissie St. Onge and
Shantira Jackson. In October 2020, it was announced that she had joined the main cast of
Peacock's
Girls5eva, a musical comedy about a female pop group that reunites 20 years after it flamed out. In its third season the show, created by
Meredith Scardino, shifted to
Netflix. In February 28, 2023, Philipps was announced as Mrs. George in the 2024 film adaptation of the musical
Mean Girls, based on the 2018 Broadway musical. In 2024, Phillips began hosting a talk/shopping show called "Busy This Week" on the QVC+/HSN+ streaming service.
Book Philipps's memoir,
This Will Only Hurt a Little, was released October 18, 2018. It includes a passage where she describes a physical altercation she had with
James Franco on the set of
Freaks and Geeks. She said she was "bummed" by the amount of attention drawn to just this incident in the book, saying the story was not new, and that she meant it "to illustrate a larger point about the way women are treated in this business and in life." ==Personal life==