A renowned character actress, Mindy Sterling honed her skills as a member of the Groundlings improv troupe in 1984. She had already begun building up her acting résumé by this time, making minor appearances on TV, and she would continue to find steady work with small but memorable roles, like as a writer on The Larry Sanders Show in 1992. Sterling's notoriety went up several notches in 1997, however, when she took on the role of stone-cold henchwoman Frau Farbissina in the Mike Myers comedy Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. In the years following, the comedienne would reprise the role for two sequels, but she would also find significant work in television, landing regular roles on series like Robot Chicken, iCarly, and Chowder. She would also find success in the role of voice acting, lending her vocal talents to projects like Mars Needs Moms.