Rhea Perlman

Rhea Jo Perlman ( ; born March 31, 1948) is an American actress and author. She is well-known for playing head waitress Carla Tortelli in the popular sitcom Cheers (1982–1993). Over the course of 11 seasons, Perlman was nominated for 10 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress, winning four, and was nominated for a record six Golden Globe Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series. She has also appeared in films, including Canadian Bacon, Matilda (1996), The Sessions (2012), Poms (2019) and Barbie (2023). In 2025, Perlman had a guest role in the second season of the crime mystery series Poker Face.

Early life Perlman was born on March 31, 1948, in Coney Island, Brooklyn, to Philip Perlman, a Polish Jewish immigrant who was a manager at a doll parts factory, and Adele Perlman, a bookkeeper. She grew up in nearby Bensonhurst in a Jewish family with additional roots in Russia. Perlman has a younger sister, Heide, who is a television writer, story editor, and producer who worked on Cheers, Frasier, and The Tracey Ullman Show.

Perlman studied drama at Hunter College in New York, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1968.

Career Career beginnings

Perlman began her acting career with a small role as an attendant in the off-off-Broadway play Dracula Sabbat, which ran from September 1970 to June 1971. In 1972, she played a bit role in the film Hot Dogs for Gauguin. That same year, she appeared in Westbeth Playwrights Feminist Collective's production of Up – An Uppity Revue, along with her future husband, Danny DeVito.

One of Perlman's first notable parts was a recurring role on the television show Taxi as Zena, the sweet girlfriend of Louie De Palma (played by DeVito). Following that, she had a role in a small play portraying a much tougher character. Producers Glen and Les Charles saw Perlman in that play, which led to her landing the role as wisecracking barmaid Carla Tortelli on their sitcom Cheers in 1982.

Cheers

The series struggled with ratings in its first season, but by the time it ended in 1993, it was one of the most popular and successful sitcoms of all time, winning 20 Emmy awards out of a total 95 nominations.

Perlman won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy four times: in 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1989. Over her 11 seasons on Cheers, Perlman was nominated for an Emmy every year but 1992, becoming the Cheers star to have the most wins and nominations. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress six times, more than anyone else in that category. In 2011, NBC named Carla Tortelli as one of the greatest TV characters of all time.

In 1986, Perlman starred in an episode of Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories titled "The Wedding Ring," which also starred DeVito as her character's husband.

Motion pictures

In the 1990s, Perlman starred in several TV movies and motion pictures. In 1992, she starred in the made-for-TV-movie, To Grandmother's House We Go opposite Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen, playing the wife of Jerry Van Dyke's character; the couple kidnapped the Olsen Twins' characters, hoping to cash in on ransom before Christmas. Other TV films in which Perlman starred included the dramas A Place to Be Loved and In Spite of Love. Her motion picture roles included There Goes The Neighborhood (1992), Canadian Bacon (1995), Carpool (1996), Sunset Park (1996), and Matilda (1996). Perlman had a cameo in the film 10 Items Or Less (2006), and also starred in the 2007 independent film Love Comes Lately.

In 1994, Perlman voiced 9-Eye in The Timekeeper, a Circle-Vision show at the Magic Kingdom in Tomorrowland. She later starred in the 1996 sitcom Pearl as the title character and was featured on the 2001 TV drama Kate Brasher. Among Perlman's notable guest appearances was on the fourth-season premiere of Becker, which starred Cheers co-star Ted Danson. She also appeared in a 2000 television film How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale, in which Perlman impersonated Jackie Kennedy. That same year, Perlman portrayed a therapist called Dr. Parella in the film Secret Cutting, which follows the story of a young girl named Dawn who self-injures. In 2007, Perlman appeared as Bertha in the West End of London in the comedy Boeing Boeing. The following year, she starred in the Hallmark Channel original movie, The Christmas Choir, and appeared in Beethoven's Big Break as Patricia Benji. In 2009, Perlman appeared as Tanya's mother on the series Hung for Home Box Office Networks. Two years later, Perlman had a guest appearance as Mittens in one episode of Wilfred.

In 2009, Perlman and her daughter Lucy DeVito starred in the off-Broadway play Love, Loss, and What I Wore, adapted by Nora and Delia Ephron, at the Westside Theatre.

Writing Perlman is the author of the illustrated children's book series Otto Undercover, whose six books to date (as of the middle of May 2012) are Born to Drive, Canyon Catastrophe, Water Balloon Doom, Toxic Taffy Takeover, The Brink of Ex-stink-tion, and Brain Freeze.

Personal life Perlman with her husband Danny DeVito in 2006 Perlman met Danny DeVito on January 17, 1971, when she went to see a friend in the single performance of the play The Shrinking Bride, which also featured DeVito. They moved in together two weeks after meeting and got married on January 28, 1982. They have three children: Lucy, Grace, and Jacob. Perlman, who is Jewish, and DeVito, who was raised Catholic, raised their children celebrating the major holidays of both religions, but did not want to force or compel any religious identity or affiliation. Perlman told the Los Angeles Times in 1998: cquote We do all the holidays to keep the traditions and the culture going, but I truly don't have a great feeling about any particular organized religion, and I don't think it's right to impose one on my kids. I feel like I'm bringing them up to be good people, and that's what it's about.

The family resided in Beverly Hills, California, and they owned a vacation home in Interlaken, New Jersey that they frequented to get away from Los Angeles. Throughout their relationship, Perlman and DeVito have acted alongside each other several times, including in the TV show Taxi and the feature film Matilda. The couple later separated again for a second time in March 2017 on amicable terms. In 2019, Perlman told interviewer Andy Cohen that she and DeVito have become closer friends after their separation than they were in their final years as a couple.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1972 Hot Dogs for Gauguin Woman on Ferry Short film 1979 Swap Meet Mother 1982 National Lampoon's Movie Madness The Little Jewish Prostitute Love Child June Burns 1985 Rose JohnsonVoice; television film for PBS, later VHS video 1990 Enid Is Sleeping Mavis 1991 The Last Halloween Mrs. Gizborne Ted and Venus Grace 1992 To Grandmother's House We Go Shirley Class Act Ms. Simpson There Goes the Neighborhood Lydia Nunn 1993 We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story Mother BirdVoice 1995 Canadian Bacon Honey 1996 Sunset Park Phyllis Saroka Carpool Martha Matilda Zinnia Wormwood 2001 Old Love Short film 2006 10 Items or Less Mrs. D 2007 Bloom Ma Short film Love Comes Lately Riesel 2008 Cat Dragged In Woman in Street Short film Beethoven's Big Break Patricia 2011 The Trouble with Bliss Maria Scenes cut 2012 The Sessions Mikvah Lady 2015 I'll See You in My Dreams Sally 2016 Sing Judith Voice 2017 Lemon Esther 2018 Half Magic Linda The Matchmaker Irene Short film2019 Saving Flora Gabriella Poms Alice 2020 Funny Face Fernie 2021 Marvelous and the Black Hole Margot 2022 13: The Musical Grandma Ruth 2023 You People Bubby BarbieRuth Handler Nominated–Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

Television Year Title Role Notes 1976 Stalk the Wild Child Jean Television film I Want to Keep My Baby! Rae Finer 1977 Mary Jane Harper Cried Last Night Judy Having Babies II Cheryl Uncredited; Television film Intimate Strangers Unknown Television film 1979 Like Normal People Jan 1979–1982 Taxi Zena Sherman 5 episodes 1982 The Selling of Vince D'Angelo Mrs. D'Angelo Television film Drop Out Father Tawney Shapiro 1982–1993 Cheers Carla Tortelli / Annette Lozupone (one episode) Main roleAmerican Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Female in a Television SeriesPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (1984–86, 1989)Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Comedy SeriesNominated—American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Female in a Television SeriesNominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (1985, 1987–90, 1992)Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (1983, 1987–88, 1990–91, 1993) 1983 Likely Stories, Vol. 2 Vince's Wife Television film Saturday Night Live Herself (co-host) Episode: "Danny DeVito & Rhea Perlman / Eddy Grant" 1984 The Ratings Game Francine Kester Voice, television film 1985 A Girl Named Alida Rose Johnson St. Elsewhere Carla Tortelli Episode: "Cheers" 1986 Amazing Stories Lois Episode: "The Wedding Ring" Annie Rose Johnson Voice, 12 episodes 1987 The Tortellis Carla Tortelli Episode: "Pilot" Stamp of a Killer Claudia Television film 1988 A Family Again Aunt Dee 1989 Alida's Problem? Rose Johnson 1990 The Earth Day Special Paula Television special 1991 Blossom The Godmother Episode: "Dad's Girlfriend" Sesame Street The Old Woman Who Lives in a Shoe Episode: "The Old Woman Who Lives in a Shoe's house arrives on Sesame Street" 1992 Roc Connie Mason Episode: "The Stan Who Came to Dinner" 1993 A Place to Be Loved Jerri Blair Television film 1994 The Simpsons Carla Tortelli Voice, episode: "Fear of Flying" In Spite of Love Emma Television film All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever! Worm TV Host 1995 The Critic Ardeth Voice, 2 episodes 1996–1997 Pearl Pearl Caraldo 22 episodes 1997 Union Square Mrs. Eileen Mulrooney Episode: "Harassed" Almost Perfect Rhea Perlman Episode: "Dating for Ratings" 1998 In the Doghouse Phil Markowitz Television film Houdini Esther 1999 H-E Double Hockey Sticks Mrs. Beelzebub Mad About You Ramona Episode: "Valentine's Day" 2000 A Tale of Two Bunnies Thelma Television film Secret Cutting Dr. Parella How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale Jacqueline Kennedy 2001 Ally McBeal Dr. Helen Tooth Episode: "Falling Up" Kate Brasher Abbie Shaeffer 6 episodes Becker Dr. Katherine Simmons Episode: "Psycho Therapy" 2002 Frasier Carla Tortelli Episode: "Cheerful Goodbyes" What's New, Scooby-Doo? Agnes Voice, episode: "A Scooby-Doo Halloween" 2003 Karen Sisco Louise Salchek Episode: "Dumb Bunnies" Other People's Business Mrs. Wabash Television film 2004 Kevin Hill Eleanor Frank Episode: "Homework" 2006 Crumbs Camile Spadaro Episode: "A Loon Again, Naturally" Stroller Wars Penny Television film 2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Roxana Fox Episode: "Unorthodox" The Christmas Choir Sister Agatha Television film 2009–2010 Hung Vera-Joan Skagle 4 episodes 2011 Wilfred Mittens Episode: "Compassion" Oliver's Ghost Eloise Television film 2012 Hot in Cleveland Jacki Episode: "Everything Goes Better with Vampires" The Manzanis Camille Pilot 2012–2013 Robot and Monster Nessie Voice, 13 episodes 2013 Robot Chicken Crypt Keeper's Wife / Grandmother / Witch Voice, episode: "Caffeine-Induced Aneurysm" 2013–2014 Kirstie Thelma 12 episodes 2014 The Neighbors Janet Episode: "Uncle Benjamin" 2014–2017 The Mindy Project Annette Castellano 17 episodes 2015 Getting On Crystal Buff Episode: "No, I Don't Want a Fucking Smiley Face" 2016 Mom Anya Episode: "Diabetic Lesbians and a Blushing Bride" Brooklyn Nine-Nine Estelle Episode: "Coral Palms, Part 1" 2017 Me and My Grandma Grandma Skalecki 6 episodes Tim & Eric's Bedtime Stories Maureen Episode: "The Duke" 2018 Shooter Associate Justice Gibson 2 episodes 2019 The Goldbergs Margot Letien Episode: "Food in a Geoffy" Harley Quinn Golda Voice, episode: "Being Harley Quinn" 2021–2023 Star Wars: The Bad Batch Cid Voice, 11 episodes 2022 Little Demon Durlawn Voice, episode: "Wet Bodies" 2023 Accused Joyce Episode: "Brenda's Story" Not Dead Yet Janice Episode: "Not A Fairytale Yet" It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Bertha Fussy Episode: "The Gang Gets Cursed" 2023–2025 Poker Face Beatrix Hasp 5 episodes 2023–present Curses! Margie Voice, 10 episodes 2025 Mid-Century Modern Judy Episode: "Love Thy Neighbor" The Studio Matt's Mom 2 episodes Too MuchDottie 6 episodes

Stage + Year Title Role Notes 2002 The Tale of the Allergist's Wife Marjorie (Replacement) Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway 2007 Boeing-Boeing Berthe Comedy Theatre, London 2018 Good for Otto Nora The New Group, Off-Broadway 2023 Let's Call Her Patty Patty Lincoln Center Theatre, Off-Broadway