Rhea Jo Perlman^[2] (born March 31, 1948) is an American actress. She is well-known for playing head waitressCarla Tortelli in thesitcomCheers (1982–1993).^[3] Over the course of 11 seasons, Perlman was nominated for 10Emmy Awards forOutstanding Supporting Actress, winning 4, and was nominated for a record sixGolden Globe Awards forBest Supporting Actress in a Television Series. She has also appeared in films, includingCanadian Bacon (1995),Matilda (1996),The Sessions (2012),Poms (2019), andBarbie (2023).

Rhea Perlman
Rhea Perlman at the1988 Emmy Awards
Born	Rhea Jo Perlman (1948-03-31)March 31, 1948 (age 77) Brooklyn,New York, U.S.[1]
Alma mater	Hunter College (BA)
Occupations	Actor writer
Years active	1972–present
Height	5 ft 0 in (1.52 m)
Spouse	Danny DeVito ​ ​ (m. 1982;sep. 2012)​
Children	3, includingLucy DeVito
Father	Philip Perlman
Relatives	Heide Perlman (sister)

Perlman was born on March 31, 1948, inConey Island,Brooklyn, toPhilip Perlman, a Polish-Jewish immigrant who was a manager at a doll parts factory and Adele, a bookkeeper.^[4] She grew up inBensonhurst in aJewish family with additional roots in Russia.^[5] She has a sister,Heide, who is a television writer, story editor, and producer who worked onCheers,Frasier andThe Tracey Ullman Show.^[6] In the mid-1980s, her parents moved toLos Angeles, and her father became an extra onCheers. His character became known by his real name, Phil, and he managed to get a few lines over the years as he appeared in more than 30 episodes. He created a second career as acharacter actor, appearing in several films and television shows, includingThrow Momma from the Train,Hoffa, andFrasier.^[4][6]

She studied drama atHunter College in New York, earning aBachelor of Arts degree in 1968.^[1][7][6]

Perlman began her acting career with a small role as an attendant in theoff-off-Broadway playDracula Sabbat, which ran from September 1970 to June 1971.^[1][8] In 1972, she played a bit role in the filmHot Dogs for Gauguin. That same year she appeared inWestbeth Playwrights Feminist Collective's production ofUp – An Uppity Revue, along with her future husband,Danny DeVito.^[9]

One of her first notable parts was a recurring role on the television showTaxi as Zena, the sweet girlfriend ofLouie De Palma (played by DeVito). Following that, she had a role in a small play portraying a much tougher character.^[10] ProducersGlen and Les Charles saw her in that play, which led to her landing the role as wisecracking barmaidCarla Tortelli on their sitcomCheers in 1982.

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 shows of all time, winning 20 Emmy awards out of 95 nominations.^[10][11]

Perlman won theEmmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy four times: in 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1989.^[12] Over her 11 seasons onCheers, she was nominated for an Emmy every year but 1992, becoming theCheers star to have the most wins and nominations. She was also nominated for aGolden Globe forBest 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.^[13]

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

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 oppositeAshley Olsen andMary-Kate Olsen, playing the wife ofJerry Van Dyke's character; the couple kidnapped the Olsen Twins' characters, hoping to cash in on ransom before Christmas. Other TV films in which she starred included the dramasA Place to Be Loved andIn Spite of Love. Perlman's motion picture roles includedThere Goes The Neighborhood (1992),Canadian Bacon (1995),Carpool (1996),Sunset Park (1996), andMatilda (1996). She had a cameo in the film10 Items Or Less (2006), and also starred in the 2007 independent filmLove Comes Lately.

In 1994, Perlman voiced 9-Eye inThe Timekeeper, aCircle-Vision show at theMagic Kingdom inTomorrowland. She later starred in the 1996 sitcomPearl as the title character and was featured on the 2001 TV dramaKate Brasher. Among her notable guest appearances was on the fourth-season premiere ofBecker, which starredCheers co-starTed Danson. Perlman also appeared in a 2000 television filmHow to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale, in which she impersonatedJackie Kennedy. She also portrayed a therapist called Dr. Parella in the 2000 filmSecret Cutting, which follows the story of a young girl named Dawn whoself-injures. In 2007, Perlman appeared as Bertha in the West End of London in the comedyBoeing Boeing. In 2008, she starred in theHallmark Channel original movie,The Christmas Choir, and appeared inBeethoven's Big Break in 2008 asPatricia Benji. In 2009, she appeared as Tanya's mother on the seriesHung forHome Box Office Networks. In 2011, Perlman had a guest appearance as Mittens in one episode ofWilfred.

In 2009, Perlman and her daughterLucy DeVito starred in theoff-Broadway playLove, Loss, and What I Wore, adapted byNora andDelia Ephron, at theWestside Theatre.^[3] From 2014 to 2017, she starred in a recurring role onThe Mindy Project as Danny's mother, Annette Castellano.

In 2023, Perlman earned critical praise for playingBarbie creatorRuth Handler inGreta Gerwig's filmBarbie.^[14][15]

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

Perlman metDanny DeVito on January 17, 1971, when she went to see a friend in the single performance of the playThe Shrinking Bride, which also featured DeVito.^[16] They moved in together two weeks after meeting^[17] and married on January 28, 1982.^[18] They have three children:Lucy Chet DeVito, Grace Fan DeVito, and Jacob Daniel DeVito.^[19] Perlman, who isJewish, and DeVito, who was raisedCatholic, raised their children celebrating the major holidays of both religions but did not give their children any religious identity. Perlman told theLos Angeles Times in 1998:

"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."^[5]

In addition to their three children, the couple have two grandchildren.^[20][21]

The family resided inBeverly Hills, California, and they owned a vacation home inInterlaken, New Jersey that they frequented to get away from Los Angeles.^[22][23] Throughout their relationship, Perlman and DeVito have acted alongside each other several times, including in the TV showTaxi and the feature filmMatilda.^[19]

Perlman and DeVito separated in October 2012.^[19] However, in March 2013, it was reported that they had reconciled.^[24] The couple later separated again for a second time in March 2017 on amicable terms.^[25] Although the two no longer live together, Perlman said she has no intention of divorcing DeVito.^[25] In 2019, Perlman told interviewerAndy Cohen that she and DeVito have become closer friends after their separation than they were in their final years as a couple.^[26]

• Rhea Perlman atIMDb
• Rhea Perlman at theInternet Broadway Database 
• Rhea Perlman at theInternet Off-Broadway Database