Rosie Perez | |
|---|---|
 Perez at the New York premiere of Won't Back Down in 2012 | |
| Born | Rosa Maria Perez (1964-09-06)September 6, 1964 (age 61) Brooklyn, New York, U.S.[1] |
| Education | Los Angeles City College West Los Angeles College[2] |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Spouses | |
| Awards | Full list |
Rosa Maria Perez (born September 6, 1964) is an American actress. Her breakthrough came at age 24 with her portrayal of Tina in the filmDo the Right Thing (1989), followed byWhite Men Can't Jump (1992). Perez's performance inFearless (1993) earned her a nomination for theAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actress, among otheraccolades. Her starring film roles since includeIt Could Happen to You (1994),The Road to El Dorado (2000),Pineapple Express (2008), andBirds of Prey (2020).
Perez earned threePrimetime Emmy Award nominations forIn Living Color (1990–1994) and another Emmy nomination for her work inThe Flight Attendant (2020–22). She has performed in stage plays on Broadway such asThe Ritz,Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, andFish in the Dark. She was also a co-host on theABC talk showThe View during the series' 18th season. Perez additionally had a role in season 2 of theShowtime series,Your Honor.
Perez was born on September 6, 1964, in theBushwick neighborhood ofBrooklyn, New York City, to Lydia Pérez and Ismael Serrano, amerchant marine seaman.[3][4][5] Her mother Lydia (née Fontañez y Reyes) was born inHumacao, Puerto Rico. Her father was fromAguadilla, Puerto Rico. Her mother was married to a man 20 years her senior, Arturo Pérez. Her mother already had five children when she became pregnant with Rosie after having an affair with Serrano. Perez was born at the now-closed Greenpoint Hospital in theGreenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn.[6]
One of 10 children born to her mother, Perez grew up in Bushwick with her siblings while their mother was intermittently jailed. Her mother gave birth to her youngest child while incarcerated. Perez was for a time raised by an aunt and then, like her siblings, went through group homes and foster care. She and her siblings were often split up. She was transferred to a group foster home and lived in foster care in New York andPeekskill until the age of eight. She was legally considered a ward of the State of New York until age 12. Her mother and aunt frequently visited, and her father made an unsuccessful custody bid at one point.[1][7]
When she was in third grade, Perez learned that she had a speech impediment.[8] She had a strict Catholic upbringing, which she has credited to the influence of the nuns during her childhood.[6][9] She eventually moved in with her paternal aunt, Ana Dominga Otero Serrano-Roque.[10]
She attendedGrover Cleveland High School, in theRidgewood neighborhood ofQueens.[11] By 1999, her mother was living in poverty in the Woodside Houses, when she died ofAIDS-related complications.[7]
At 19 years old,[12] Perez started her career in the early 1980s as a dancer onSoul Train. As a student atLos Angeles City College,[citation needed] with plans to major inbiochemistry,[13] she said she relieved stress by going to nightclubs for ladies' night. A talent scout fromSoul Train asked Perez to appear on the show. She was not a professional dancer, but loved it so much she dropped out of school.[6] In 1988, when she was 23 years old, Perez was noticed at the dance club Funky Reggae[14] bySpike Lee, who hired her for her first major acting role inDo the Right Thing (1989).[15]
Perez later choreographedmusic videos byJanet Jackson,Bobby Brown,Diana Ross,LL Cool J andThe Boys.[9] She was the choreographer for the dancing group theFly Girls, who were featured on the Fox television comedy programIn Living Color, and also worked as a segment producer.[16] She made herBroadway debut inTerrence McNally'sFrankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune.[17] Perez had her third major role in the hit comedyWhite Men Can't Jump (1992) co-starringWesley Snipes andWoody Harrelson.
Perez was nominated for theOscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role inPeter Weir's 1993 filmFearless.[18] She attended the ceremony with her father.[19] In 1994, she co-starred withNicolas Cage inIt Could Happen to You. In 1997, she co-starred withJavier Bardem inPerdita Durango where she played thetitular character, a film in which many scenes of violence, sex and nudity were edited out of the version released in the United States but remained intact in the version released throughout Latin America.[20] In 1999, Perez starred inNancy Savoca'sThe 24 Hour Woman.[2] She provides the voices of Click, the camera, onNick Jr.'sGo, Diego, Go! (2005-11) and Chel, a beautifulnative woman in theDreamWorks Animation filmThe Road to El Dorado (2000). She played corrupt police officer Carol Brazier in theJudd Apatow-produced filmPineapple Express (2008), co-starringSeth Rogen andJames Franco.
Perez appeared on an episode ofLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit in October 2009 about pedophiles' rights. Executive producerNeal Baer said the writers had Perez in mind when they wrote the role of a young sexual abuse victim's mother.[21] She injured her neck while filming the episode and underwent surgery to heal aherniated disc.[22] One year after the accident, she appeared at the White House in a wheelchair, wearing a neck brace for a meeting with President Obama.[23] In May 2011, Perez filed a lawsuit against the producers of the show, saying the injury she incurred was the result of being "recklessly pulled, grabbed, yanked, wrenched and manhandled" during filming.[24]
In June 2013, she served as the grand marshal for the international Boxing Hall of Fame parade inCanastota, New York.[25] In February 2014, Perez published an autobiography titledHandbook for an Unpredictable Life: How I Survived Sister Renata and My Crazy Mother, and Still Came Out Smiling... She is also the reader of the audio CD of this book. Perez said that she did not initially set out to write an autobiography, but rather a book that analyzes the causes and effects of child abuse. She said it was not until about six months after the book was published and she heard responses from others that she found the experience cathartic.[6]
On September 3 of the same year,ABC announced Perez would joinThe View as a new co-host alongside moderatorWhoopi Goldberg, newcomerNicolle Wallace, and returning co-hostRosie O'Donnell.[26] The new season began on September 15, 2014.[27][28] Perez said she was initially hesitant about the job because "I didn't want to be on a show where people were just screaming at each other disrespectfully."[6] She decided to join the cast when she learned thatBill Wolff, whom she knew fromThe Rachel Maddow Show, was going to be the new executive producer.[6][29][30] In 2015, she returned to Broadway to star inFish in the Dark, a play written byLarry David.[1][31] On July 8, 2015, Perez announced she would be leavingThe View.[32]
In 2018, in a series regular role, Perez portrayed Tracey Wolfe in theNBC musical drama television seriesRise, which ran for one season.[33] She starred in the 2020 superhero filmBirds of Prey, as theDC EntertainmentsuperheroRenee Montoya /Question.[34][35] Later that year, Perez starred in the comedy-drama seriesThe Flight Attendant. She earned aPrimetime Emmy Award nomination forOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for the role.[36]
In 2021 Perez starred inthe film adaptation of the children's book seriesClifford the Big Red Dog.[37] In 2023, she had a role in season 2 of theShowtime seriesYour Honor.
She was an official commentator for theJake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match.[38]
Perez is anactivist for Puerto Rican rights:
Perez has suffered from high anxiety,PTSD, and depression, but with therapy, it has been greatly reduced.[1][6][42]
Perez married filmmaker and playwrightSeth Zvi Rosenfeld in 1998. The couple divorced in 2001 after 3 years together.[43] She married artistEric Haze on September 15, 2013, inLas Vegas. They live inClinton Hill, Brooklyn as of 2014.[7]
(2021)NHMC Impact Awards (Outstanding Performance in a Series)[44]
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Do the Right Thing | Tina | |
| 1990 | Criminal Justice | Denise Moore | TV movie |
| 1991 | Night on Earth | Angela | |
| 1992 | White Men Can't Jump | Gloria Clemente | |
| 1993 | Untamed Heart | Cindy | |
| Fearless | Carla Rodrigo | ||
| 1994 | It Could Happen to You | Muriel Lang | |
| Somebody to Love | Mercedes | ||
| 1997 | A Brother's Kiss | Debbie | |
| Perdita Durango | Perdita Durango | ||
| 1998 | Louis & Frank | - | |
| 1999 | The 24 Hour Woman | Grace Santos | |
| 2000 | The Road to El Dorado | Chel (voice) | |
| King of the Jungle | Joanne | ||
| 2001 | Human Nature | Louise | |
| Riding in Cars with Boys | Shirley Perro | ||
| 2003 | From the 104th Floor | Narrator (voice) | Short |
| 2004 | Exactly | Angela | Short |
| 2005 | Lackawanna Blues | Bertha | TV movie |
| 2006 | Just Like the Son | Mrs. Ponders | |
| Lolo's Cafe | Maria (voice) | Short | |
| 2007 | The Take | Marina De La Pena | |
| 2008 | Pineapple Express | Officer Carol Brazier | |
| 2010 | The Other Guys | Herself | |
| Pete Smalls Is Dead | Julia | ||
| Lies in Plain Sight | Marisol Reyes | TV movie | |
| 2012 | Small Apartments | Ms. Baker | |
| Won't Back Down | Brenna Harper | ||
| 2013 | The Counselor | Ruth | |
| The Being Experience | Herself | ||
| Gods Behaving Badly | Persephone | ||
| 2014 | The Hero of Color City | Red (voice) | |
| Fugly! | Zowie | ||
| 2015 | Pitch Perfect 2 | The View Host | |
| Puerto Ricans in Paris | Gloria | ||
| Five Nights in Maine | Ann | ||
| 2017 | Active Adults | Zoe | |
| 2019 | The Dead Don't Die | Posie Juarez | |
| Inside the Rain | Dr. Holloway | ||
| 2020 | Birds of Prey | Renee Montoya | |
| The Last Thing He Wanted | Alma Guerrero | ||
| For NYC | Herself | Short | |
| 2021 | With/In: Volume 1 | Coco | |
| Clifford the Big Red Dog | Lucille | ||
| 2025 | Highest 2 Lowest | Herself |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 21 Jump Street | Rosie Martinez | Episode: "2245" |
| 1990–91 | WIOU | Lucy Hernandez | Recurring Cast |
| 1990–93 | In Living Color | Fly Girl/Choreographer | Main Cast: Season 1–4 |
| 1991 | Great Performances | Herself | Episode: "Everybody Dance Now" |
| 1992 | It's Showtime at the Apollo | Herself/Guest Host | Episode: "Episode #6.4" |
| 1995 | In a New Light: Sex Unplugged | Herself/Host | Main Host |
| Frasier | Francesca | Episode: "Roz in the Doghouse" | |
| 1995–00 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Various (voice) | Guest Cast: Season 1-3 |
| 1996 | Saturday Night Special | Herself | Episode: "Episode #1.4" |
| 1997 | Subway Stories: Tales from the Underground | Mystery Girl | Episode: "Love on the A Train" |
| 1999 | Little Bill | Valencia | Episode: "Monty's Roar/Natural Root Pals" |
| 2002 | One World Jam: A Concert for Global Harmony | Herself/Host | Main Host |
| Gotham Awards | Herself/Co-Host | Main Co-Host | |
| Widows | Linda Perelli | Main Cast | |
| 2003 | XXI Century | Herself | Episode: "War, Peace, and Patriotism" |
| 2004 | Whoopi's Littleburg | The Flashlight Lady | Episode: "But I Still Like You" |
| Frasier | Lizbeth | Episode: "Crock Tales" | |
| 2005 | All the Invisible Children | Ruthie | Episode: "Jesus Children of America" |
| 2005–11 | Go, Diego, Go! | Click (voice) | Main Cast |
| 2008–09 | Lipstick Jungle | Dahlia Morales | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
| 2009 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Eva Banks | Episode: "Hardwired" |
| 2010 | VH1 Rock Docs | Herself | Episode: "Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America" |
| Dora the Explorer | La Bruja (voice) | Episode: "Dora's Big Birthday Adventure" | |
| 2012 | Fish Hooks | Chichelsea Chihuahua (voice) | Episode: "Bea Dates Milo" |
| Nurse Jackie | Jules | Episode: "Slow Growing Monsters" | |
| Falcón | Madeleine Flowers | Episode: "The Silent and the Damned" | |
| RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars | Herself/Guest Judge | Episode: "All Star Girl Groups" | |
| 2012–13 | The Cleveland Show | Choni (voice) | Recurring Cast: Season 3-4 |
| 2013 | Anderson Live | Herself/Co-Host | Episode: "Co-Host Rosie Perez/'Spartacus" |
| In the Woods | Herself | Main Cast | |
| American Latino TV | Herself | Episode: "Episode #12.6" | |
| 2014 | Park Bench with Steve Buscemi | Herself | Episode: "Hair Apparent" |
| 2014–15 | The View | Herself/Co-Host | Guest Co-Host: Season 17, Main Co-Host: Season 18 |
| 2014–17 | Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero | Aunt Rose (voice) | Recurring Cast |
| 2015 | The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore | Herself/Panelist | Episode: "Starbucks's "Race Together" Campaign" |
| American Masters | Herself | Episode: "The Women's List" | |
| 2016 | Search Party | Lorraine De Coss | Recurring Cast: Season 1 |
| 2017 | Then and Now with Andy Cohen | Herself | Recurring Guest |
| Nightcap | Herself | Episode: "Guest in a Snake" | |
| Pure | Phoebe O'Reilly | Main Cast: Season 1 | |
| 2017–19 | Bounty Hunters | Nina Morales | Main Cast |
| Elena of Avalor | Dulce (voice) | Recurring Cast: Season 2, Guest: Season 3 | |
| 2018 | Unsung | Herself | Episode: "The Boys" |
| Project Runway All Stars | Herself/Guest Judge | Episode: "Posen on the Red Carpet" | |
| Rise | Tracey Wolfe | Main Cast | |
| 2019 | High Maintenance | Adriana | Episode: "Proxy" |
| She's Gotta Have It | Doña Lucy Christina | Episode: "#OhJudoKnow?" | |
| 2020–22 | The Flight Attendant | Megan Briscoe | Main Cast |
| 2021 | Mike Tyson: The Knockout | Herself | Episode: "Part 1-2" |
| NYC Epicenters 9/11→2021½ | Herself | Episode: "Part 1-4" | |
| Maya and the Three | Cipactli (voice) | Recurring Cast | |
| 2022 | Black Market with Michael K. Williams | Herself/Guest Host | Episode: "Thirst Trap" |
| The DAZN Boxing Show | Herself/Analyst | Episode: "Canelo Álvarez vs. Gennadiy Golovkin III: Weigh-In" | |
| Now & Then | Flora Neruda | Main Cast | |
| Big City Greens | Mrs. Torres | Episode: "The Delivernator" | |
| 2022–23 | Human Resources | Petra the Ambition Gremlin (voice) | Recurring Cast |
| 2023 | Your Honor | Olivia Delmont | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
| 2024 | Dancing with the Stars | Herself/Guest Judge | Episode: "Soul Train Night" |
| SpongeBob SquarePants | Suzie Groove (voice) | Episode: "Tango Tangle" | |
| Fantasmas | Bianca | Episode: "The Void" | |
| City Island | Rosey Rivet (voice) | Episode: "Maker Hill" | |
| Before | Denise | Main Cast | |
| 2023–25 | Big Mouth | Petra (voice) | Guest Cast: Season 7-8 |
| 2024–25 | Grimsburg | Martina Martinez (voice) | Recurring Cast |
| Year | Artist | Song |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Joyce Irby featuringDoug E. Fresh | "Mr. DJ" |
| Year | Title | Role | Playwright | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune | Frankie (replacement) | Terrence McNally | Belasco Theatre, Broadway |
| 2004 | Reckless | Pooty / Sue | Craig Lucas | Biltmore Theatre, Broadway |
| 2007 | The Ritz | Googie Gomez | Terrence McNally | Studio 54, Broadway |
| 2015 | Fish in the Dark | Fabiana Melendez | Larry David | Cort Theatre, Broadway |
| Year | Film |
|---|---|
| 2000 | My Generation |
| 2005 | Yo soy Boricua, pa'que tu lo sepas! |
| 2006 | Home |
| 2008 | Big Pun: The Legacy |
| 2011 | Brooklyn Boheme |
| 2015 | Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives |
| 2016 | Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall |
| Muhammad Ali: A Life | |
| 2017 | My Name Is Pedro |
| 2018 | Pa'lante |
| 2020 | Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics |
| Media offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | The View co-host 2014-2015 | Succeeded by |
