Rhea Perlman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rhea Perlman
Rhea Perlman at the 1988 Emmy Awards
Born	Rhea Jo Perlman (1948-03-31) March 31, 1948 (age 77) New York City, U.S.
Alma mater	Hunter College (BA)
Occupation	Actress author
Years active	1972–present
Height	5 ft 0 in (1.52 m)
Spouse(s)	Danny DeVito ​ ​ (m. 1982; sep. 2012)​
Children	3, including Lucy DeVito
Parent(s)	Philip Perlman (father)
Relatives	Heide Perlman (sister) Randall Miller (cousin)

Rhea Jo Perlman (born March 31, 1948) is an American actress and author. She is famous for playing the head waitress Carla Tortelli in the popular TV comedy show, or sitcom, Cheers (1982–1993).

For her role in Cheers, Perlman was nominated for ten Emmy Awards and won four times. She was also nominated for six Golden Globe Awards. She has acted in many movies, including Canadian Bacon (1995), Matilda (1996), and Barbie (2023). In 2025, she had a guest role in the crime mystery series Poker Face.

Early life and family

Perlman was born on March 31, 1948, in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. Her father, Philip Perlman, was a manager at a doll parts factory, and her mother, Adele, was a bookkeeper. She grew up in a Jewish family in the Bensonhurst neighborhood.

Her sister, Heide Perlman, is a TV writer and producer who worked on shows like Cheers and Frasier. In the 1980s, her parents moved to Los Angeles. Her father started acting as an extra on Cheers. His character was named Phil, and he appeared in over 30 episodes. He later became a character actor in other movies and TV shows.

Perlman studied drama at Hunter College in New York. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, which is a degree from a four-year college, in 1968.

Acting career

Getting started

Perlman started her acting career in a small play in New York City in 1970. In 1972, she acted in a play called Up – An Uppity Revue with Danny DeVito, who would later become her husband.

One of her first big roles was on the TV show Taxi. She played Zena, the sweet girlfriend of Louie De Palma, the character played by Danny DeVito. After that, producers saw her in a play where she played a tough character. This helped her get the role of the funny and sarcastic barmaid Carla Tortelli on the sitcom Cheers in 1982.

Success with Cheers

Perlman in 2011 at a ceremony for Danny DeVito on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

When Cheers first started, it wasn't very popular. But by the time the show ended in 1993, it was one of the most successful TV shows ever.

Perlman's role as Carla was a huge hit. She won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy four times, in 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1989. She was nominated for an Emmy almost every year she was on the show. In 2011, the TV network NBC named her character, Carla Tortelli, one of the greatest TV characters of all time.

Movie and television roles

Perlman has appeared in many movies. She played Zinnia Wormwood, Matilda's mother, in the popular 1996 movie Matilda. Some of her other films include There Goes The Neighborhood (1992) and Canadian Bacon (1995).

She also voiced a character named 9-Eye for The Timekeeper, a show at the Magic Kingdom theme park. She has appeared as a guest on many TV shows, including The Simpsons, Becker, and The Mindy Project.

In 2023, she played Ruth Handler, the creator of the Barbie doll, in the hit movie Barbie.

Writing for children

Besides acting, Perlman is an author. She wrote a series of children's books called Otto Undercover. The series is about a young boy who is also a secret agent. The books include titles like Born to Drive and Canyon Catastrophe.

Personal life

Perlman with her husband Danny DeVito in 2006.

Perlman met actor Danny DeVito in 1971 when she went to see him in a play. They moved in together two weeks later and got married in 1982. They have three children: Lucy, Grace, and Jacob. Perlman and DeVito acted together in the TV show Taxi and the movie Matilda.

The family lived in Beverly Hills, California. They raised their children celebrating holidays from both of their family's backgrounds.

Perlman and DeVito separated in 2012. They got back together for a while but separated again in 2017. They remain good friends. Perlman has said she does not plan to divorce DeVito and that they have become closer as friends since they separated.

Selected filmography

This is a list of some of Rhea Perlman's most well-known movies and TV shows.

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Rhea Perlman para niños