Rhea Jo Perlman (born March 31, 1948) is an American actress and writer. She is best known for her role as head-waitress Carla Tortelli in the sitcom Cheers (1982–1993). Over the course of 11 seasons, Perlman was nominated for ten Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress – winning four times – and was nominated for a record seven Golden Globe Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series. She has also appeared in films, including Canadian Bacon (1995), Matilda (1996), The Sessions (2012), and Poms (2019).

Filmography

• Mid-Century Modern — Judy
• The Studio — Matt's Mom (voice)
• Too Much — Dottie
• 2023Barbie — Ruth
• Curses! — Margie (voice)
• Not Dead Yet — Janice
• Poker Face — Beatrix Hasp (voice)
• 2023You People — Bubby
• 202213: The Musical — Grandma Ruth
• 2022Marvelous and the Black Hole — Margot
• 2021Funny Face — Fernie
• Star Wars: The Bad Batch — Cid (voice)
• 2020Mr. Bungle: The Night They Came Home — Spooky Narration
• Harley Quinn — Golda (voice)
• 2019Poms — Alice
• 2019Saving Flora — Gabriella
• 2018The Matchmaker — Irene
• 2017Lemon — Esther
• Me and My Grandma — Grandma
• Shooter — Supreme Court Justice Gibson
• 2016Sing — Judith (voice)
• 2015I'll See You in My Dreams — Sally
• Tim and Eric's Bedtime Stories — Maureen
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine — Estelle
• Getting On — Crystal Buff
• Kirstie — Thelma Katz
• Mom — Anya
• The Goldbergs — Margot Letien
• Robot and Monster — Nessie (voice)
• The Mindy Project — Annette Castellano
• 2012The Sessions — Mikvah Lady
• 2011Oliver's Ghost — Eloise
• 2011The Trouble with Bliss — Maria (uncredited)
• Wilfred — Mittens
• Hot in Cleveland — Jacki
• Hung
• 2009The Nightman Cometh: Live — Gladys
• 2008Beethoven's Big Break — Patricia
• 2008The Christmas Choir — Sister Agatha
• 2007Love Comes Lately — Reisel
• 200610 Items or Less — Mrs. D
• 2006Bye Bye Benjamin — Executive Producer
• Crumbs — Camille Spadaro
• American Dad! — Old Stripper (voice)
• Fat Actress — Rhea Perlman
• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia — Bertha Fussy
• 2005Matilda's Movie Magic: The Making of 'Matilda' — Self, Thanks
• Kevin Hill — Eleanor Frank
• What's New, Scooby-Doo? — Agnes (voice)
• Kate Brasher — Abbie Schaeffer
• 2000A Tale of Two Bunnies — Thelma
• 2000How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale — Jacqueline Kennedy
• 2000Painful Secrets — Dr. Parella
• 1999H.E. Double Hockey Sticks — Ms. Beelzebub
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — Roxana Fox
• Becker — Dr. Katherine Simmons
• 1998Houdini — Esther
• 1998In the Doghouse — Phil Markowitz
• 1998Monty Python: Live at Aspen — Audience Member (uncredited)
• Ally McBeal — Dr. Helen Tooth
• Union Square — Eileen Mulrooney
• 1996Carpool — Martha
• 1996Matilda — Mrs. Wormwood
• Pearl — Pearl Caraldo
• 1996Sunset Park — Phyllis Saroka
• Almost Perfect
• 1995Canadian Bacon — Deputy Honey
• 1994Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever! — Worm TV Host
• 1994Spoils of War — Emma
• The Critic — Ardeth (voice)
• 1993A Place to Be Loved — Jerry Blair
• Frasier — Carla Tortelli
• 1993We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story — Mother Bird (voice)
• 1992Class Act — Miss Simpson
• Mad About You — Mrs. Ramona DiChristophoro
• Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories — Narrator (voice)
• 1992There Goes the Neighborhood — Lydia Nunn
• 1992To Grandmother's House We Go — Shirley
• Roc
• 1991Ted & Venus — Grace
• 1991The Last Halloween — Mrs. Gizborne
• 1990Amazing Stories: The Movie II — Lois
• Blossom — The Godfather
• 1990Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Celebration — Carla Tortelli
• 1990Enid Is Sleeping — Mavis
• 1990The Earth Day Special — Paula
• The Simpsons — Carla Tortelli (voice)
• 1989Two Daddies? — Rose Johnson (voice)
• 1988A Family Again — Aunt Dee
• 1988Mickey's 60th Birthday — Carla Tortelli
• 1987Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville — Maisy - Constitutional Caterer
• 1987Stamp of a Killer — Claudia
• The Tortellis — Carla Tortelli
• Matlock — Rhea Perlman
• My Little Pony
• 1986My Little Pony: The Movie — Reeka (voice)
• Amazing Stories — Lois
• 1985Happily Ever After — Rose Johnson (voice)
• 1985The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
• 1984The Ratings Game — Francine Kester
• Cheers — Carla Tortelli
• 1982Drop-Out Father — Tawney Shapiro
• 1982Love Child — June Burns
• 1982National Lampoon's Movie Madness — Little Jewish Prostitute ("Municipalians")
• St. Elsewhere — Carla Tortelli
• 1979Like Normal People — Jan
• 1979Swap Meet — Mother
• Taxi — Zena Sherman
• 1977Intimate Strangers — Barbara
• 1977Mary Jane Harper Cried Last Night — Judy
• 1976I Want to Keep My Baby! — Rae Finer
• 1976Stalk the Wild Child — Jean
• 1976The Selling of Vince D'Angelo — Vince's Wife
• 1975Minestrone — Tessy, Writer
• 1973The Sound Sleeper — Production Coordinator, Continuity
• 1972Hot Dogs for Gauguin — Woman on Ferry
• The Wonderful World of Disney — Carla Tortelli LeBec

Appearances as themselves (14)

• 2016Must See TV: An All Star Tribute to James Burrows — Self
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen — Self - Guest
• The Megan Mullally Show — Self - Guest
• 2005My Movie About Making 'Matilda' by Mara Wilson — Self
• The Ellen DeGeneres Show — Self
• 2002NBC 75th Anniversary Special — Self
• 1999The Frasier Story — Self
• The View — Self
• The Rosie O'Donnell Show — Self - Guest
• 1994The World of Jim Henson — Self (archive footage)
• 1990Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Silly! — Self (archive footage)
• 1988Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie — Self
• Saturday Night Live — Self - Co-Host
• Golden Globe Awards — Self - Audience Member, Self - Nominee