Marietta Sirleaf, better known simply as Retta, is an American stand-up comedian and actress. She is mainly known for her starring role as Donna Meagle on NBC's Parks and Recreation. She has appeared in several films and television shows, and has performed stand-up on Comedy Central's Premium Blend. Retta is from New Jersey, and graduated from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. She started working in the pharmaceutical research field before moving to Los Angeles, California, to pursue a career in comedy.Retta started performing stand-up comedy in 1996, although she said she did not start "earning money" until 1998, when she started touring on the college circuit. Retta said she used to get "really nauseated" before a performance, but that the feeling passed with experience.Retta has said her stand-up material tends to be slightly embellished stories from her regular everyday life, family, and friends. She has also made jokes about her obesity. Retta has stated she would give up stand-up comedy for a full-time acting career if possible: "I'm not married to stand-up, just because it's a road thing. It's very lonely with all the traveling.

Filmography

• 2026Bad Day
• 2026That Friend — Christine, Executive Producer
• Elsbeth — Margo Clarke
• 2024Hit Man — Claudette
• Scariest House in America — Self - Host, Executive Producer
• 2024The Greatest Hits — Dr. Evelyn Bartlett
• 2024The Real Bros of Simi Valley: The Movie — Mrs. Bundy
• The Boys Presents: Diabolical — Ghost's Mom (voice)
• 2020A Parks and Recreation Special — Donna Meagle
• Duncanville — Makeover Station Employee (voice)
• Get Organized with The Home Edit
• Home Movie: The Princess Bride — The Mother
• 2020The Paley Center Salutes Parks and Recreation — Donna Meagle
• 2019Good Boys — Lucas' Mom
• The Morning Show — Retta
• Where's Waldo? — Wizard Nightingale (voice)
• Good Girls — Ruby Hill
• 2017Band Aid — Carol
• Big Mouth — Duke's Mother (voice)
• DuckTales — Harp (voice), Mystical Harp (voice)
• 2017Father Figures — Annie
• 2017The Lego Ninjago Movie — Maggie the Cheerleader (voice)
• 2017To the Bone — Lobo
• 2017Where's the Money — Roberta
• 2016Darby Forever — Evelyn
• 2016Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life — Ida Stricker
• 2016Operator — Pauline 'Roger' Rogers
• 2016Other People — Nina
• 2015Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip — Party Planner
• 2015Come Simi — Nurse Lipps
• 2015Rebel on Ice — Self, Director
• Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce — Barbara
• 2014Muffin Top: A Love Story — Leah
• 2014Sex Ed — Sydney
• Drunk History — Sylvia Robinson
• Key & Peele — Woman
• Bob's Burgers — Animal Control Officer (voice)
• Bubble Guppies — General Yuck (voice)
• Parks and Recreation — Donna Meagle
• 2008First Sunday — Roberta
• 2008Kissing Cousins — Shawna the Chef
• 2007Dragon Wars: D-War — Receptionist Nurse
• 2007Fracture — Evidence Room Cop
• Lipshitz Saves the World — Virginia
• 2007Sex and Death 101 — Ethel Walters (#100)
• Freddie — Joan
• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia — Hardware Store Clerk
• 2003Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star — Sad Eye Sadie
• Jimmy Kimmel Live! — Heckler
• 2002Slackers — Bruna
• Moesha

Appearances as themselves (20)

• Good Hang with Amy Poehler — Self - Guest
• 202380 for Brady — Self
• 2023Schoolhouse Rock! 50th Anniversary Singalong — Self
• The Jennifer Hudson Show — Self
• Ugliest House in America — Self - Host
• Celebrity Wheel of Fortune — Self - Contestant
• A Little Late with Lilly Singh — Self
• The Kelly Clarkson Show — Self
• 2018A Legendary Christmas with John & Chrissy — Self
• Carpool Karaoke: The Series — Self
• Match Game — Self - Panelist
• The $100,000 Pyramid — Self - Guest
• To Tell the Truth — Self - Panelist
• Celebrity Name Game — Self
• Late Night with Seth Meyers — Self, Self - Guest
• Hollywood Game Night — Self
• Critics' Choice Television Awards — Self - Host
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen — Self - Guest
• Comedy Central Presents — Self
• LIVE with Kelly and Mark — Self - Guest