Rhea Perlman

Rhea Perlman Bio

Rhea Jo Perlman, born March 31, 1948, is an American actress and author whose career has stretched from the early 1970s to the present. She is best known for playing the sharp-tongued barmaid Carla Tortelli on the long-running NBC sitcom Cheers, a role she held for all 11 seasons of the series. Perlman is also a published writer of children’s fiction and continues to take on notable screen roles well into her seventies.

Across her decades-long career, Perlman has earned four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and has been nominated for the honor a total of ten times. She has also collected multiple Golden Globe nominations in the same category. Beyond television, she has built a varied film résumé that includes dramatic, comedic, and family-oriented projects, while remaining a recognizable face to American audiences of several generations.

Early Life and Background

Rhea Jo Perlman was born on March 31, 1948, in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Her father, Philip Perlman, was a Polish Jewish immigrant who worked as a manager at a doll parts factory, and her mother, Adele Perlman, was a bookkeeper. The family later settled in nearby Bensonhurst, where Perlman grew up in a Jewish household with additional roots in Russia. She has a younger sister, Heide Perlman, who went on to become a television writer, story editor, and producer, eventually working on Cheers, Frasier, and The Tracey Ullman Show.

Perlman discovered an interest in performance during her school years, which led her to study drama at Hunter College in New York City. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the college in 1968, finishing her formal training before fully committing to acting work. Her family background gave her an early appreciation for storytelling and humor, traits that would later shape the quick-witted characters she became known for portraying on screen. Film director Randall Miller is also a member of the Perlman family, serving as Rhea’s cousin.

Path to Acting

Perlman began her professional acting career with a small role as an attendant in the off-off-Broadway production Dracula Sabbat, which ran from September 1970 to June 1971. In 1972, she took a bit part in the film Hot Dogs for Gauguin. That same year, she appeared in the Westbeth Playwrights Feminist Collective’s production of Up – An Uppity Revue, a stage experience that introduced her to the actor Danny DeVito, who would become a major presence in both her personal and professional life.

One of her first recurring television roles came on the sitcom Taxi, where she played Zena, the sweet girlfriend of Louie De Palma, a character portrayed by DeVito. The part offered her a steady platform and connected her with writers and performers who worked in the same comedy circles. After a brief stint in a small play portraying a much tougher character, Perlman caught the attention of producers Glen and Les Charles, who cast her in what would become the defining role of her career.

Rhea Perlman Career

Early Career (1970–1981)

Throughout the early 1970s, Perlman built her résumé through a mix of stage work, small film parts, and television guest appearances. Her off-off-Broadway start in Dracula Sabbat and her role in Up – An Uppity Revue allowed her to develop a foundation in live performance. These early projects were modest in scale but helped her sharpen her comedic timing and stage presence.

Her recurring role on Taxi gave her broader exposure and allowed her to work alongside some of the most popular comedy performers of the era. While the show did not turn her into a household name on its own, it established her as a reliable supporting player and opened doors to larger opportunities. By the end of the decade, she had built the kind of industry relationships that would soon lead to her biggest break.

Breakthrough (1982–1993)

In 1982, Perlman was cast as Carla Tortelli on the NBC sitcom Cheers, created by Glen and Les Charles. The show struggled with ratings during its first season, but it eventually became one of the most popular and successful sitcoms of all time, winning 20 Emmy Awards out of 95 total nominations before ending its run in 1993. Perlman’s portrayal of the witty, opinionated barmaid quickly became a fan favorite and a critical standout.

She won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series four times, in 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1989, cementing her place among the most honored performers in the cast. Over the course of 11 seasons, she was nominated for an Emmy every year except 1992, giving her the most wins and nominations of any Cheers regular. She was also nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film six times, a record for that category.

During her time on Cheers, Perlman also branched out into other projects. In 1986, she starred in an episode of Steven Spielberg’s anthology series Amazing Stories titled The Wedding Ring, in which her husband Danny DeVito appeared as her character’s husband. Her work on Cheers also kept her in close creative contact with her sister Heide, who contributed to the show’s writing room.

Notable Works and Milestones

Beyond Cheers, Perlman built a varied film and television presence, starring in motion pictures such as There Goes The Neighborhood (1992), Canadian Bacon (1995), Carpool (1996), Sunset Park (1996), and Matilda (1996). She also lent her voice to the Circle-Vision 360° attraction The Timekeeper at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in 1994. In 2023, she earned wide critical praise for her portrayal of Barbie creator Ruth Handler in Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster film Barbie, introducing her work to a new generation of viewers.

Rhea Perlman Award Nominations

Over the course of her career, Rhea Jo Perlman has earned a remarkable number of nominations recognizing her work in television comedy. In addition to her Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, she has received multiple Golden Globe nominations in the supporting actress category. Her consistent recognition from major industry bodies reflects the long-running popularity of Cheers and the lasting impression her portrayal of Carla Tortelli left on both audiences and voters.

Rhea Perlman Awards Won

Rhea Jo Perlman has won four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, all for her portrayal of Carla Tortelli on Cheers. Her Emmy wins came in 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1989, placing her among the most decorated supporting performers in American television comedy. These victories remain the cornerstone of her award legacy and are tied directly to the character that defined her career.

Rhea Perlman Family

Rhea Jo Perlman married actor Danny DeVito on January 28, 1982, after meeting him on January 17, 1971, at a performance of the play The Shrinking Bride. The couple share three children: daughters Lucy DeVito and Grace Fan DeVito, and son Jacob Daniel DeVito. Perlman’s sister, Heide Perlman, is a television writer and producer who worked on Cheers, while film director Randall Miller is her cousin. Perlman and DeVito also have two grandchildren.

Personal Life

Perlman and DeVito separated in October 2012, briefly reconciled in early 2013, and then separated again in March 2017 on amicable terms. Although they no longer live together, Perlman has publicly stated that she has no intention of divorcing DeVito, and in 2019 she told interviewer Andy Cohen that the two had become closer friends after their separation than they were in their final years as a couple. The family has resided in Beverly Hills, California, and the couple also owned a vacation home in Interlaken, New Jersey. Perlman and DeVito have acted alongside each other multiple times, including on the sitcom Taxi and in the feature film Matilda.