Rhea Perlman

Award-winning actress Rhea Perlman graduated with a BA from Hunter College in 1968. Having studied theatre and drama as a Hunter student, she began her prolific acting career with small roles in Off Off Broadway productions and bit roles in films. One of her first notable performances was a recurring role on the television show Taxi, playing Zena, the girlfriend of Perlman’s future husband, Danny DeVito.

Her breakout role, sassy waitress Carla Tortelli on Cheers, has been called one of the most memorable television characters of all time. Perlman was nominated for eleven Emmy Awards, winning four times over the course of the series. She was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress six times. Other screen and stage work includes The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife; Love, Loss and What I Wore; The Mindy Project; Sing; and You People.

Perlman is also the author of the illustrated children's book series Otto Undercover. In 2002 she was honored by Hunter College with an honorary Doctorate of Arts during the Spring commencement ceremony. Recently, Perlman played Ruth Handler, the inventor of the Barbie doll, in the 2023 megahit Barbie directed by Greta Gerwig. Also in 2023, she made a long-awaited return to the New York stage in the title role of Let’s Call Her Patty at LCT3 at Lincoln Center Theater.