Elizabeth Perkins

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Elizabeth Perkins
Perkins in 2008
Born (1960-11-18) November 18, 1960
New York City, U.S.
EducationDePaul University
OccupationActress
Years active1984–present
Spouses
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    (m. 1984; div. 1988)​
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      (m. 2000)​
      Children1

      Elizabeth Perkins (born November 18, 1960[1]) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in films including About Last Night (1986), From the Hip (1987), Big (1988), Enid Is Sleeping (1990), The Flintstones (1994), Miracle on 34th Street (1994), Moonlight and Valentino (1995), The Ring Two (2005) and Hop (2011). She is also well known for her role as Celia Hodes in the Showtime TV series Weeds, for which she received three Primetime Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations.

      Early life

      Perkins's paternal grandparents were Greek immigrants from Thessaloniki who anglicized their surname from "Pisperikos" to "Perkins" when they moved to the United States.[2][3][4]

      Perkins was raised in Colrain, Massachusetts; her parents divorced in 1963.[5] She began working in theatre with Arena Civic Theatre, a non-profit community theatre group based in Greenfield, Massachusetts.[6] Perkins attended Northfield Mount Hermon School, an elite preparatory school, and then spent 1978 to 1981 in Chicago attaining her Certificate in Acting from the Goodman School of Drama at DePaul University.[5] In 1984, she made her theatrical debut on Broadway in Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs[7] and afterward worked in a number of ensemble companies, including The New York Shakespeare Festival and the Steppenwolf Theater.[8]

      Career

      Perkins was listed as one of the 12 "Promising New Actors of 1986" in John Willis' Screen World. She made her film debut in 1986 in Edward Zwick's About Last Night... and had a career breakthrough co-starring with Tom Hanks in Big. She received critical acclaim for her performance in Barry Levinson's Avalon,[9] and was a standout opposite William Hurt in The Doctor (1991), receiving critical acclaim for her performance as a terminal cancer patient.[5] In 1993, Perkins appeared in the television project For Their Own Good.[10] She later starred in the comedy series Battery Park and has appeared in television and films, including 1994's The Flintstones (starring as Wilma Flintstone) and Miracle on 34th Street (starring as Dorey Walker), and 2000's 28 Days (starring as Sandra Bullock's sister). Perkins also played a small voice role in 2003's Finding Nemo as Coral, a clownfish who is Marlin's wife and Nemo's mother who is killed and devoured by a barracuda at the beginning of the film. Perkins also appeared as a psychiatrist in 2005's The Ring Two, starring Naomi Watts.

      From 2005 to 2009, Perkins played Celia Hodes, an alcoholic and image-obsessed parent–teacher association (PTA) mother, alongside Mary-Louise Parker and Justin Kirk on the Showtime series Weeds. For her work on Weeds, Perkins received two Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Miniseries or Made for TV Motion Picture (in 2006 and 2007).[5] She was also nominated three times for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Weeds.[5] At a screening of the season 2 finale of Weeds, at the Museum of TV and Radio on October 25, 2006, Perkins said that she considers Celia Hodes her favorite role in her career.[5] On May 6, 2010, she announced that the fifth season of Weeds was her last despite the cliffhanger her character had in the season finale.[11]

      She starred in the 2013 ABC comedy series How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life).[12] She played Birdie in the Netflix original series GLOW and Jackie O'Neill in the HBO miniseries Sharp Objects.[13]

      Personal life

      Perkins married Terry Kinney in 1984; they divorced in 1988.[14] She has one daughter with Maurice Phillips. In 2000, she married Argentine-born cinematographer Julio Macat, gaining three stepsons: Maximillian, Alexander and Andreas.[15] In 2005, at the age of 44, she learned that she had latent autoimmune diabetes, a form of type 1 diabetes that is most often diagnosed in middle age.[16]

      In 2017, Perkins held a sign naming actor James Woods above the hashtag #MeToo during a rally against sexual harassment in Los Angeles.[17]

      Filmography

      Film

      Year Title Role Notes Ref.
      1986 About Last Night Joan
      1987 From the Hip Jo Ann
      1988 Big Susan Lawrence
      Sweet Hearts Dance Adie Nims
      1990 Love at Large Stella Wynkowski
      Enid Is Sleeping June
      Avalon Ann Kaye
      1991 He Said, She Said Lorie Bryer
      The Doctor June Ellis
      1993 Indian Summer Jennifer Morton
      1994 The Flintstones Wilma Flintstone
      Miracle on 34th Street Dorey Walker
      1995 Moonlight and Valentino Rebecca Trager Lott
      1997 Lesser Prophets Susan
      1998 I'm Losing You Aubrey Wicker
      1999 Crazy in Alabama Joan Blake
      2000 28 Days Lily Cummings
      2001 Cats & Dogs Carolyn Brody
      2002 All I Want Blanche AKA, Try Seventeen
      2003 Finding Nemo Coral Voice
      2004 Gilded Stones Polly Short film
      Speak Joyce Sordino
      Jiminy Glick in Lalawood Miranda Coolidge
      2005 The Ring Two Dr. Emma Temple
      The Thing About My Folks Rachel Kleinman
      Must Love Dogs Carol Nolan
      Fierce People Mrs. Langley
      Kids in America Sondra Carmichael
      2009 Le chat est mort Rhonda Short film
      2011 Hop Bonnie O'Hare
      2016 Super Sex Jane Short film
      Ghostbusters Phyllis Adler Extended cut
      2021 My Little Pony: A New Generation Phyllis Cloverleaf Voice role[18]
      2023 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Aunt May Parker
      2025 Another Simple Favor Margaret McLanden
      The Housemaid Evelyn Winchester

      Television

      Year Title Role Notes Ref.
      1992 Roseanne Lois Episode: "Bingo"
      1993 For Their Own Good Sally Wheeler Television film
      1997 Cloned Skye Weston
      Rescuers: Stories of Courage: Two Women Gertruda Babilinska
      1998 From the Earth to the Moon Marilyn Lovell Episode: "The Original Wives Club"
      2000 If These Walls Could Talk 2 Alice Hedley Television film
      Battery Park Captain Madeline Dunleavy 6 episodes
      2001 What Girls Learn Mama Television film
      2002 My Sister's Keeper Judy Chapman
      2002–04 King of the Hill Jan Shaw, Mrs. Ashmore, Sherilyn (voice) Episodes: "Get Your Freak Off," "How I Learned to Stop Worrying," "The Redneck on Rainey Street"
      2005 Hercules Alcmene 2 episodes
      2005–09 Weeds Celia Hodes 63 episodes
      2009 Monk Christine Rapp Episode: "Mr. Monk's Favorite Show"
      2011 Vince Uncensored Janet Donohue Television film
      The Closer Gail Meyers Episode: "Road Block"
      2013 How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) Elaine Green 13 episodes
      2014 Hell's Kitchen Herself Episode: "15 Chefs Compete"
      How to Get Away with Murder Marren Trudeau Episode: "Let's Get to Scooping"
      One Child Katherine Ashley 3 episodes
      2017–22 This Is Us Janet Malone 6 episodes
      2017–19 GLOW Birdie 2 episodes
      2017 Curb Your Enthusiasm Marilyn
      2018 Sharp Objects Jackie O'Neill 8 episodes
      2019 Corporate The Accountant Episode: "The Expense Report"
      2019–21 The Moodys Ann Moody Main role[19]
      2019–20 Truth Be Told Melanie Cave
      2022 Barry Diane Villa 3 episodes
      2023 The Afterparty Isabel Minnows Main role (Season 2)
      Minx Constance 7 episodes
      The Morning Show Elena Episode: "Update Your Priors"
      2026 Big Mistakes Annette 5 episodes [20]
      Cry Wolf [21]

      Awards and nominations

      Awards and nominations
      Year Award Category Production Result Ref.
      1992 CFCA Award Best Supporting Actress The Doctor Nominated
      2005 Satellite Award Outstanding Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical Weeds Nominated
      2006 Satellite Award Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, or TV Movie Nominated
      Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, or TV Movie Nominated
      Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated
      2007 Nominated
      Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
      Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, or TV Movie Nominated
      Golden Nymph Outstanding Actress – Comedy Series Nominated
      2009 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated
      Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
      2019 Critics' Choice Television Award Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries[22] Sharp Objects Nominated

      References

      1. "Today's famous birthdays list for November 18, 2021 includes celebrities Owen Wilson, Chloe Sevigny". Cleveland.com. November 18, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
      2. "'Big' star relates to 'Avalon' role Article from Chicago Sun-Times". HighBeam Research. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
      3. "Elizabeth Perkins Biography – Yahoo! Movies". Movies.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on May 22, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
      4. "– 20Q – Elizabeth Perkins – Interview With Elizabeth Perkins". Playboy.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
      5. Perkins, Elizabeth (October 22, 2009). "Biography". elizabeth-perkins.org. Archived from the original on May 4, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
      6. Arena Civic Theatre Boston Globe August 10, 1978
      7. Movie's stars reflect on their roles and relationships by Philip Wuntch The Dallas Morning News, July 6, 1986
      8. Perkins Finds a Role to Sink Sharp Teeth Into by JAN BRESLAUER Los Angeles Times November 17, 1995
      9. Elizabeth Perkins Biography, DreamWorks April 11, 2005
      10. Elizabeth Perkins Biography, Warner Brothers
      11. "Elizabeth Perkins is leaving 'Weeds.' Who needs a margarita?". Entertainment Weekly. May 6, 2010. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
      12. Producer Claudia Lonow On ABC's 'How To Live With Your Parents': TCA,Deadline Hollywood, July 27, 2012. Played Birdie in the Netflix original show GLOW.
      13. Andreeva, Nellie (March 13, 2017). "Elizabeth Perkins & Madison Davenport To Co-Star In 'Sharp Objects' HBO Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 13, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
      14. Chicago Sun Times Perkins doctors up career after 'Big' break by Luaine Lee, August 30, 1991
      15. According to Parade Magazine (August 5, 2007)
      16. "Shock & Awesome" Archived October 22, 2019, at the Wayback Machine. (February 2008) Diabetes Forecast Magazine. Accessed July 5, 2009.
      17. "Elizabeth Perkins Names James Woods During March Against Sexual Harassment". HuffPost. November 13, 2017.
      18. Bonaime, Ross (June 30, 2021). "'My Little Pony: A New Generation' Netflix Film Reveals Release Date and Cast". Collider. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
      19. Andreeva, Nellie (August 14, 2019). "Elizabeth Perkins To Star In Fox's 'The Moodys' Holiday Event Comedy Series". Deadline Hollywood.
      20. Petski, Denise (August 13, 2025). "Dan Levy's Netflix Comedy Series 'Big Mistakes' Rounds Out Cast With 8 As Production Begins". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
      21. Petski, Denise (February 9, 2026). "FX Series 'Cry Wolf' Casts Dane DeHaan, Atticus & Elizabeth Perkins". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
      22. "Best Supporting Actress in a Movie Made for Television or Limited Series - Critics' Choice Awards: 'Roma,' 'Americans,' 'Mrs. Maisel' Top Winners". The Hollywood Reporter. January 13, 2019.