---
name: "Elizabeth Perkins"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/elizabeth-perkins"
fi1m_id: "elizabeth-perkins"
imdb_id: "nm0001610"
tmdb_id: 20
wikidata_id: "Q232047"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "18 November 1960"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 8
average_fi1m_score: 80
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 7
updated: "2026-09-23T23:53:06.454257+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Elizabeth Perkins

## Identity

Elizabeth Perkins

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/elizabeth-perkins
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** elizabeth-perkins
- **IMDb ID:** nm0001610
- **TMDB ID:** 20
- **Wikidata ID:** Q232047
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Perkins, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q232047, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001610/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/20

Actor. Born 18 November 1960 in Queens, New York USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 18 November 1960, Queens, New York USA
- **Active:** 1988–present
- **Also known as:** Elizabeth Ann Perkins
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 8: 7 acting, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Paul Feig](https://film.one/person/paul-feig.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 80, as actor, over 7 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 81 (1), 2000s 80 (2), 2010s 78 (3), 2020s 74 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 80 to 78 across 7 titles
- **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 2 of 4 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 4, Comedy 3, Crime 3, Adventure 2, Animation 2, Mystery 2
- **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $2,183m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Perkins, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q232047, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001610/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/20

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Sharp Objects*](https://film.one/tv/sharp-objects.md) (84)
- **Disney+:** [*Big*](https://film.one/film/big.md) (81)
- **Paramount+:** [*Weeds*](https://film.one/tv/weeds.md) (76)
- **Apple TV:** [*The Housemaid*](https://film.one/film/the-housemaid.md) (66)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Elizabeth Perkins

> Elizabeth Perkins gives sharp-tongued women the intelligence to make their disapproval interesting. We value her brittle wit, and wish more roles allowed her the vulnerability she can bring as readily as a sharp remark.

Elizabeth Perkins gets two scenes as Andrew’s mother in Paul Feig’s *The Housemaid* (2025), and makes both count. Her imperious Mrs Winchester is the sort of woman she plays well: certain of her standing and disinclined to make anyone else comfortable. We were frustrated by how little time she was given, because that authority makes us want to watch her rather than wait for the next plot development. The film itself is uneven, with a drifting first hour before it becomes more entertaining. Perkins is a reason to pay attention, not a reason to overlook the wait.

Her film debut was *About Last Night* (1986), but *Big* (1988), playing Susan opposite Tom Hanks, was the breakthrough. Penny Marshall keeps the comedy gentle, and we recommend it despite a sweetness that makes adult life look too easily dismissed. Hanks’s convincing sense of a child’s uncertainty is central to its warmth. Perkins’s place opposite him points towards a recurring use of her talent: the intelligent supporting player who gives the lead someone substantial to act against. That can be rewarding work, provided the woman is allowed interests beyond the leading man.

*Avalon* (1990), directed by Barry Levinson, and June Ellis in *The Doctor* (1991) kept her feature work from being confined to comedy. The vulnerability and sadness of the latter are worth remembering when the sharper characters threaten to define her. Television brought a substantial part in *Weeds* (2005), as Celia Hodes, a status-obsessed PTA mother with ample use for Perkins’s comic timing. Here was a part suited to her ability to make a controlling woman funny without making her seem unintelligent. Some later seasons, however, left Celia underused.

We would welcome more parts that ask her to do something other than disapprove. The sadness in *The Doctor* is evidence enough that she has more to offer. *The Housemaid* gives us another effective small appearance without much room to explore what else she might do. Start with *Big*; approach the Feig film with patience, and do not expect a generous helping of Perkins.

## Biography

Elizabeth Perkins is an American actress. Born on 18 November 1960 in Queens, New York, she trained at the Goodman School of Drama at DePaul University in Chicago and began her career in theatre, including a Broadway role in Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs.

She made her film debut in About Last Night... (1986) and gained prominence with roles in Big (1988), Avalon (1990), The Flintstones (1994) and Miracle on 34th Street (1994). Other film credits include The Ring Two (2005) and voice work as Coral in Finding Nemo (2003).

On television, Perkins is known for playing Celia Hodes in the series Weeds (2005–2009), earning three Primetime Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations. She has also appeared in How to Get Away with Murder and This Is Us. In 2025 she played Mrs. Winchester in the film The Housemaid.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (8)

### Performed in (7) — the average rests on these

- *The Housemaid* (2025), Fi1m 66, as Mrs. Winchester — [page](https://film.one/film/the-housemaid.md)
- *Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse* (2023), Fi1m 82, as May / Quippy Spider-Person (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse.md)
- *Barry* (2018), Fi1m 85, as Diane Villa — [page](https://film.one/tv/barry.md)
- *Sharp Objects* (2018), Fi1m 84, as Jackie O'Neill — [page](https://film.one/tv/sharp-objects.md)
- *Weeds* (2005), Fi1m 76, as Celia Hodes — [page](https://film.one/tv/weeds.md)
- *Finding Nemo* (2003), Fi1m 85, as Coral (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/finding-nemo.md)
- *Big* (1988), Fi1m 81, as Susan — [page](https://film.one/film/big.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Ghostbusters* (2016), Fi1m 64, as Phyllis Adler (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/ghostbusters-2016.md)

## Complete filmography (66)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass* (2026), as Elizabeth Perkins
- *The Housemaid* (2025), as Mrs. Winchester — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/the-housemaid.md)
- *Another Simple Favor* (2025), as Margaret McLanden
- *Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse* (2023), as May / Quippy Spider-Person (voice) — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse.md)
- *Minx* (2022), series, as Constance
- *The Afterparty* (2022), series, as Isabel
- *My Little Pony: A New Generation* (2021), as Phyllis (voice)
- *Truth Be Told* (2019), series, as Melanie Cave
- *The Moodys* (2019), series, as Ann Moody · Executive Producer
- *The Morning Show* (2019), series, as Elena
- *Le Chat Est Mort* (2019), as Rhonda
- *Sharp Objects* (2018), series, as Jackie O'Neill — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/sharp-objects.md)
- *Barry* (2018), series, as Diane Villa — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/tv/barry.md)
- *GLOW* (2017), series, as Birdie Howard — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/glow.md)
- *This Is Us* (2016), series, as Janet Malone — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/this-is-us.md)
- *Ghostbusters* (2016), as Phyllis Adler (uncredited) — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/ghostbusters-2016.md)
- *Super Sex* (2016), as Jane
- *One Child* (2014), series, as Katherine Arthurton
- *How to Get Away with Murder* (2014), series, as Marren Trudeau
- *How to Live With Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)* (2013), series, as Elaine Green
- *Hop* (2011), as Bonnie O'Hare
- *Fierce People* (2006), as Mrs. Langley
- *Kids in America* (2005), as Sondra Carmichael
- *Weeds* (2005), series, as Celia Hodes — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/weeds.md)
- *Must Love Dogs* (2005), as Carol
- *The Closer* (2005), series, as Gail Meyers
- *The Thing About My Folks* (2005), as Rachel Kleinman
- *Hercules* (2005), series, as Alcmene
- *Jiminy Glick in Lalawood* (2005), as Miranda Coolidge
- *The Ring Two* (2005), as Dr. Emma Temple
- *Speak* (2004), as Joyce Sordino
- *Finding Nemo* (2003), as Coral (voice) — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/finding-nemo.md)
- *Try Seventeen* (2002), as Blanche
- *Monk* (2002), series, as Christine Rapp
- *My Sister's Keeper* (2002), as Judy Chapman
- *What Girls Learn* (2001), as Mama
- *Cats & Dogs* (2001), as Mrs. Brody
- *Curb Your Enthusiasm* (2000), series, as Marilyn — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/curb-your-enthusiasm.md)
- *28 Days* (2000), as Lily Cummings
- *Battery Park* (2000), series, as Madeline Dunleavy
- *If These Walls Could Talk 2* (2000), as Alice Hedley
- *1961* (2000), as Alice Hedley
- *Crazy in Alabama* (1999), as Joan Blake
- *I'm Losing You* (1998), as Aubrey Wicker
- *From the Earth to the Moon* (1998), series, as Marilyn Lovell
- *Lesser Prophets* (1997), as Susan
- *Rescuers: Stories of Courage - Two Women* (1997), as Gertruda Babilinska (segment "Mamusha")
- *Cloned* (1997), as Skye Weston
- *King of the Hill* (1997), series, as Jan Shaw (voice), Mrs. Ashmore (voice), Ruth Brown / Sherilyn (voice) — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/king-of-the-hill-1997.md)
- *Moonlight and Valentino* (1995), as Rebecca Trager Lott
- *Miracle on 34th Street* (1994), as Dorey Walker
- *The Flintstones* (1994), as Wilma Flintstone
- *Indian Summer* (1993), as Jennifer Morton
- *For Their Own Good* (1993), as Sally Wheeler
- *The Doctor* (1991), as June
- *He Said, She Said* (1991), as Lorraine "Lorie" Bryer
- *Avalon* (1990), as Ann Kaye
- *Enid Is Sleeping* (1990), as Jane
- *Love at Large* (1990), as Stella Wynkowski
- *Teach 109* (1990), as Dr. Garrett
- *Sweet Hearts Dance* (1988), as Adie Nims
- *Big* (1988), as Susan — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/big.md)
- *From the Hip* (1987), as Jo Ann
- *About Last Night...* (1986), as Joan
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Dr. Garrett (segment 'Teach 109')
- *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Judy Chapman

## Gallery

- ![Elizabeth Perkins](https://film.one/media/person/7502/gallery-293895757cc0.jpg) Elizabeth Perkins — Kristin Dos Santos, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Elizabeth_Perkins_2008.jpg/1280px-Elizabeth_Perkins_2008.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Elizabeth Perkins](https://film.one/media/person/7502/gallery-55c459725fd4.jpg) Elizabeth Perkins — Image via TMDB
- ![Elizabeth Perkins](https://film.one/media/person/7502/gallery-096353acada5.jpg) Elizabeth Perkins — Image via TMDB
- ![Elizabeth Perkins](https://film.one/media/person/7502/gallery-7e1445277353.jpg) Elizabeth Perkins — Image via TMDB
- ![Elizabeth Perkins](https://film.one/media/person/7502/gallery-2adbb7ecf47c.jpg) Elizabeth Perkins — Image via TMDB
- ![Elizabeth Perkins](https://film.one/media/person/7502/gallery-bcad48f13141.jpg) Elizabeth Perkins — Image via TMDB
- ![Elizabeth Perkins](https://film.one/media/person/7502/gallery-953b11ed1d7f.jpg) Elizabeth Perkins — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/elizabeth-perkins