---
name: "Mary Elizabeth Ellis"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/mary-elizabeth-ellis"
fi1m_id: "mary-elizabeth-ellis"
imdb_id: "nm1634944"
tmdb_id: 139309
wikidata_id: "Q1103579"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "11 May 1979"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 68
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-10-01T00:20:12.297207+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."
---

# Mary Elizabeth Ellis

## Identity

Mary Elizabeth Ellis

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/mary-elizabeth-ellis
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** mary-elizabeth-ellis
- **IMDb ID:** nm1634944
- **TMDB ID:** 139309
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1103579
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Elizabeth_Ellis, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1103579, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1634944/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/139309

Actor. Born 11 May 1979 in Laurel, Mississippi, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 11 May 1979, Laurel, Mississippi, USA
- **Active:** 2005–present
- **Average Fi1m score:** 68, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2010s 78 (1), 2020s 65 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 68 to 67 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 4, Crime 2, Action 1, Adventure 1, Drama 1, Fantasy 1
- **Screen time:** 4 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $219m across 2 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Elizabeth_Ellis, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1103579, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1634944/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/139309

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Licorice Pizza*](https://film.one/film/licorice-pizza.md) (80), [*Red One*](https://film.one/film/red-one.md) (44)
- **Netflix:** [*A Man on the Inside*](https://film.one/tv/a-man-on-the-inside.md) (72)

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

## Biography

Mary Elizabeth Ellis is an American actress. She was born on 11 May 1979 in Laurel, Mississippi, and graduated from Southern Methodist University in 2001.

She is best known for her recurring role as The Waitress on the FX series *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia* (2005–present). Other television credits include Caroline on *New Girl* (2011–2018), Lisa Palmer on *Santa Clarita Diet* (2017–2019), and roles on *House* (2006) and *The Grinder* (2015–2016).

Her film work includes Momma Anita in *Licorice Pizza* (2021), Paula in *Godmothered* (2020), Michelle Chambers in *Masterminds* (2016), and Olivia in *Red One* (2024). She co-wrote and starred in the independent film *A Quiet Little Marriage* (2008). Ellis is married to actor Charlie Day.

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

## On Fi1m (4)

- *A Man on the Inside* (2024), Fi1m 72, as Emily Nieuwendyk-Piñero — [page](https://film.one/tv/a-man-on-the-inside.md)
- *Red One* (2024), Fi1m 44, as Olivia — [page](https://film.one/film/red-one.md)
- *Licorice Pizza* (2021), Fi1m 80, as Momma Anita — [page](https://film.one/film/licorice-pizza.md)
- *Brooklyn Nine-Nine* (2013), Fi1m 78, as Dr. Rossi — [page](https://film.one/tv/brooklyn-nine-nine.md)

## Complete filmography (37)

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

- *SURPRISE* (2026), as Amber · Writer, Producer
- *A Man on the Inside* (2024), series, as Emily Nieuwendyk-Piñero — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/a-man-on-the-inside.md)
- *Red One* (2024), as Olivia — Fi1m 44, [page](https://film.one/film/red-one.md)
- *It's Florida, Man.* (2024), series, as Mia
- *1 in the Chamber* (2024), as Janice
- *Last to Leave* (2024), as Blonde · Executive Producer, Director
- *Fool's Paradise* (2023), as Makeup Woman #1
- *Unstable* (2023), series, as Barbie
- *Licorice Pizza* (2021), as Momma Anita — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/licorice-pizza.md)
- *How It Ends* (2021), as Kristia
- *Godmothered* (2020), as Paula
- *The Cool Kids* (2018), series, as MJ
- *Lodge 49* (2018), series, Actor
- *The Truth About Lies* (2018), as Sharon
- *Mother, May I Dance with Mary Jane's Fist?: A Lifetone Original Movie* (2018), as Mary Jane Stevens · Writer
- *Don't Mess with Julie Whitfield* (2017), as Rachel Schneider
- *Santa Clarita Diet* (2017), series, as Lisa Palmer
- *Masterminds* (2016), as Michelle Chambers
- *Bajillion Dollar Propertie$* (2016), series, as Wivian Turnter
- *The Grinder* (2015), series, as Debbie Sanderson
- *The Last Time You Had Fun* (2015), as Alison
- *Brooklyn Nine-Nine* (2013), series, as Dr. Rossi — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/brooklyn-nine-nine.md)
- *Georgia* (2012), series, as Georgia
- *Well Enough Alone* (2012), as The Guy's Girl
- *New Girl* (2011), series, as Caroline — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/new-girl.md)
- *Up All Night* (2011), series, as Connie
- *Happy Endings* (2011), series, as Daphne Wilson
- *Perfect Couples* (2010), series, as Amy
- *The Nightman Cometh: Live* (2009), as The Waitress
- *A Quiet Little Marriage* (2008), as Olive · Story
- *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia* (2005), series, as Waitress
- *House* (2004), series, as Sophie — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/house-2004.md)
- *Cracking Up* (2004), series, as Jennifer
- *Cold Case* (2003), series, as Shelly Reid
- *Reno 911!* (2003), series, as Inbred Twin
- *Without a Trace* (2002), series, as Sally Price
- *Ditched*, as Lauren

## Gallery

- ![Actress Mary Elizabeth Ellis on the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia panel at the 2010 San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California.](https://film.one/media/person/10514/gallery-5ae951c0b3d2.jpg) Actress Mary Elizabeth Ellis on the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia panel at the 2010 San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California. — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Mary_Elizabeth_Ellis_%284842608521%29.jpg/1280px-Mary_Elizabeth_Ellis_%284842608521%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Mary Elizabeth Ellis](https://film.one/media/person/10514/gallery-08c6440ff1e7.jpg) Mary Elizabeth Ellis — Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Mary_Elizabeth_Ellis_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg/1280px-Mary_Elizabeth_Ellis_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Mary Elizabeth Ellis](https://film.one/media/person/10514/gallery-0253171255a1.jpg) Mary Elizabeth Ellis — Image via TMDB
- ![Mary Elizabeth Ellis](https://film.one/media/person/10514/gallery-94ca691b9344.jpg) Mary Elizabeth Ellis — Image via TMDB
- ![Mary Elizabeth Ellis](https://film.one/media/person/10514/gallery-48b7605859c1.jpg) Mary Elizabeth Ellis — 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/mary-elizabeth-ellis