Retta
Retta | |
---|---|
Born | Marietta Sangai Sirleaf April 12, 1970 Newark, New Jersey,U.S. |
Education | Duke University(BA) |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1997–present |
Relatives | Ellen Johnson Sirleaf(aunt) |
Marietta Sangai Sirleaf[1][2](born April 12, 1970), known professionally asRetta,is an Americanstand-upcomedian and actress. She is best known for her roles ofDonna MeagleonNBC'sParks and Recreationand Ruby Hill on NBC'sGood Girls.[3]She has appeared in several films and television shows, and has performed stand-up onComedy Central'sPremium Blend.
Early life and education
[edit]Retta was born inNewark, New Jersey.[2]She is ofLiberian descent.[4]She grew up inEdisonand theCliffwood Beachsection ofAberdeen Township, New Jersey,[5]where she attendedMatawan Regional High School,graduating in 1988.[6][7]In 1992, Retta graduated fromDuke UniversityinDurham, North Carolina,where she waspre-medand graduated with a degree in sociology.
Retta was raised as a member of theNew Apostolic Church.In the youth group of her church, her ability to make others laugh was a major talent. When Retta competed in her first TV comedy contest, members from all over the world from the New Apostolic Church voted for her. This contributed to her winning the contest and helped to further her career. In that contest she mentioned her faith and spiritual upbringing.[6][8][9]
Career
[edit]After graduating from Duke, Retta worked as a chemist. In her spare time, she did stand-up at Charlie Goodnights Comedy Club inRaleigh, North Carolina.[10]Eventually, she moved toLos Angelesto pursue a career in comedy.[11]Retta said onWait Wait... Don't Tell Me!that when she started performing stand-up comedy, she decided to call herself Retta rather than explain her name.[12]She started doing standup in 1996, although she said she did not start "earning money" until 1998, when she began touring on the college circuit. Retta said she used to get "really nauseated" before a performance, but that the feeling passed with experience.[13]Retta has said her stand-up material tends to be slightly embellished stories from her regular everyday life, family, and friends.[11][14]
Retta has served as the opening act for such comedians asShirley Hemphilland Bobby Collins.[13]She has made television appearances onBravo'sWelcome to the Parker,E! Entertainment Television'sThe Soup,[14]Freddie,Moesha,It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia,[15]and the "Comedy Divas Showcase" segment ofThe Jenny Jones Show.[16]Retta has also performed onPremium Blend,aComedy Centralshow featuring up-and-coming comedians.[13]
In 2009, Retta started making regular guest appearances on theNBCcomedy seriesParks and RecreationasDonna Meagle,an employee in the Parks Department of the fictional town,Pawnee, Indiana.During a stand-up performance at theUniversity of Illinois at Springfield,Retta said the acting job on the show was stressful because it was unclear how long the show would stay on the air, due to the poor reviews it received during thefirst season.[14]Alan Sepinwall,a television columnist withThe Star-Ledger,saidseason 2episodes ofParks and Recreationafforded more personality and funnier jokes to Donna and other minor characters.[17]She was upgraded to a full-time regular cast member in the third season.[18]
Late 2011, she received a "Best Supporting Actress (Comedy)" nomination at the3rd Indie Soap Awardsforindieweb seriesVampire Mob.[19]
Retta also hosted the3rd Critics' Choice Television Awardsin 2013.[20]In 2014, she appeared onHollywood Game Nightas a contestant along with the other celebritiesPaget Brewster,Michael Chiklis,Mario Lopez,Thomas Lennon,andAlyssa Milano.[21]
In 2015, Retta was one of the audiobook narrators forWelcome to Night Vale,a novel tie-in to theeponymous podcast seriesin which she is the voice of Old Woman Josie.[18]The same year she appeared in season 2 ofBravo'sGirlfriends' Guide to Divorce.[18]
In 2018, Retta co-starred in theNBCseries,Good Girls,oppositeChristina HendricksandMae Whitman.[3]
In 2018, Retta published a series of essays in a book calledSo Close to Being the Sh*t, Y'all Don't Even Know.[22]Where she talks about her journey with weight loss with "bestie" and the joys and adventures of being in the "Hollywood Scene!"
In 2022, Retta signed atalent holding dealwithNBCUniversal.[23]
In 2022, Retta hosted seasons 1-5 ofHGTV's Ugliest House in America..
Personal life
[edit]OnWait Wait... Don't Tell Me!,she said she dated a man fromGeorgiawho nicknamed her Retta because her name Marietta sounded like wherehe came from.[12]
She is a niece by marriage of the formerLiberian presidentEllen Johnson Sirleaf.[4]
Retta is a fan of theLos Angeles Kingshockey team, and presented awards at theNHLaward ceremonies inLas Vegas,in 2014 and 2015.[24][25][26][27][28]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1998 | Ringmaster | Additional voices | |
2002 | Slackers | Bruna | |
2003 | Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star | Sad Eye Sadie | |
2007 | Fracture | Evidence Room Cop | |
2007 | Sex and Death 101 | Ethel | |
2008 | First Sunday | Roberta | |
2014 | Sex Ed | Sydney | |
2015 | Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip | Party Planner | |
2016 | Other People | Nina | |
Operator | Pauline "Roger" Rogers | ||
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life | Ida Stricker | ||
2017 | To the Bone | Lobo | |
Band Aid | Carol | ||
The Lego Ninjago Movie | Maggie the Cheerleader | Voice | |
Where's the Money | Roberta | ||
Father Figures | Annie | ||
2019 | Good Boys | Lucas' Mom | |
2023 | 80 for Brady | Herself | |
Hit Man | Claudette | ||
2024 | The Greatest Hits | Dr. Evelyn Bartlett |
Television
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Moesha | Hostess | Episode: "Double Date" (Season 3, Episode 12) |
2004 | $5.15/Hr | Joy | |
2005 | Freddie | Joan | Episode: "Rich Man, Poor Girl" |
2006 | Rodney | Tanya Evans | Episode: "When Rodney Comes Marching Home" |
2008 | It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | Hardware Store Clerk | Episode: "The Gang Gets Extreme: Home Makeover Edition" |
2009–15, 2020 | Parks and Recreation | Donna Meagle | Recurring (seasons 1–2); Starring/main (seasons 3–7)[a] |
2009 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Heckler | Episode: "#7.46" |
2014, 2015 | Kroll Show | TSA #1, Lara | Episodes: "Krolling Around with Nick Klown" and "Body Bouncers" |
2014 | Drunk History | Sylvia Robinson | Episode: "American Music" |
2014 | Key & Peele | The Woman | Episode: "Sex Addict Wendell" |
2015–18 | Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce | Barbara | Recurring (season 2); Main (season 3–5) |
2018–2021 | Good Girls | Ruby Hill | Main cast |
2019 | Pinky Malinky | Mrs. Malinky (Voice) | Episode: "Snack" |
Where's Waldo? | Wizard Nightingale (Voice) | Episode: "Vienna Voice-Versa" | |
Big Mouth | Duke's Mother (Voice) | Episode: "Duke" | |
2020–21 | DuckTales | Mystical Harp (Voice) | 2 episodes |
2020 | Home Movie: The Princess Bride | The Mother | Episode: "Chapter One: As You Wish"[29] |
2021 | Duncanville | Makeover Station Employee (Voice) | Episode: "Das Banana Boot" |
2022 | Bubble Guppies | General Yuck (Voice) | Episode: “Don’t Yuck My Yum!” |
2022 | Tuca & Bertie | Voice | Episode: "Fledging Day" |
2022–present | Ugliest House in America | Host | [30] |
2023 | The Morning Show | Herself | |
2024 | Elsbeth | Margo Clarke | Episode: "Love Knocked Off" |
Works and publications
[edit]- Retta (2018).So Close to Being the Sh*t, Y'all Don't Even Know.New York: St. Martin's Press.ISBN978-1-250-10934-7.OCLC1001333805.
Notes
[edit]- ^ForParks and Recreation,Retta was credited after the opening title sequence with star billing for seasons 3-5, and was part of the opening title sequence as a main in seasons 6-7
References
[edit]- ^Jung, E. Alex."Retta Has a Story to Tell".Vulture.com, May 23, 2018. [Archivedhttps://web.archive.org/web/20180523214634/https://www.vulture.com/2018/05/retta-has-a-story-to-tell.html] on 05-23-2018
- ^abRetta.Edge.
- ^abRead, Bridget (26 February 2018)."Retta Moves on From Parks and Recreation in Good Girls, But Never Say Never".Vogue.
- ^abChaney, Jen (8 October 2011)."What's the connection between a Nobel Prize winner and 'Parks and Recreation'?".The Washington Post.
- ^Feuer, Ryan."Comedian Retta talks Jersey roots, 'Parks and Rec' and 'Geeks Who Drink'",NJ Advance Media forNJ.com,July 16, 2015. Accessed October 8, 2024. "'Growing up in Jersey makes you a little bit ballsier, a little more outspoken,' says the comedian/actress, who was born in Newark and raised in Edison and Cliffwood Beach."
- ^abFeuer, Ryan (16 July 2015)."Comedian Retta talks Jersey roots, 'Parks and Rec' and 'Geeks Who Drink'".NJ.com.
- ^Pillar 1998(PDF).Matawan Regional High School.1988. pp. 99, 125, 144, 208, 224.
- ^Fishbein, Anne (25 September 2014)."Chatting With" Parks and Recreation's "Retta Sirleaf '92".Duke Magazine.Duke University.
- ^Sangweni, Yolanda (20 September 2012)."7 Reasons You Should Know Parks and Recreation Star, Retta".Essence.
- ^Holder, Christina (25 February 2015)."Retta Sirleaf Returns to Duke"(includes video).Duke Today.Duke University.
- ^abAzzi, Amy (January 28, 2009)."Comedian took long route to comedy".Royal Purple News.University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.RetrievedNovember 17,2009.[permanent dead link]
- ^ab"Best of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me"(Audio podcast).NPR.24 August 2019.
- ^abcEells, Kelly Feser (June 6, 2003)."T-150 seats down for stand-up guys".Ojai Valley News.Archived fromthe originalon July 23, 2011.RetrievedNovember 17,2009.
- ^abcDunn, Valeree (October 14, 2009)."Performer Spotlight on... Retta".UIS Journal.Archived fromthe originalon June 8, 2011.RetrievedNovember 17,2009.
- ^Haynes, Robert (November 17, 2009). "Comedian Retta brings glee to bear country".The Echo.University of Central Arkansas.
- ^Ory, Marie (March 15, 2001)."Laughter -- the medicine of life".The Nicholls Worth.Archived fromthe originalon July 17, 2011.RetrievedNovember 17,2009.
- ^Sepinwall, Alan (November 5, 2009)."Parks and Recreation," Ron and Tammy ": Megan Mullally guests".The Star-Ledger.New Jersey On-Line.RetrievedNovember 6,2009.
- ^abcFeuer, Ryan (16 July 2015)."Comedian Retta talks Jersey roots, 'Parks and Rec' and 'Geeks Who Drink'".Nj.com.Retrieved13 December2015.
- ^"NOMINATIONS: 3rd Annual Indie Soap Awards".Indie Series Awards.We Love Soaps.2011.RetrievedJune 10,2024.
- ^"Awards News: Critics' Choice Nominations".CBS.Retrieved13 December2015.
- ^Snetiker, Marc (15 January 2014)."Retta takes on Mario Lopez in the Olympics on 'Hollywood Game Night' -- EXCLUSIVE".Ew.com.Retrieved13 December2015.
- ^Retta (2018).So Close to Being the Sh*T, Y'all Don't Even Know.New York: St. Martin's Press.ISBN978-1-250-10934-7.OCLC1001333805.
- ^Porter, Rick (January 27, 2022)."Retta Inks Holding Deal at NBCUniversal".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedJanuary 28,2022.
- ^"Retta: How I Became a Hockey Fan".Retrieved9 December2016.
- ^"Hey, Retta, this Tumblr is teaching you all about hockey".The Daily Dot.15 April 2013.Retrieved9 December2016.
- ^"How I Became a Hockey Fan".11 May 2016.Retrieved9 December2016.
- ^"NHL Awards 2015".Retrieved9 December2016.
- ^"NHL releases lineup of presenters and performers for awards show".22 June 2014.Retrieved9 December2016.
- ^Starner, Nina (June 26, 2020)."Quibi just announced a Princess Bride remake you never expected to see".Looper.com.RetrievedJune 26,2020.
- ^Piazza, Bianca (January 7, 2022)."Retta Is Here to Hunt Down the" Ugliest House in America "— How Many Episodes Is the Show?".Distractify.RetrievedJanuary 24,2022.
External links
[edit]- 1970 births
- Actresses from Newark, New Jersey
- African-American female comedians
- African-American actresses
- American film actresses
- American people of Liberian descent
- American stand-up comedians
- American television actresses
- American women comedians
- Living people
- Matawan Regional High School alumni
- Duke University Trinity College of Arts and Sciences alumni
- 21st-century American actresses
- 21st-century American comedians
- Shorty Award winners
- 21st-century African-American women
- 21st-century African-American people
- 20th-century African-American people
- 20th-century African-American women
- Comedians from Newark, New Jersey
- People from Edison, New Jersey
- People from Aberdeen Township, New Jersey
- Actors from Middlesex County, New Jersey
- Actors from Monmouth County, New Jersey