# Paula Pell

Paula Pell (born April 15, 1963) is an American comedy writer, producer, and actress. She is best known for her work as a writer for the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2013. For her work on SNL and 30 Rock, she has been recognized with a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program and six Writers Guild of America Awards. In 2019, Pell was honored with the Herb Sargent Award for Comedy Excellence.
Pell has produced, written, and performed in numerous TV series, including 30 Rock, A.P. Bio, Love, and Mapleworth Murders, and has worked as a writer for awards ceremonies like the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes and the MTV Video Music Awards. As a voiceover artist, she has voiced characters in Inside Out, Big Mouth, and Bless the Harts. Pell has also appeared in several films and TV series, including Sisters, Other People, and Wine Country. From 2021 to 2024, Pell was a main cast member on the Peacock and Netflix original series Girls5eva.

## Early life

Born in Joliet, Illinois, Pell wanted to be an actress from an early age. She studied acting and visual art at Orlando's Seminole State College of Florida and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She took a job at Walt Disney World, working in the nightclubs of the resort's adults-only Pleasure Island section.

## Career

Pell was a writer for Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2013, where she is the longest-tenured female writer in the history of the show. She is credited with creating some of its memorable characters, such as Debbie Downer, the Culps, Justin Timberlake's Omeletteville mascot, and the Spartan Cheerleaders, among others. She also was a producer and writer for the sitcom 30 Rock, and is credited with writing the episodes "Argus" and "Floyd". In 2006, a pilot she wrote, Thick and Thin, was picked up by NBC for 13 episodes, with Pell as executive producer, but it never aired in the United States. Pell has worked with Judd Apatow providing additional writing for the films Bridesmaids and This is 40.
As an actress, Pell appeared in several episodes of 30 Rock as the wife of Pete Hornberger and played the mother of Ron Swanson in a 2011 episode of Parks and Recreation. She has also appeared as an extra or in bit parts in dozens of SNL sketches. She voices Gadget Gal in the Hulu original series The Awesomes.
She has a small cameo in the 2013 comedy film Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. She co-created the web series Hudson Valley Ballers with fellow SNL writer and long-time friend James Anderson with whom she also co-stars. Tina Fey produced and starred in Pell's first feature screenplay, Sisters (2015). Pell also played the Dream Director and Mom's Anger in the 2015 Pixar film Inside Out. From 2016–2018, she guest-starred in the TV series Love as Erika. She also played a character based on Elaine Stritch in the mockumentary musical episode "Co-op" on Documentary Now! She appeared in one episode of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt in 2017, season 3 episode 10. She plays Helen Henry DeMarcus on the show, A.P. Bio. She also plays Aunt Mo in the Showtime series SMILF.
Pell co-starred alongside several other Saturday Night Live alumnae in the 2019 Netflix original comedy Wine Country.
On August 10, 2020, the comedy-mystery Mapleworth Murders, which she also co-wrote and executive produced, aired on Quibi. Pell was nominated at the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for her performance. Between 2020 and 2021, Pell voiced several characters in the animated series Bless the Harts.
In 2021, she began starring as Gloria McManus in the Peacock comedy series Girls5eva.

## Personal life

Pell is openly gay. She was married for 17 years before getting divorced. She later married Janine Brito on November 13, 2020.

## Filmography
### Film

Paula Pell film work :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2012 | Lilly | Lilli | Short film |
| 2013 | Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues | Crowd Member | Directed by Adam McKay |
| 2014 | Birdman | Lady in Bar | Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu |
| 2015 | Inside Out | Dream Director / Mom's Anger | Voice |
| 2015 | Riley's First Date? | Mom's Anger | Voice |
| 2015 | The Parker Tribe | Dot Parker | Short film |
| 2015 | Sisters | Dana | Directed by Jason Moore |
| 2016 | Other People | Aunt Patti | Directed by Chris Kelly |
| 2016 | Brother Nature | Woman in Suit | Directed by Oz Rodriguez |
| 2019 | Wine Country | Val | Main role, directed by Amy Poehler |
| 2024 | Inside Out 2 | Mom's Anger | Voice |
| 2025 | Summer of 69 | TBA | |

### Television

Paula Pell television work :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1991 | Super Force | Mrs. BIloxi | Episode: "A Hundred Share" |
| 1992–1993 | Welcome Freshmen | Mrs. Gillman / Hillbilly Teacher | 2 episodes |
| 2002 | The Colin Quinn Show | Various characters | 3 episodes |
| 2007–2013 | 30 Rock | Paula Hornberger | 6 episodes, recurring role |
| 2011 | Funny or Die Presents | Lady Refs | 3 episodes |
| 2011 | Parks and Recreation | Tamara Swanson | Episode: "Ron and Tammys" |
| 2012 | The Front Desk | Herself | Episode: "Turn Down" |
| 2013–2015 | The Awesomes | Gadget Gal | Voice, 30 episodes |
| 2013 | Hudson Valley Ballers | Paula | Main role, 14 episodes |
| 2014 | Monkey Love | Ariana | Episode: "Girls Night Ou" |
| 2015 | Above Average Presents | Mom 1 | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | The Mindy Project | Evelyn | Episode: "Road Trip" |
| 2015–2019 | Documentary Now! | Patty / Patti Skrowaczeski | 3 episodes |
| 2017 | SMILF | Aunt Mo | Episode: "Run, Bridgette, Run or Forty-Eight Burnt Cupcakes & Graveyard Rum" |
| 2017 | Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | Bev | Episode: "Kimmy Pulls Off a Heist!" |
| 2017–present | Big Mouth | Barbara Glouberman / Lola's Couch Pillow / Bubbe | Voice, 30 episodes |
| 2017–2018 | Love | Erika | 7 episodes, recurring role |
| 2018–2021 | A.P. Bio | Helen Henry Demarcus | Main role (seasons 2–4), Recurring (season 1) |
| 2019 | No Activity | Daisy / Trucker | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2020 | Mapleworth Murders | Abigail Mapleworth | Main role |
| 2020–2021 | Bless the Harts | Ruth / Lenore | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2021–2024 | Girls5eva | Gloria McManus | Main role, 22 episodes |
| 2022 | Duncanville | | Voice, episode: "The Sharent Trap" |
| 2023 | Not Dead Yet | Marlena Quintro | Episode: "Not Friends Yet" |
| 2023 | Die Hart | Cynthia | 4 episodes |
| 2023 | The Slumber Party | Principal Petersen | Disney Channel Original Movie |
| 2023 | Monsters at Work | Sunny | Voice, 4 episodes |
| 2024 | Dream Productions | Paula Persimmon | Voice, main role |
| 2025 | Harley Quinn | G.A.I.L. | Voice, episode: "Family Feud" |

### Producer and screenwriter

Paula Pell production and screenwriting work :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1995–2013 | Saturday Night Live | Screenwriter / writing supervisor | 311 episodes |
| 1999 | Saturday Night Live 25th Anniversary Special | Screenwriter | Television special |
| 2002 | NBC 75th Anniversary Special | Screenwriter | Television special |
| 2002 | MTV Video Music Awards | Screenwriter | Awards ceremony |
| 2003 | Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Halftime Special | Screenwriter | Television special |
| 2004 | Macy's 4th of July Spectacular | Screenwriter | Television special |
| 2004 | Saturday Night Live: The Best of Cheri Oteri | Screenwriter | Television documentary |
| 2006 | Thick and Thin | Executive producer | 3 episodes, Television series |
| 2007 | Saturday Night Live in the '90s: Pop Culture Nation | Screenwriter | Television special |
| 2008 | Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday | Screenwriter | 3 episodes |
| 2009–2010 | 30 Rock | Producer / screenwriter | 22 episodes, television series |
| 2010 | The Women of SNL | Screenwriter | Television movie |
| 2011 | 83rd Academy Awards | Screenwriter | Awards ceremony |
| 2012 | This Is 40 | Executive producer | Film |
| 2013–2015 | Hudson Valley Ballers | Screenwriter | 14 episodes, television series |
| 2014 | The Re-Gift | Screenwriter | Short film |
| 2014 | 86th Academy Awards | Screenwriter | Awards ceremony |
| 2015 | Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special | Screenwriter | Television special |
| 2015 | 87th Academy Awards | Screenwriter | Awards ceremony |
| 2015 | Sisters | Screenwriter | Film |
| 2017 | 74th Golden Globe Awards | Screenwriter | Award ceremony |
| 2018 | 75th Golden Globe Awards | Screenwriter | Award ceremony |
| 2018 | Camping | Executive producer / screenwriter | 3 episodes, television series |
| 2019 | A.P. Bio | Screenwriter | Episode:"Handcuffed" |
| 2020 | Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine | Screenwriter | Television special |
| 2020 | Mapleworth Murders | Executive producer / screenwriter | 12 episodes, television series |

## Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations for Paula Pell :
| Award | Year | Category | Work | Result |
| Annie Awards | 2025 | Best Voice Acting – TV/Media | Dream Productions | Won |
| Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | 2021 | Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Comedy | Girls5eva | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2001 | Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2002 | Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series | Saturday Night Live | Won |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2003 | Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2008 | Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2009 | Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2010 | Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2011 | Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2011 | Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special | The Women of SNL | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2012 | Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2015 | Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special | Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2021 | Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series | Mapleworth Murders | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series | Die Hart 2: Die Harter | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2001 | Best Comedy/Variety – Talk Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2001 | Best Comedy/Variety (Music, Awards, Tributes) – Specials | Saturday Night Live 25 | Won |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2002 | Best Comedy/Variety – Talk Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2003 | Best Comedy/Variety – Talk Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2003 | Best Comedy/Variety (Music, Awards, Tributes) – Specials | NBC 75th Anniversary Special | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2007 | Best Comedy/Variety – Talk Series | Saturday Night Live | Won |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2008 | Best Comedy/Variety – Talk Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2009 | Best Comedy/Variety – Talk Series | Saturday Night Live | Won |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2010 | Best Comedy/Variety – Talk Series | Saturday Night Live | Won |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2010 | Best Comedy Series | 30 Rock | Won |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2011 | Best Comedy Series | 30 Rock | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2011 | Best Comedy/Variety – Talk Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2012 | Best Comedy/Variety – Talk Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2013 | Best Comedy/Variety – Talk Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2014 | Best Comedy/Variety – Talk Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2015 | Best Comedy/Variety – Talk Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2016 | Best Comedy/Variety (Music, Awards, Tributes) – Specials | Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2017 | Best Comedy/Variety – Sketch Series | Saturday Night Live | Won |