# Leslie Carrara-Rudolph

Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, sometimes credited as Leslie Carrara, is an American actress and puppeteer. She is best known as a Muppet performer on Sesame Street originating the character Abby Cadabby, for which she has received seven Emmy Award nominations, winning for Outstanding Puppeteer Performer at the 3rd Children's and Family Emmy Awards in 2025.

## Career

Carrara-Rudolph began performing with the Muppets in 1996 on the ABC series Muppets Tonight, on which she performed Spamela Hamderson and Darci. Since 1996, Carrara-Rudolph has been a performer on Sesame Street. She originated the role of Abby Cadabby in 2006 and has performed various additional characters. Since 2009, she has received five Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series.
In 2004, Carrara-Rudolph puppeteered Blue during the first season of the Nick Jr. series Blue's Room. From 2005 to 2008, Carrara-Rudolph performed Ginger in the Playhouse Disney series Johnny and the Sprites. She is one of the founding members of The Jim Henson Company improv group Puppet Up!.
In addition the puppetry, Carrara-Rudolph has provided voiceover for various animated series and video games. From 2010 to 2015, Carrara-Rudolph voiced Peg Puppy in the Nickelodeon animated series T.U.F.F. Puppy. From 2016 to 2018, she voiced Bubbles on Splash and Bubbles. In 2022, she reprised her role as Abby in the Sesame Street animated series Mecha Builders.
In 2023, Carrara-Rudolph performed Penny Waxman in the Disney+ series The Muppets Mayhem.

## Personal life

Carrara-Rudolph is married to Paul Rudolph, a music composer for Sesame Street.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Production | Role | Notes |
| 1999 | The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland | Additional Muppets | Performer |
| 2008 | Forgetting Sarah Marshall | Dracula Bride | Puppeteer |
| 2008 | Abby in Wonderland | Abby Cadabby | Performer; direct-to-DVD film |
| 2011 | The Muppets | Additional Muppets | Performer |

### Television

| Year | Production | Role | Notes |
| 1996–1998 | Muppets Tonight | Spamela Hamderson, Darci, Shirley, Dorothy Bovine, Belle the Bubble Mom, Additional Muppets | Performer |
| 1996–present | Sesame Street | Abby Cadabby, Lotta Chatter, Rosa, Sleeping Beauty, Virginia Virginia, Tango, Additional Muppets | Performer |
| 1997–1998 | The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss | Little Cat A, Morton the Elephant Bird, Princess Tizz, Additional Muppets | Performer |
| 2000–2003 | Poochini's Yard | Wendy White | Voice |
| 2003 | Animal Jam | Edi the Zebra | Performer |
| 2004 | All Grown Up! | Myron | Voice |
| 2004–2005 | Blue's Room | Blue | Puppeteer (season 1) |
| 2005–2008 | Johnny and the Sprites | Ginger | Performer |
| 2008–2009 | Panwapa | Koko the Penguin, Sheep Kid #2 | Performer |
| 2008 | A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa | Additional Muppets | Performer; television special |
| 2009–2011 | The Electric Company | Werewolf, Bat, Mummy | Voice |
| 2010–2015 | T.U.F.F. Puppy | Peg Puppy | Voice |
| 2015–2024 | Nature Cat | Gracie the Toad, Sadie Dog, Rat, Additional voices | Voice |
| 2016–2018 | Splash and Bubbles | Bubbles, Flo | Voice |
| 2020 | The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo | Abby Cadabby | Performer |
| 2021–present | Donkey Hodie | Dodie Hodie | Performer |
| 2022–2023 | Mecha Builders | Abby Cadabby | Voice |
| 2023 | The Muppets Mayhem | Penny Waxman | Performer |

### Video games

| Year | Production | Role | Notes |
| 2004 | Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal | Sasha Phyronix | Voice |
| 2005 | Ratchet: Deadlocked | Commander Sasha, Tyrranhoid Bride, Slugha | Voice |
| 2011 | Sesame Street: Ready, Set, Grover! | Abby Cadabby | Voice |
| 2012 | Sesame Street: Elmo's Musical Monsterpiece | Abby Cadabby | Voice |
| 2012 | Kinect Sesame Street TV | Abby Cadabby | Voice |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 2009 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series | Sesame Street | Nominated |
| 2011 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series | Sesame Street | Nominated |
| 2012 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series | Sesame Street | Nominated |
| 2014 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series | Sesame Street | Nominated |
| 2015 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series | Sesame Street | Nominated |
| 2023 | Children's and Family Emmy Awards | Outstanding Puppeteer Performance | Sesame Street | Nominated |
| 2025 | Children's and Family Emmy Awards | Outstanding Puppeteer Performance | Sesame Street | Won |