Paula Pell

Biography

Paula Pell (born April 15, 1963) is an American writer, actress, comedian, and producer. Pell is best known for her work as a writer for the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2020. 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.

Career Overview

Paula Pell has 54 screen credits in a career dating back to 1975. Their work spans 3 cinematic universes — most prominently Inside Out with 2 titles. Signature works include Dream Productions, Girls5eva, A.P. Bio. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For

Acting

Gender

female

Known Credits

54

Birth Date

1963-04-15 00:00:00

Birth Place

Joliet, Illinois, USA

Known For

• 

  Dream Productions
• 

  Girls5eva
• 

  A.P. Bio
• 

  The 'Burbs
• 

  The Cat in the Hat
• 

  Wine Country

Associated Universes

Universe traveler — spans 3 universes

• Inside Out (2 titles)
• Anchorman (1 titles)
• Knocked Up Universe (1 titles)

Frequent Collaborators

• Amy Poehler (2 collaborations)
• Maya Rudolph (2 collaborations)
• Richard Ayoade (1 collaborations)
• Ally Maki (1 collaborations)
• Kensington Tallman (1 collaborations)
• Liza Lapira (1 collaborations)
• Tony Hale (1 collaborations)
• Lewis Black (1 collaborations)
• Phyllis Smith (1 collaborations)
• Sara Bareilles (1 collaborations)

Credits

• actors (41 credits)

  • The Cat in the Hat

    (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2026
  • Lorne

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2026
  • The 'Burbs

    Dana Richards

    actor

    actors

    - Only One Way Out (2026) ... Dana Richards actor actors

    - Do Not Mess with Suburbanites (2026) ... Dana Richards actor actors

    - Neighbor Take Warning (2026) ... Dana Richards actor actors

    - The Old Face-to-Face (2026) ... Dana Richards actor actors

    - A Nine on the Tension Scale (2026) ... Dana Richards actor actors
    2026
  • Summer of 69

    Betty Spaghetti

    actor

    actors
    2025
  • SNL50: The Homecoming Concert

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2025
  • Dying for Sex

    - It's Not That Serious (2025) ... Nurse Amy actor actors
    2025
  • Dream Productions

    Paula Persimmon (voice)

    actor

    actors

    - Part 4: A Night to Remember (2024) ... Paula Persimmon (voice) actor actors

    - Part 3: Romance! (2024) ... Paula Persimmon (voice) actor actors

    - Part 2: Out of Body (2024) ... Paula Persimmon (voice) actor actors

    - Part 1: The Dream Team (2024) ... Paula Persimmon (voice) actor actors
    2024
  • Will & Harper

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2024
  • Inside Out 2

    Mom's Anger (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2024
  • The Slumber Party

    Principal Petersen

    actor

    actors
    2023
  • Not Dead Yet

    - Not Friends Yet (2023) ... Marlena actor actors
    2023
  • Loot

    - What's Up with Us (2025) ... Paula actor actors
    2022
  • The Jennifer Hudson Show

    - Sara Bareilles, Busy Philipps, Paula Pell, & Renée Elise Goldsberry, Nathalie Emmanuel (2024) ... Self actor actors
    2022
  • Amidst the Chaos – Live (Again) from the Hollywood Bowl

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2021
  • Girls5eva

    Gloria

    actor

    actors

    - New York (2024) ... Gloria actor actors

    - Cleveland (2024) ... Gloria actor actors

    - Orlando (2024) ... Gloria actor actors

    - Clarksville (2024) ... Gloria actor actors

    - Bomont (2024) ... Gloria actor actors
    2021
  • Monsters at Work

    - Powerless (2024) ... Sunny (voice) actor actors

    - Descent into Fear (2024) ... Sunny (voice) actor actors

    - Lights! Camera! Chaos! (2024) ... Sunny (voice) actor actors

    - Opening Doors (2024) ... Sunny (voice) actor actors
    2021
  • 30 Rock: A One-Time Special

    Paula Hornberger

    actor

    actors
    2020
  • Die Hart

    - Face Off (2023) ... Cynthia actor actors

    - Licensed and Bonded (2023) ... Cynthia actor actors

    - The Famous Mondolvias (2023) ... Cynthia actor actors

    - Like Mother Like Son (2023) ... Cynthia actor actors
    2020
  • Wyrm

    Tanya

    actor

    actors
    2019
  • Wine Country

    Val

    actor

    actors
    2019
  • Harley Quinn

    - Family Feud (2025) ... G.A.I.L (voice) actor actors
    2019
  • A.P. Bio

    Helen Henry Demarcus

    actor

    actors

    - The Harvard Pen (2021) ... Helen Henry Demarcus actor actors

    - Malachi (2021) ... Helen Henry Demarcus actor actors

    - Love, for Lack of a Better Term (2021) ... Helen Henry Demarcus actor actors

    - The Perfect Date From Hell (2021) ... Helen Henry Demarcus actor actors

    - Tons of Rue (2021) ... Helen Henry Demarcus actor actors
    2018
  • Big Mouth

    - The Great Unknown (2025) ... actor actors

    - Everything We Forgot to Tell You About Sex (2025) ... actor actors

    - The Funeral (2020) ... Barbara Glouberman (voice) actor actors

    - Four Stories About Hand Stuff (2020) ... actor actors

    - The New Me (2020) ... Barbara Glouberman (voice) actor actors
    2017
  • Other People

    Aunt Patti

    actor

    actors
    2016
  • Brother Nature

    Woman in Suit

    actor

    actors
    2016
  • Sisters

    Dana

    actor

    actors
    2015
  • Riley's First Date?

    Mom's Anger (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2015
  • Gentle and Soft: The Story of the Blue Jean Committee

    Patti Skrowaczeski

    actor

    actors
    2015
  • Inside Out

    Dream Director / Mom's Anger (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2015
  • Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

    - Kimmy Pulls Off a Heist! (2017) ... Bev actor actors
    2015
  • Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

    Lady in Bar

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • Late Night with Seth Meyers

    - Alexander Skarsgård, Paula Pell (2026) ... Self - Guest actor actors

    - Maya Rudolph, Adam Pally (2025) ... Trisha Bumrock actor actors

    - Bill Murray, Mikey Madison, James Anderson (2025) ... Self - Guest actor actors

    - Colman Domingo, Paula Pell (2025) ... Self - Guest actor actors

    - Paul Rudd, Paula Pell (2024) ... Self actor actors
    2014
  • The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

    - Norman Reedus, Paula Pell, The Linda Lindas (2022) ... Self - Guest actor actors

    - Joseph Gordon-Levitt/Paula Pell/Jessie Reyez (2020) ... Self actor actors

    - Emma Thompson, Sophie Turner, Paula Pell, Amirah Kassem (2019) ... Self - Guest actor actors
    2014
  • Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

    Crowd Member at Ice Rink

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • The Mindy Project

    - Road Trip (2015) ... Evelyn actor actors
    2012
  • Saturday Night Live in the 2000s: Time and Again

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2010
  • Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

    - Ana Gasteyer; Emily Spivey; Rachel Dratch; Paula Pell (2019) ... Self - Guest actor actors
    2009
  • Parks and Recreation

    - Ron and Tammys (2011) ... Tammy Zero actor actors
    2009
  • Saturday Night Live in the '90s: Pop Culture Nation

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • 30 Rock

    - Hogcock! (2013) ... Paula Hornberger actor actors

    - The Fabian Strategy (2010) ... Paula Hornberger actor actors

    - I Do Do (2010) ... Paula Hornberger actor actors

    - Season 4 (2009) ... Paula Hornberger actor actors

    - Kidney Now! (2009) ... Paula Hornberger actor actors
    2006
  • Saturday Night Live

    - April 6 - Kristen Wiig (2024) ... Self - Cameo (uncredited) actor actors

    - December 16 - Kate McKinnon (2023) ... Self - Cameo (uncredited) actor actors

    - SNL at Home: Tom Hanks (2020) ... Self - Cameo (uncredited) actor actors

    - Seth Rogen/Phoenix (2009) ... Far Side Woman (uncredited) actor actors

    - Dwayne Johnson/Ray LaMontagne (2009) ... Denise (voice) (uncredited) actor actors
    1975

• writing (9 credits)

  • The Fifth Wheel

    screenplay

    writing
    2026
  • Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine

    writer

    writing
    2020
  • A.P. Bio

    - Handcuffed (2019) ... writer writing
    2018
  • Sisters

    screenplay

    writing
    2015
  • The Women of SNL

    writer

    writing
    2010
  • 30 Rock

    - Argus (2010) ... writer writing

    - Floyd (2010) ... writer writing
    2006
  • NBC 75th Anniversary Special

    writer

    writing
    2002
  • Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special

    writer

    writing
    1999
  • Saturday Night Live

    - SNL50: The Anniversary Special (2025) ... writer writing

    - Will Ferrell/Green Day (2009) ... writer writing

    - Justin Timberlake/Ciara (2009) ... writer writing

    - Zac Efron/Yeah Yeah Yeahs (2009) ... writer writing

    - Seth Rogen/Phoenix (2009) ... writer writing
    1975

• production (4 credits)

  • The Fifth Wheel

    producer

    production
    2026
  • Loot

    - We Shouldn't Exist (2024) ... consulting producer production

    - Mood Vibrations (2024) ... consulting producer production

    - Grace (2024) ... consulting producer production

    - Camp Wells (2024) ... consulting producer production

    - Women Who Rule (2024) ... consulting producer production
    2022
  • Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine

    executive producer

    production
    2020
  • This Is 40

    executive producer

    production
    2012