Retta

Retta never planned on acting.

During her time at Duke University, she studied sociology and biology because she planned to become a doctor. But fate took a turn when she started hanging out at Los Angeles comedy clubs in the late nineties. Those stand-up sets were her real acting school.

Her real name is Marietta Sangai Sirleaf, and she was born in New Jersey in 1970. Before stepping onto a television set, she spent years working the college stand-up circuit. She won the Comedy Central comedy contest in 1999, which opened the doors to late-night talk shows.

The Pawnee Phenomenon

In 2009, she joined the cast of Parks and Recreation in a minor role with barely any dialogue. Her part as Donna Meagle was almost an extra at first. The actress made the most of every second on screen, building a character defined by aristocratic disdain and a love of luxury.

And the gamble paid off.

The writers expanded her role until she became a key part of American television comedy. In 2015, the series ended, and she was no longer just a comedian making cameo appearances. She had made audiences remember her lines long after each episode aired.

The Leap into Crime Drama

Her change of pace came in 2018 with Good Girls. She played Ruby Hill, a desperate mother who robs a supermarket to pay for her daughter's medical treatment. Here, she set aside the sharp one-liners to explore fear and loyalty in a world of organized crime.

The series ran for four seasons on NBC. During that time, she carried significant dramatic weight alongside veteran actresses. But the cancellation in 2021 left some storylines unresolved, for purely budgetary reasons.

Because her career has always depended on hard work, not luck.

Movies and Ugly Houses

In 2024, she appeared in Richard Linklater's Hit Man, playing a police officer. It's a dry role that draws on her ability to command authority with a single look. That same year, she also worked on The Greatest Hits, a film that blends romance and time travel.

Off screen, she hosts Ugliest House in America since 2022. In the show, she travels across the United States looking for the most questionable home decor in the country. The show reached its fifth season in 2024 thanks to high ratings among young adults.

In 2023, the production of her new NBC series Murder by the Book received the final green light after months of contract negotiations.