Paula Pell

Paula Pell is an American comedy writer, producer, and actress whose career spans over three decades, beginning in the early 1990s after she left her night‑club job at Walt Disney World’s Pleasure Island. Born on April 15, 1963, in Joliet, Illinois, she pursued acting and visual art at Seminole State College of Florida and earned a B.A. at the University of Tennessee‑Knoxville, laying a solid foundation for her later work in sketch comedy and television. Pell first broke into the industry as a writer for Saturday Night Live in 1995, where she became the longest‑tenured female writer in the show’s history, creating iconic characters such as Debbie Downer, the Culps, and the Spartan Cheerleaders. Her SNL tenure lasted until 2013, earning her a Primetime Emmy and six Writers Guild of America Awards, as well as the prestigious Herb Sargent Award for Comedy Excellence in 2019. Beyond SNL, Pell contributed her sharp wit to acclaimed series like 30 Rock, A.P. Bio, Love, and the comedy‑mystery Mapleworth Murders, while also penning material for major awards ceremonies including the Oscars and Golden Globes. As a voice artist she brought characters to life in Pixar’s Inside Out, the animated series Big Mouth, and Bless the Harts, showcasing her versatile vocal talent.

In addition to her writing and producing achievements, Pell has built a respectable on‑screen résumé, appearing in films such as Sisters, Other People, and Wine Country, and in television hits like Parks and Recreation, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and the cult favorite Girls5eva, where she starred as Gloria McManus from 2021 to 2024. Openly gay, she married comedian Janine Brito in November 2020 after a previous 17‑year marriage that ended in divorce. Throughout her career, Paula Pell has remained a beloved figure in comedy, known for her incisive humor, collaborative spirit, and the ability to blend writing, acting, and producing into a singular, influential voice in modern entertainment.