Rosie Perez

Biography

Rosie Perez is an American actress who began her career as a dancer on Soul Train in the early 1980s and got her break when Spike Lee cast her in Do the Right Thing (1989). Raised in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, she went on to star in White Men Can't Jump (1992), Pineapple Express (2008), It Could Happen to You (1994), The Road to El Dorado (2000) and Birds of Prey (2020). She voiced Chel in The Road to El Dorado and Click on Go, Diego, Go! Her performance in Fearless earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and she collected three Primetime Emmy nominations for In Living Color and one for The Flight Attendant. She choreographed music videos and the Fly Girls on In Living Color, made her Broadway debut in a play by Terrence McNally, later acted in Fish in the Dark and co-hosted The View.

62years old

Turns 63 on September 6in 329 days

Born September 6, 1964Bushwick
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
Also credited as Rosa María Pérez, Rosa Perez and Rosa Perez Haze

Movie Career

Films: 31
Career span: 32 years1989 to 2021

Genres

Drama61%, 19 films
Comedy45%, 14 films
Crime19%, 6 films
Action13%, 4 films
Documentary13%, 4 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

A change of course
At 19, Perez was a Los Angeles City College student planning to major in biochemistry. A Soul Train talent scout asked her to appear on the show, and though she was not a professional dancer, she enjoyed it enough to leave school.
Big break
In 1988, when Perez was 23, Spike Lee spotted her at the dance club Funky Reggae. He cast her in Do the Right Thing, her first major acting role.
Behind the camera
Before her acting career took off, Perez choreographed music videos for Janet Jackson, Bobby Brown, Diana Ross, LL Cool J and The Boys, and served as choreographer for the Fly Girls on In Living Color.

Rosie Perez movies on Netflix

Clifford the Big Red Dog2021IMDb rating 5.9as Lucille
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)2020IMDb rating 6.1as Renee Montoya
Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics2020IMDb rating 6.8as Self - Actress
The Last Thing He Wanted2020IMDb rating 4.4as Alma Guerrero
The Dead Don't Die2019IMDb rating 5.4as Posie Juarez
Five Nights in Maine2016IMDb rating 4.9as Ann
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall2016IMDb rating 7.4as Himself
Puerto Ricans in Paris2015IMDb rating 5.4as Gloria
Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives2015IMDb rating 8.0
The Hero of Color City2014IMDb rating 3.9as Red (voice)
Gods Behaving Badly2013IMDb rating 5.2as Persephone
The Counselor2013IMDb rating 5.4as Ruth
Small Apartments2012IMDb rating 6.1as Ms. Baker
Won't Back Down2012IMDb rating 6.4as Breena Harper
Lies in Plain Sight2010IMDb rating 6.1as Marisol Reyes
Pineapple Express2008IMDb rating 6.9as Carol / Female Cop
The Take2007IMDb rating 5.8as Marina De La Pena
All the Invisible Children2005IMDb rating 7.4as Ruthie (segment "Jesus Children of America")
Lackawanna Blues2005IMDb rating 7.8as Bertha
What I Want My Words to Do to You: Voices from Inside a Women's Maximum Security Prison2003IMDb rating 7.8as Himself
Human Nature2001IMDb rating 6.4as Louise
Riding in Cars with Boys2001IMDb rating 6.5as Shirley Perro
The Road to El Dorado2000IMDb rating 6.9as Chel (voice)
Dance with the Devil1997IMDb rating 6.3as Perdita Durango
Subway Stories1997IMDb rating 6.5as The Girl (segment "Love on the A Train")
It Could Happen to You1994IMDb rating 6.4as Muriel Lang
Fearless1993IMDb rating 7.0as Carla Rodrigo
Untamed Heart1993IMDb rating 6.8as Cindy
White Men Can't Jump1992IMDb rating 6.8as Gloria Clemente
Night on Earth1991IMDb rating 7.6as Angela
Do the Right Thing1989IMDb rating 7.9as Tina

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)2020 Action, Crimeas Renee Montoya
IMDb rating 6.1286K votes
Pineapple Express2008 Action, Comedy, Crimeas Carol / Female Cop
IMDb rating 6.9376K votes
The Road to El Dorado2000as Chelvoice
IMDb rating 6.9121K votes
White Men Can't Jump1992as Gloria Clemente
IMDb rating 6.8105K votes
It Could Happen to You1994as Muriel Lang
IMDb rating 6.450K votes
Night on Earth1991as Angela
IMDb rating 7.672K votes
The Counselor2013as Ruth
IMDb rating 5.4111K votes
Fearless1993as Carla Rodrigo
IMDb rating 7.026K votes

Most often with

Spike Lee directed three of these films, Jim Jarmusch two. John Turturro appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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John Turturro

David Koechner

Marisa Tomei

Steve Zahn

Giancarlo Esposito

Javier Bardem

Spike LeeDirector, 3 films

Jim JarmuschDirector, 2 films

Films together

John Turturro3 films together, 1989 to 2013
John Turturro's page
- Gods Behaving Badly2013IMDb rating 5.2Perez as PersephoneTurturro as Hades
- Fearless1993IMDb rating 7.0Perez as Carla RodrigoTurturro as Dr. Bill Perlman
- Do the Right Thing1989IMDb rating 7.9Perez as TinaTurturro as Pino
David Koechner2 films together, 2012 to 2020
David Koechner's page
- Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics2020IMDb rating 6.8Perez as Self - ActressKoechner as Self - Actor
- Small Apartments2012IMDb rating 6.1Perez as Ms. BakerKoechner as Detective O'Grady
Marisa Tomei2 films together, 1993 to 2003
Marisa Tomei's page
- What I Want My Words to Do to You: Voices from Inside a Women's Maximum Security Prison2003IMDb rating 7.8Perez as HimselfTomei as Himself
- Untamed Heart1993IMDb rating 6.8Perez as CindyTomei as Caroline
Steve Zahn2 films together, 1997 to 2001
Steve Zahn's page
- Riding in Cars with Boys2001IMDb rating 6.5Perez as Shirley PerroZahn as Ray Hasek
- Subway Stories1997IMDb rating 6.5Perez as The Girl (segment "Love on the A Train")Zahn as Tucker (segment "The 5:24")
Giancarlo Esposito2 films together, 1989 to 1991
Giancarlo Esposito's page
- Night on Earth1991IMDb rating 7.6Perez as AngelaEsposito as YoYo
- Do the Right Thing1989IMDb rating 7.9Perez as TinaEsposito as Buggin' Out
Javier Bardem2 films together, 1997 to 2013
Javier Bardem's page
- The Counselor2013IMDb rating 5.4Perez as RuthBardem as Reiner
- Dance with the Devil1997IMDb rating 6.3Perez as Perdita DurangoBardem as Romeo
Spike LeeDirector, 3 films, 1989 to 2016
All films by Spike Lee
- Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall2016IMDb rating 7.4Perez as Himself
- All the Invisible Children2005IMDb rating 7.4Perez as Ruthie (segment "Jesus Children of America")
- Do the Right Thing1989IMDb rating 7.9Perez as Tina
Jim JarmuschDirector, 2 films, 1991 to 2019
All films by Jim Jarmusch
- The Dead Don't Die2019IMDb rating 5.4Perez as Posie Juarez
- Night on Earth1991IMDb rating 7.6Perez as Angela
Also two films together9 more actors
- Bill NunnWon't Back Down (2012) and Do the Right Thing (1989)
- Yul VazquezLies in Plain Sight (2010) and The Take (2007)
- Miguel SandovalHuman Nature (2001) and Do the Right Thing (1989)
- Roger Guenveur SmithThe Take (2007) and Do the Right Thing (1989)
- Ajay NaiduGods Behaving Badly (2013) and Subway Stories (1997)
- David WarshofskySmall Apartments (2012) and Human Nature (2001)
- Spike LeeMichael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall (2016) and Do the Right Thing (1989)
- Hazelle GoodmanAll the Invisible Children (2005) and What I Want My Words to Do to You: Voices from Inside a Women's Maximum Security Prison (2003)
- KRS-OneStretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives (2015) and Subway Stories (1997)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Rosie Perez's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$826 million

17 of the 31 films have a worldwide figure.

17Worldwide figure
2US gross only
5Never in cinemas
1Streaming, short cinema run
6Figure not found

Top grosser

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)2020Renee Montoya$206 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 89% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)2020as Renee Montoya
$206M24.9% of the total
2
Clifford the Big Red Dog2021as Lucille
$117M14.1% of the total
3
Pineapple Express2008as Carol / Female Cop
$102M12.3% of the total
4
White Men Can't Jump1992as Gloria Clemente
$91M11.0% of the total
5
The Road to El Dorado2000as Chel (voice)
$76M9.2% of the total
6
The Counselor2013as Ruth
$71M8.6% of the total
7
It Could Happen to You1994as Muriel Lang
$38M4.6% of the total
8
Do the Right Thing1989as Tina
$37M4.5% of the total