Who Is Danny DeVito’s Wife Rhea Perlman? Meet Estranged Spouse

Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman aren’t like most Hollywood couples. Even though the iconic Matilda actor is no longer romantically involved with his longtime wife, the two still share an incredible relationship. Danny’s estranged spouse said their decades-long history and their beautiful family is the reason they will always respect each other.

“I don’t know why it’s difficult for other people, but Danny and I have always loved each other, and we have three amazing children together,” Rhea shared during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in 2019. “We really agree on almost everything important.”

Danny and the Poms actress were together for nearly 40 years before going their separate ways in 2017. The former couple first started dating when they met in 1971. According to People, Danny and Rhea moved in together just two weeks after they became a pair. However, they dated for more than a decade before walking down the aisle in 1982.

Not long after they married, the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star and Rhea started their family. In 1983, they welcomed their eldest daughter, Lucy DeVito, followed by daughter Grace DeVito in 1985. They completed their brood with the arrival of their youngest son, Jake DeVito, in 1987.

Throughout their relationship, Danny and Rhea worked together on countless films together, including Taxi, Matilda, The Ratings Game and more. They also often made public appearances alongside their talented kids, who have since followed in their footsteps.

Despite the countless memories, Danny and Rhea didn’t always have the easiest romance. The ex-lovebirds called it quits for the first time in October 2012. They later reconciled in March 2013, but the Batman Returns actor and the Cheers alum split for the second and final time in 2017. Even though they have no plans on getting back together, Rhea said she could never divorce her former hubby.

“You know, we were together for 40 years. 40 years is a long time, you might have to do something else!” she told host Andy Cohen on WWHL. “I’m not getting divorced. No, no, no. What for? We do live separately. We see each other a lot too.”

Keep scrolling to learn more about Danny’s estranged wife, Rhea!

Rhea is a New York Native

Rhea was always destined for fame and superstardom, but long before she pursued a career in Hollywood, she grew up in New York. The actress was born on March 31, 1948, and raised in Brooklyn by her parents, Philip and Adele Perlman. She has one sister, Heide Perlman, who is a TV writer and producer for Cheers, Frasier and The Tracey Ullman Show.

Rhea is an Emmy Winner

Danny may be an accomplished actor, comedian and producer, but Rhea is extremely talented in her own right. Her resume includes gigs in Matilda, Sunset Park, Canadian Bacon, I’ll See You in My Dreams and many more.

Rhea’s work as an actress has even earned her multiple Emmy Awards. She took home the awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in Cheers in 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1989. She’s also been nominated for countless Golden Globes.

Rhea and Danny Are Still Close

The showbiz stars closed the book on their romance, but Danny and Rhea still share a strong bond. While chatting with People in March 2020, the One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest alum said he and Rhea have remained “very close” amid their split.

“We’re friends,” he gushed to the outlet. “We’re happy. Everybody’s happy.”

Rhea Is a Grandmother

In addition to her role as a doting mother of three, Rhea is also a proud grandmother. In October 2013, she posed for photos with Grace and her granddaughter at a screening for CBGB at the ArcLight Hollywood in New York City. Three years later, Rhea played a grandmother onscreen in the six-episode YouTube Red series Me and My Grandma.

She Is Multi-Talented

In June 2021, it was announced that Rhea would be taking on the role of Grandma Ruth in the Netflix adaptation of 13: The Musical. The film also stars Debra Messing, Josh Peck and Peter Hermann. The role is a nod to the New York native’s past stage experience performing in off-Broadway shows like Dracula Sabbat and Love, Loss, and What I Wore, the latter in which she starred alongside her eldest daughter, Lucy.