Skip to content
MovieCove
Mary Elizabeth Ellis

Mary Elizabeth Ellis

Actor, also writer · Born May 11, 1979 (47) · Laurel, Mississippi, USA

Mary Elizabeth Ellis (born May 11, 1979 in Laurel, Mississippi, height 5' 4" (1,63 m)) is an American actress and writer best known for her recurring role as "The Waitress" on the FX comedy series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. She also starred in the NBC sitcom Perfect Couples. Description above from the Wikipedia article Mary Elizabeth Ellis, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 11, 1979 (47)
From
Laurel, Mississippi, USA
Works as
Actor, also writer
Titles
24 on MovieCove · 38 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 42% in 30 days

What are Mary Elizabeth Ellis' films like?

Across their 13 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
40%
Self
26%
Society
14%
Morality
13%
Survival
5%
Power
3%
Family bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 6 · Serious 1 · Dark 1

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 3 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 5 · Intense 0

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 5 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 5

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 6 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
6
Joyful
6
Warm
4
Thrilling
3
Bittersweet
3
Other
12

How their films linger

Fun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous4
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Mary Elizabeth Ellis' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 24 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Mary Elizabeth Ellis' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

38 credits, 24 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • SURPRISE (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Producer · Writer · as Amber

  • A Man on the Inside(2024)

    Show 16 episodes · as Emily Nieuwendyk-Piñero

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Red One(2024)

    as Olivia

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • It's Florida, Man(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Mia

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • 1 in the Chamber (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Janice

  • Last to Leave (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Director · Executive Producer · as Blonde

  • Fool's Paradise(2023)

    as Makeup Woman #1

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Unstable(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Barbie

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • Licorice Pizza(2021)

    as Momma Anita

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • How It Ends(2021)

    as Kristia

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Godmothered(2020)

    as Paula

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Cool Kids(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as MJ

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Lodge 49(2018)

    Show 5 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • The Truth About Lies(2018)

    as Sharon

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Mother, May I Dance with Mary Jane's Fist?: A Lifetone Original Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Writer · as Mary Jane Stevens

  • Don't Mess with Julie Whitfield (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Rachel Schneider

  • Santa Clarita Diet(2017)

    Show 11 episodes · as Lisa Palmer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Masterminds(2016)

    as Michelle Chambers

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Bajillion Dollar Propertie$(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Wivian Turnter

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • The Grinder(2015)

    Show 22 episodes · as Debbie Sanderson

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • The Last Time You Had Fun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Alison

  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Rossi

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Drunk History(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Dorothy Fuldheim

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Georgia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 3 episodes · as Georgia

  • Well Enough Alone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as The Guy's Girl

  • New Girl(2011)

    Show 6 episodes · as Caroline

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Up All Night(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · as Connie

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Happy Endings(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · as Daphne Wilson

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Perfect Couples (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 13 episodes · as Amy

  • The Nightman Cometh: Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as The Waitress

  • A Quiet Little Marriage(2008)

    Story · as Olive

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia(2005)

    Show 40 episodes · as Waitress

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • House(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Sophie

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Cracking Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Jennifer

  • Cold Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Shelly Reid

  • Reno 911! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Inbred Twin

  • Without a Trace(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Sally Price

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Ditched (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Lauren

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 38 titles, 37 of them dated from 2002 to 2026; peak year 2020.

Biggest box office

Red One (2024)

$186M worldwide

Highest rated

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005)

Midcredits 97th

Film career

20022026

Peak 2020 · at the high point of their film career. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting38 of 38: 34 only acting, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score54thDirecting1 of 38: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting3 of 38: 0 only writing, 3 with another roleProducing2 of 38: 0 only producing, 2 with another role

38 titles, 4 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

2000s8 · 8 acting · 1 crew2010s18 · 18 acting · 1 crew2020s11 · 11 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 0% of 6 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Mary Elizabeth Ellis' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 39th percentile, the median of all 8; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 40th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

40thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

91stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 24 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 24 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

The Truth About Lies (2018)

70th percentile spread · 31% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005)

Midcredits 97th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 65/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Mary Elizabeth Ellis' work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films and violence & gore lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore8 titles7–63 · median 27 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles17–46 · median 34 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles26–84 · median 54 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles25–61 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles11–47 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Mary Elizabeth Ellis work with?

People who share at least 2 of Mary Elizabeth Ellis' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Charlie Day shares the most, 3.

Actors

Producers