Cheri Oteri
Explore the life and work of Cheri Oteri (born September 19, 1962)—American actress and comedian best known for her time on Saturday Night Live, her original characters, and her wide-ranging roles in film, TV, and voice acting.
Introduction
Cheri Oteri is a talented and versatile performer whose energetic comedic style, memorable original characters, and bold impersonations made her a standout in sketch comedy. She rose to prominence during her years on Saturday Night Live (1995–2000) and has since continued working in film, television, and voice acting. Her career highlights the journey of a sketch comedian carving space in an often challenging industry.
Early Life & Background
-
Full name & birth
Cheri Oteri was born Cheryl Ann Oteri on September 19, 1962, in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania (a suburb of Philadelphia). -
Family & heritage
She is the daughter of Patricia (née Breen) and Gaetano Thomas Oteri. She is of Italian ancestry. She grew up with siblings: Denise, Brian, and Tommy Jr. -
Education & early direction
Oteri attended Archbishop Prendergast High School in Pennsylvania. In her mid-20s, she relocated to Los Angeles. Before comedy, she worked in promotions for A&M Records for about four years. During this period, she became involved with the improv and sketch group The Groundlings, a well-known training ground for comedic performers in L.A.
Her path from music-promotion work to improv comedy set the foundation for her later success in sketch and character work.
Breakthrough: Saturday Night Live (1995–2000)
Entry & Cast Era
In 1995, SNL underwent a major cast overhaul after a troubled 1994–95 season. The producers recruited new talent from improv troupes, including Cheri Oteri, Molly Shannon, and Will Ferrell.
Oteri’s audition came when producers saw a Groundlings performance: she filled in with a monologue while Chris Kattan changed costume. That led to her being invited to audition and eventually join the cast.
Signature Characters & Impressions
During her five seasons on SNL, Oteri created a number of original characters and became known for impersonations and exaggerated personas. Among her best-known:
-
Arianna, a fervent but comically clumsy Spartan cheerleader (often teamed with Will Ferrell’s Craig)
-
Rita DelVecchio, a tough-talking Philadelphia woman patterned partly after Oteri’s grandmother
-
Cass Van Rye, the perky but dim-witted co-host of a fictional talk show Morning Latte
-
Nadeen, an irritable office worker with the catchphrase, “Simmer down now!”
-
Other recurring personas: Althea McMahonaman, Collette Reardon, Joy Lipton, among others
She also captured celebrities in satire and impersonation—Barbara Walters being a particularly noted target.
Recognition & Departure
-
Oteri earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her guest performance in Just Shoot Me! during her SNL years.
-
In 2000, her SNL contract concluded and she departed from the show.
Her time on SNL cemented her reputation in sketch comedy, thanks to her physical energy, voice work, and expressive characterizations.
Post-SNL: Film, TV & Voice Work
After leaving SNL, Cheri Oteri continued to apply her comedic and acting skill in a variety of roles across screen and voice work.
Film Appearances
She has appeared in supporting and comedic roles in films including:
-
Liar Liar (1997) as Jane
-
Inspector Gadget (1999)
-
Scary Movie (2000), playing Gail Hailstorm
-
Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003)
-
Southland Tales (2006)
-
Voice roles: The Ant Bully (voice), Shrek the Third (Sleeping Beauty, voice)
-
More recent credits include Grown Ups 2 (2013) and Big City Greens the Movie: Spacecation (voice)
Television & Voice Roles
Oteri’s TV and animation work is wide-ranging:
-
Guest spots: Just Shoot Me!, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Boston Legal, Hot in Cleveland, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The New Normal, Scream Queens, and others
-
Voice work in animated shows: Sit Down, Shut Up, The 7D, Big City Greens, Puppy Dog Pals (regular voice)
-
She continues to be active in voice acting for animated series and TV films.
Overall, her post-SNL career reflects her flexibility as an actor and comedian, extending into dramatic, comedic, and voice-driven parts.
Style, Persona & Influence
Cheri Oteri is celebrated for:
-
High energy and physical expressiveness — her caricatures often involved exaggerated movement, vocal inflection, and bold facial expression.
-
Character-based comedy — many of her lasting roles were original personalities, not just celebrity parodies.
-
Voice and impression work — especially her Barbara Walters impersonation, which she later recalled fondly and honored.
-
Relatability and exaggerated everyday personas — characters like Rita DelVecchio resonated as neighbors, relatives, or loudmouths exaggerated to comedic effect.
Her contributions helped diversify SNL’s female comic voices during the late 1990s, placing original characters at the center of episodic sketches.
Notably, in 2025 she revealed a fun anecdote: she once kissed an SNL host at an after-party and later described it with surprise.
Also, her impersonation of Barbara Walters became so recognized that Walters herself once mistook Oteri’s image for hers during a television taping — a moment Oteri described as a special career highlight.
Lessons & Takeaways
-
Creative initiative matters
Oteri often co-wrote or created her own characters. Her success illustrates how taking creative ownership can open doors in sketch comedy. -
Use your unique voice
Her accent, cadence, and observational humor turned everyday personas into vivid characters. -
Adaptability is key
Transitioning from sketch to film, TV, and voice roles shows that comedic actors often must diversify. -
Longevity through reinvention
Though SNL was her breakout, her continuing work in animation and supporting parts shows how staying active in smaller roles helps sustain a career. -
Legacy in character work
Some lines or recurring catchphrases (like “Simmer down now!”) linger in popular memory beyond individual sketches.