Elizabeth Perkins opened up to Us Weekly exclusively about 25 things you might not know about her — including her greatest fear, what calms her down and the costumes she saved from Big and The Flintstones. Read on to learn more about the Hollywood icon.
1. Nature, forests and the sound of rivers soothe my soul.
2. My family’s real last name is Pisperikos. It was changed to Perkins when my grandfather Nick was naturalized. I’m proud of my immigrant heritage.
3. I grew up on a 600-acre farm in western Massachusetts.
4. Joni Mitchell is my idol.
5. My first car was a 1975 orange Fiat 128. I paid $700 for it.
6. My husband, Julio Macat, is a cinematographer. We’ve made four films together, and I look forward to the fifth!
7. I was a waitress at the Halsted Street Fishmarket in Chicago and once had the pleasure of serving Jethro Tull. They left me a $500 tip.
8. I wanted to be a veterinarian but never had the math skills.
9. I’m a neat freak.
10. My acting teacher Bella Itkin’s best advice was, “Nobody cares. Just get on with it.” Sage advice.
11. I’m a triple Scorpio, so watch out.
12. I was diagnosed with latent-onset autoimmune type 1 diabetes at the age of 45.
13. My first professional break was in a play called Gardenia, costarring William Petersen and Gary Cole.
14. I cook the best roast chicken around. I’m Greek, after all.
15. My first film experience was [seeing] 2001: A Space Odyssey at the Waverly Theater in NYC in 1968.
16. My very first play was The Wizard of Oz. I played Miss Gulch, but for some reason I didn’t get to play the Wicked Witch.
17. I’ve watched every episode of Everybody Loves Raymond at least five times.
18. I met my best friend, Patty Backer, when we waitressed together nearly 40 years ago. She’s still my best friend on the planet.
19. I’m absolutely obsessed with the Avett Brothers, Greensky Bluegrass and Brandi Carlile.
20 I’ve always had rescue animals — currently that includes my dogs, Dudley and L’il Pete.
21. I have an overwhelming fear of heights. One time I had to be rescued from the Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver.
22. I play the piano by ear but don’t read music.
23. My favorite places in the world are Mount Desert Island and Monhegan, off the coast of Maine.
24. I support Moms Demand Action, a grassroots movement fighting for public safety measures that protect people from gun violence.
25. I still have the custom-made dress I wore when I jumped on the trampoline in Big. I also have my Wilma Flintstone leather toga and wedding ring.
Perkins stars in the FOX miniseries, The Moodys, which airs on Monday, December 9 at 9 p.m. ET and Tuesday, December 10 at 9 p.m. ET. (The first two episodes are available to stream online.)
