Cheri Oteri (born September 19, 1962, in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania) is an American actress and comedian of Italian descent. She spent five seasons on NBC's Saturday Night Live (1995-2000), where high-energy original characters - cheerleader Arianna alongside Will Ferrell, neighbor Rita DelVecchio, talk-show host Cass Van Rye - and sharp celebrity impressions made her one of the show's standout performers. After SNL she appeared in films including Scary Movie, Inspector Gadget and Shrek the Third, and in 2026 reprised her role as Gail Hailstorm in the new Scary Movie sequel.
Oteri publicly announced a diagnosis of carcinoma in situ (DCIS) - an early form of breast cancer - and stated that she feels well after her second lumpectomy.
Oteri attended the world premiere of Scary Movie in Los Angeles on June 3, 2026, where she reprised the role of Gail Hailstorm.
The new sequel Scary Movie 6, in which Oteri stars, was released in theaters on June 5, 2026.
Oteri landed a recurring role as health inspector Monica in the NBC sitcom Happy's Place alongside Reba McEntire.
Oteri attended the SNL50: The Homecoming Concert at Radio City Music Hall, although she was not invited to perform at the anniversary special itself.
