Pearl Minnie Anderson is the eldest child of Maya Rudolph and filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson. Born in 2005, she grew up in a creative household and has made a small number of documented screen appearances, including roles in projects her father directed.
Pearl reached another publicly confirmed milestone in 2024 when she began college. Although her appearances have given her some professional credits, she has not publicly announced that acting or filmmaking will be her long-term career. Pasted markdown
Quick Facts
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Pearl Minnie Anderson |
| Born | 2005 |
| Parents | Maya Rudolph and Paul Thomas Anderson |
| Family position | Eldest of four children |
| Siblings | Lucille, Jack, and Minnie Ida Anderson |
| Education | Began college in 2024 |
| Documented screen appearances | Licorice Pizza, Lost Track, and One Battle After Another |
Growing Up as Maya Rudolph and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Eldest Child
Pearl is the first of Maya Rudolph and Paul Thomas Anderson’s four children. Her younger siblings are Lucille, Jack, Minnie, and Ida Anderson.
Pearl was born while Rudolph was still working on Saturday Night Live. Rudolph later recalled the demands of traveling between Los Angeles and New York while raising a young child and continuing her work on the program.
In interviews during Pearl’s early years, Rudolph occasionally shared details about her eldest daughter. She described Pearl as comfortable around people and, as she grew older, interested in reading, performing, and making others laugh.
Rudolph has also said that her children grew up around music and creative activities at home. They took piano lessons and sometimes put on their own performances, reflecting the artistic environment Pearl and her siblings grew up in.
Pearl’s Documented Screen Appearances
Pearl appeared in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2021 feature Licorice Pizza, where she was credited as Sharon. Several members of the Anderson family participated in the production, including Maya Rudolph and Pearl’s siblings.
Her next documented appearance came in 2022 in the official video for HAIM’s Lost Track, which was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Pearl appeared alongside Alana, Danielle, and Este Haim.
Pearl later received a credited role as Sister Coco in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2025 feature One Battle After Another.
These credits establish that Pearl has participated in professionally released productions on more than one occasion. They do not, however, establish a conventional acting career. She has not publicly described herself as a professional actor or announced plans to pursue screen work full time.
Starting College in 2024
Pearl began her first year of college in 2024.
Maya Rudolph discussed the milestone in a September 2024 interview after returning from dropping her eldest daughter off at college. She spoke about the emotional adjustment of seeing her first child begin that new stage of independence.
The college itself and Pearl’s field of study have not been publicly identified. As a result, her education should not be connected to acting, directing, writing, or another profession without further confirmation.
Her move to college provides one of the clearest publicly documented updates about her life outside her family’s professional work.
Public Appearances With Maya Rudolph
Pearl has occasionally joined her mother at major public events.
In 2023, Pearl and Rudolph attended a Chanel-hosted event connected with filmmaker Sofia Coppola. Pearl also accompanied her mother to a Balenciaga couture presentation in Paris in June 2024.
In January 2026, she appeared with Rudolph at the National Board of Review Awards Gala.
These appearances have made Pearl more visible publicly, but they should not be interpreted as evidence of a modeling or fashion career. Her attendance has generally been documented in connection with her mother.
What Is Pearl Minnie Anderson Doing Now?
Pearl’s most clearly documented recent direction is her education. She entered college in 2024 after making several screen appearances during her teenage years.
Her public record now includes credited appearances in Licorice Pizza, Lost Track, and One Battle After Another, along with occasional event appearances with Maya Rudolph.
Pearl has not publicly defined a long-term profession or disclosed what she plans to pursue after college. For now, the clearest picture is of a young adult with several documented creative credits who is continuing her education rather than someone who has formally launched a public entertainment career.