From Night Court to Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Betsy Sodaro Is a Sitcom Scene Stealer

Sodaro began her career as an improv star as a graduate of the Upright Citizens Brigade. After making her television debut in the 2012 sitcom Animal Practice, Sodaro gained further recognition as a cast member on the sketch comedy series Comedy Bang! Bang!. Sodaro has lent her voice to many animated series, playing Xixi in All Hail King Julien and appearing in several episodes of Bob's Burgers, The Powerpuff Girls, Apollo Gauntlet, Summer Camp Island, and Exploding Kittens.

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Sodaro's comedic chops have led to several sitcom roles; she guest starred in the Season 4 premiere of Brooklyn Nine-Nine as Jordan Carfton, played an uptight customer in several episodes of Superstore, played Dabby in Disjointed, and had a recurring guest role in the historical sitcom Another Period. Since 2022, Sodaro has had audiences cackling as the cholera-killed spirit Nancy in Ghosts.

Sodaro boasts several big-screen hits. She made her film debut while providing several voices in 2013's smash animated film Monsters University, also appearing in The To Do List alongside Aubrey Plaza that same year. In 2018, she had minor roles in Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot, and Next Gen.

She lent her voice to 2020's Trolls World Tour as Clampers Buttonwillow, which was a big year for Sodaro; she also appeared in the films Valley Girl, An American Pickle, Hubie Halloween, and Golden Arm. Back in the voice recording studio, Sodaro played Jo Serpent and various voices in 2022's Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Recently, Sodaro played Chef Ida in 2023's action comedy The Out-Laws and Vick in Summer Camp, a comedy starring Diane Keaton, Kathy Bates, and Eugene Levy.

Sodaro has also appeared in several digital series, including 2012's Lady Time as Eleanor, 2014's Space Spring Break, and 2016's The Earliest Show.

Season 3 of Night Court boasts a dynamite lineup of guest stars making their way to the cooky courtroom, including the return of Sodaro's Bert, the head of maintenance at the courthouse. Viewers will remember Bert from Season 1, Episode 10 ("Marathon-Thon-Thon-Thon-Thon") when Sodaro first appeared on the NBC sitcom.

Bert first crossed paths with our Night Court fan favorites after Dan (John Larroquette) took it upon himself to complain about the removal of a cherished bench at the courthouse. After Gurgs (Lacretta) brought Dan to Bert for the complaint, Dan caught wind of Bert's pet alligator, the catalyst of numerous complaints from Bert's neighbors. Sensing an opportunity, Dan offered Bert legal services with only one condition: return the bench. Bert agreed, but after Dan thanked her in Louisiana French — a nod to his Louisiana origins — Bert assumed that he intended to eat her pet as some Bayou delicacy and refused to help him.

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Sodaro also appears in Night Court Season 3, Episode 3 ("The Hole Truth") during a citywide sanitation strike. While Abby expected the courtroom to be a mess, Bert revealed the secret to her keeping the place squeaky clean: a mysterious hole in the courthouse where they could toss whatever trash they wanted inside. After Abby challenged this method — surely the hole was a health concern or some pending structural dilemma — Bert joined the strike. Upon realizing Bert was in a bad mood because his pet alligator died, Abby and the gang threw a memorial in Todd's (the alligator) honor, which touched Bert tremendously, inspiring her to end the strike.