Marianna Palka (born September 7, 1981) is a Scottish filmmaker, actress, and screenwriter. She is primarily known for her work in American independent cinema, where she has served as a director, writer, and performer in several feature films.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Palka moved to New York City at the age of 17 to study at the Atlantic Theater Company. She gained significant professional recognition for her feature film debut, Good Dick (2008), which she wrote, directed, and starred in alongside Jason Ritter. The film premiered in the dramatic competition at the Sundance Film Festival.
Palka's subsequent directorial efforts include Bitch (2017), a satirical drama in which she also starred, and Egg (2018), a comedy starring Christina Hendricks and Anna Camp. Her work often explores themes of gender roles, mental health, and interpersonal relationships through a lens of dark comedy or psychological drama.
In addition to her work behind the camera, Palka has maintained an acting career in film and television. She is notable for her recurring role as Reggie Walsh (also known as "Vicky the Viking") in the Netflix comedy-drama series GLOW (2017–2019).
Palka was the subject of the short documentary The Lion's Mouth Opens (2014), directed by Lucy Walker. The film follows Palka as she awaits the results of a genetic test for Huntington's disease, a condition that affected her father. The documentary received critical acclaim for its portrayal of her personal health journey and helped raise awareness for the disease.
