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Jessica Williams (actress) facts for kids

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Jessica Williams
Jessica Williams.jpg
Williams in 2016
Born
Jessica Renee Williams

(1989-07-31) July 31, 1989 (age 35)
Alma mater California State University, Long Beach
Occupation Actress, comedian
Years active 2006–present

Jessica Renee Williams (born July 31, 1989) is an American actress and comedian. She has appeared as a senior correspondent on The Daily Show, as cohost of the podcast 2 ... Queens, as Lally Hicks in the Fantastic Beasts film series, as Gaby in Shrinking, and as Meadow in Entergalactic.

Early life

Jessica Renee Williams was born in Los Angeles County, California. She attended Nathaniel Narbonne High School where she flourished in the school's drama department. She made her television debut as a series regular on the Nickelodeon series Just for Kicks in 2006, and in 2012, she became The Daily Show's youngest correspondent ever. She attended California State University, Long Beach. Results of a DNA test traced Williams's maternal ancestry to the Bamileke people of Cameroon.

Career

Williams made her Daily Show debut on January 11, 2012. Williams is a frequent performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles. Williams also made appearances on Season 3 of HBO's Girls. She currently resides in Brooklyn, New York and Los Angeles, California. She appeared in the film People Places Things. ..... Williams appears in an HBO special spun off from the podcast in February 2018. She appeared on her last regular Daily Show episode on June 30, 2016, but returned for a guest appearance on April 22, 2024. She starred in the 2017 Netflix comedy movie The Incredible Jessica James, in which she portrays a character whom The Guardian described as "a struggling Brooklyn-based playwright navigating the murky waters of modern romance while waiting impatiently for her big break."

Williams appeared in the sequels of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, titled Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore as Lally Hicks, a teacher from Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In 2023, Williams had a starring role in the Apple TV+ show Shrinking. For her performance, she earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series nomination.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Crying in Public Coffee Shop Crier Short film
2013 Delivery Man Tanya
2015 People Places Things Kat
Hot Tub Time Machine 2 Herself Cameo role
Tap Shoes & Violins Charlie Short film
2017 The Incredible Jessica James Jessica James Also executive producer
2018 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Lally Hicks
2019 Corporate Animals Jess
Booksmart Miss Fine
2020 Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia TBA
2022 Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore Lally Hicks
2024 Road House Frankie

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Just for Kicks Vida Atwood 13 episodes
2012–2016, 2024 The Daily Show Herself (correspondent) 142 episodes
2014 Girls Karen 4 episodes
2018-2019 2 ... Queens Herself 8 episodes
2019 The Twilight Zone Rei Tanaka Episode: "Six Degrees of Freedom"
2021 I Heart Arlo Elena Voice role
Love Life Mia Hines Main role
2022 Entergalactic Meadow Watson Voice role, television film
2023-present Shrinking Gaby Main role

Podcast

Year Title Role Notes
2016–2018 2 ... Queens Herself (cohost) Also co-creator, writer, executive producer

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2024 Critics' Choice Award Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Shrinking Nominated
2024 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated

See also

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