Jessica Williams | |
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 Williams in 2025 | |
| Born | Jessica Renee Williams (1989-07-31)July 31, 1989 (age 36) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | California State University, Long Beach |
| Occupations | Actress, comedian |
| Years active | 2006–present |
Jessica Renee Williams (born July 31, 1989) is an American actress and comedian. She has appeared as asenior correspondent onThe Daily Show (2012–2016, 2024–present), as cohost of the podcast2 Dope Queens (2018–2019), asLally Hicks in theFantastic Beasts film series (2018–2022), as Gaby inShrinking (2023–present), and as Meadow inEntergalactic (2022).
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Williams was born on born July 31, 1989,[1][better source needed] inLos Angeles County, California.[citation needed] She attendedNathaniel Narbonne High School, where she studied drama.[citation needed] She made her television debut as a series regular onNickelodeon,[citation needed] in the 2006 series,Just for Kicks.[2] In 2012, at 22 years old, she becameThe Daily Show's youngest correspondent in its history (to that time).[3][4]
Williams attendedCalifornia State University, Long Beach.[citation needed]
Williams made herDaily Show debut on January 11, 2012.[citation needed][5][failed verification] Williams is a frequent performer at theUpright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles.[6] Williams also made appearances on Season 3 of HBO'sGirls.[7] She currently resides inBrooklyn, New York[8] andLos Angeles, California.[9] She appeared in the filmPeople Places Things. She cohosted the comedy podcast2 Dope Queens withPhoebe Robinson. Williams appears in anHBO special spun off from the podcast in February 2018.[10] She appeared on her last regularDaily Show episode on June 30, 2016, but returned for guest appearances on April 22, 2024, October 28, 2024, and July 29, 2025.[11][12] She starred in the 2017Netflix comedy movieThe Incredible Jessica James, as a character described byThe Guardian as "a struggling Brooklyn-based playwright navigating the murky waters of modern romance while waiting impatiently for her big break."[13]
Williams appeared in the sequels ofFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, titledFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald andFantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore as Lally Hicks, a teacher fromIlvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.[14] In 2023, Williams was a main cast member in theApple TV+ showShrinking.[15] For her performance, she earned two nominations for thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
| 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 |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Just for Kicks | Vida Atwood | 13 episodes |
| 2012–2016, 2024, 2025 | The Daily Show | Herself (correspondent) | 143 episodes |
| 2014 | Girls | Karen | 4 episodes |
| 2018-2019 | 2 Dope 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 | Dr. Gaby Evans | Main role |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–2018 | 2 Dope Queens | Herself (cohost) | Also co-creator, writer, executive producer |
[Full relevant content of cited URL:] Aasif Mandvi, Jason Jones and Jessica WIlliams provide full coverage on the electoral horrors...Note, this text is a link title[dead link] that appears in a left-to-right scroll element under the heading, "Best of John Stewart".
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
