Jessica Williams (actress)

Early life

Williams was born in Los Angeles County, California. She attended Nathaniel Narbonne High School where she studied drama. 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 at 22 years old. She attended California State University, Long Beach.

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. She cohosted the comedy podcast 2 Dope Queens with Phoebe Robinson. 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 guest appearances on April 22, 2024, October 28, 2024, and July 29, 2025. She starred in the 2017 Netflix comedy movie The Incredible Jessica James, as a character described by The Guardian 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 was a main cast member in the Apple TV+ show Shrinking. For her performance, she earned two nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

Filmography

Film

Television

Podcast

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. Williams, Jessica Renee. (July 31, 2018). "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY ... I'm excited for what 29 is going to bring ...".
2. Czajkowski, Elise. (February 27, 2014). "Talking to 'Daily Show' Correspondent Jessica Williams". Splitsider.
3. "FACES: THE DAILY SHOW'S JESSICA WILLIAMS INTERVIEW". Nixon.
4. 2 Dope Queens Podcast, Episode 28, A Sex Toy in Every Port
5. (February 2, 2018). "'2 Dope Queens' Jessica Williams, Phoebe Robinson on Taking HBO by Storm".
6. Rahman, Ray. (June 29, 2016). "Jessica Williams is leaving The Daily Show — exclusive".
7. (April 22, 2024). "WATCH: Jessica Williams Returns to The Daily Show".
8. Nevins, Jake. (July 26, 2017). "The incredible Jessica Williams: 'Great comedy comes from feeling like you've gotten punched up'".
9. (April 22, 2018). "Jessica Williams Joins J.K. Rowling to Announce Her Fantastic Beasts Character".
10. (February 27, 2023). "Jessica Williams on becoming the standout star of Apple TV Plus' Shrinking".
11. "75th Primetime Emmy Awards".
12. Brathwaite, Lester Fabian. (January 14, 2024). "Oppenheimer, Barbie, The Bear lead 2024 Critics Choice Awards: See the full winners list".
13. "Nominations Announced for the 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards | Screen Actors Guild Awards".
14. "Emmy nominations 2025: The full list of nominees - BBC News".
15. "Jessica Williams". [[Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre]].
16. Gilbert, Matthew. (April 7, 2006). "'Just for Kicks' shows girls how to get along". [[The Boston Globe]].
17. (January 11, 2012). "Indecision 2012 - In the South of Madness". The Daily Show.
18. Del Signore, John. (January 19, 2012). "Jon Stewart: SOPA Will Drive Us To Libraries "Like A Common Masturbator"". [[Gothamist]].
19. Williams, Lauren. (January–February 2014). "The Daily Show's Jessica Williams on Race, Comedy, and Her Role in "Girls."". [[Mother Jones (magazine).