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Jessica Williams

Jessica Williams

Actress, Comedian, Former Correspondent on "The Daily Show" & Co-Host of the "2 Dope Queens" Podcast

Jessica Williams is an actress and comedian who was formerly a senior correspondent on "The Daily Show".

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Jessica Williams is an actress and comedian who was formerly a senior correspondent on “The Daily Show”. Williams was the youngest and the first female African American correspondent in the history of “The Daily Show”.

Williams got her start in comedy through the intense and cut-throat world of improv and sketch. She regularly performed at both The UCB theatre and Comedysportz. She made her television debut as a series regular on the Nickelodeon series “Just for Kicks” in 2006.

In 2012 Williams joined the cast of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” as the first African American woman and youngest correspondent to date. Williams led numerous comedic yet thought-provoking segments on hot button topics such as police brutality, transgender rights, sexism in politics and race. While on the show, she brought a candid and thoughtful approach to satirical news programming and secured a powerful voice in comedy. Williams announced her departure from the show in June 2016 after four years with the late-night series.

In 2016, Williams launched a podcast, “2 Dope Queens,” with Phoebe Robinson. Based on their live comedy show in Brooklyn, the podcast tackles the struggles of two twenty-something women shaking things up as they discuss everything from sex to romance to hair issues and living in NYC.

Williams also made appearances on Season 3 of HBO’s “Girls,” and in the film “People Places Things.” She is the star of the 2017 Netflix comedy movie The Incredible Jessica James. She appeared in the sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, titled Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, as Professor Eulalie “Lally” Hicks, a teacher from the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Prior to her success on “The Daily Show”, Williams gained experience as a writer and performer with the Los Angeles Upright Citizens Brigade. Honing her craft for stand-up and improv, she was honored to be featured on Variety’s annual “Top 10 Comics to Watch” list in 2012.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Williams attended California State University Long Beach and graduated in 2012. She currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.

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An Evening With Jessica Williams 

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Jessica Williams' Fantastic Beasts Role Brought Her Back to Her Childhood | The Tonight Show
Thank You, Jessica Williams: The Daily Show

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