Elyse Willems facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elyse Willems
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Elyse Willems at RTX Austin 2017.
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| Born | May 3, 1986 |
| Education | University of Toronto |
| Occupation | Writer • producer • performer • co-creative director |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Employer | Rooster Teeth (2015-2024) |
| Spouse(s) | James Willems |
Elyse Willems, born on May 3, 1986, is a talented Canadian comedian, writer, actress, and host. She is widely recognized for her work at Funhaus, a part of Rooster Teeth Productions. She joined Funhaus in November 2015 and has been involved in many of their projects since then.
In October 2020, Elyse wrote and published her first book, A Night in Halloween House. This book became a very popular Halloween children's book on Amazon.
Contents
About Elyse Willems
Elyse Willems grew up in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her family has Polish roots. After finishing her studies at the University of Toronto, where she earned a degree in Political Science and Government, she moved to Los Angeles in January 2012.
Before joining Rooster Teeth, Elyse worked in the entertainment industry. She was a production assistant at GameTrailers starting in August 2012. Later, in 2014, she became a producer, writer, and host for a comedy news show called Mandatory Update. This show made funny comments about the video game world.
Working at Funhaus
In November 2015, Elyse joined Rooster Teeth as a member of the Funhaus team. At Funhaus, she has helped create and write many popular series. These include shows like Arizona Circle and Twits & Crits. She also produces and performs in their gaming videos and podcasts.
Elyse has attended several RTX conventions, which are big events for Rooster Teeth fans. At one event in Sydney in 2017, she talked about how frustrating it can be when credit for her work sometimes went to male colleagues. She also appeared on the show Always Open, hosted by her friend Barbara Dunkelman.
In 2017, a short video clip featuring Elyse from a Funhaus video became very popular online. In the clip, other Funhaus members, including her husband, were jokingly making fun of a female character's ponytail. Elyse, who was wearing a ponytail herself, reacted in a funny way in the background. This clip was even shown in one of PewDiePie's videos and got millions of views. Elyse later explained that the whole situation was meant to be humorous, and her reaction was part of the comedy.
Creative Projects and Charity Work
In 2020, Elyse created and participated in a Rooster Teeth series called Last Laugh. This show was a social experiment where twelve people tried to make each other laugh or smile for six hours in one room.
Elyse also streams online with her husband, James, to raise money for different charities. For example, on November 1, 2020, she helped raise funds for The Jimmy Fund. This fund supports important research at the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute.
Her first novel, A Night in Halloween House, was published in October 2020. It was available as a paperback and an e-book on Amazon. The book quickly became a top-selling Halloween children's book. In 2021, Elyse and James also worked as writers for the video game Arcadegeddon by IllFonic.
Elyse's Life Outside Work
Elyse Willems is married to James Willems, who is also a performer and a member of the Funhaus team. They live together in Los Angeles, California.
Elyse's Work in Entertainment
Elyse has been involved in many different types of entertainment projects.
Movies and Web Shows
Elyse has appeared in several movies and web series. She played a cameo role as a "Selfie Attendee" in the 2018 movie Blood Fest. She also appeared in the documentary Haus of Pain in 2018. More recently, she was in Wheelchair Club (2024), Total Party Kill (2025), and We're All Gonna Die (2025).
For web series, she was a co-host and co-creator of Mandatory Update from 2014 to 2015. From 2015 to 2024, she was a performer, director, and producer for Funhaus. She also had roles in animated series like Red vs. Blue (2016) and The Eleven Little Roosters (2017). She was an actress, writer, and producer for Arizona Circle from 2018 to 2019.
Elyse has also been a guest on many shows like On the Spot, Always Open, Million Dollars, But..., Off Topic, and Smosh. She created and co-hosted Last Laugh from 2020 to 2023. Since 2022, she has been a host for 30 Morbid Minutes and Won't You Be My Gamer?, a PBS infotainment series.
Video Games
Elyse has also lent her voice and writing skills to video games.
- In 2020, she was a voice actor for the game Predator: Hunting Grounds.
- In 2021, she voiced the character Ruck and was a writer for Arcadegeddon.
- She also voiced "Rich Mom" in Psychonauts 2 in 2021.
- In 2022, she worked as a writer for Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed.
- In 2024, she contributed additional material to Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Game.
