Jameela Jamil facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jameela Jamil
Jamil in 2018
Born	Jameela Alia Jamil (1986-02-25) 25 February 1986 (age 39) London, England
Education	Queen's College, London
Occupation	Actress television personality and presenter model writer activist
Years active	2009–present
Partner(s)	James Blake (2015–present)

Jameela Alia Jamil (born 25 February 1986) is an English actress, activist, and presenter. She started her career on Channel 4 in the UK. From 2009 to 2012, she hosted a pop culture show called T4. Later, she became a radio host for The Official Chart on BBC Radio 1. She was the first woman to host this popular chart show by herself.

In 2016, Jamil moved to the United States. She became well-known for playing Tahani Al-Jamil in the NBC comedy series The Good Place. She also hosted the game show The Misery Index on TBS. Jamil was also a judge on the reality competition show Legendary, which features the dance style called voguing. In 2022, she worked on two superhero projects. These were the animated movie DC League of Super-Pets and the TV series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Since 2022, she has also voiced the character Asencia in the science fiction series Star Trek: Prodigy.

Early Life and Challenges

Jameela Alia Jamil was born on 25 February 1986. Her parents are Ali and Shireen Jamil. Her family background includes Pakistani and Indian heritage. Jamil moved around a lot when she was young. She lived in different parts of London and also spent time in Spain and Pakistan.

As a child, Jamil faced several health issues. She was born with some hearing loss and had many operations to help. She also has hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. This is a genetic condition that affects the body's connective tissues. At age 12, she was diagnosed with coeliac disease.

When she was 17, Jamil was hit by a car. This accident caused her to break several bones and hurt her spine. Doctors told her she might not walk again. However, she slowly recovered with treatment and physiotherapy. She used a Zimmer frame to help her start walking again. Jamil has said this accident changed her view of her body.

She attended Queen's College School in London. However, she could not finish her advanced studies due to the accident. She later taught English to students from other countries. Jamil also worked as a model agent and photographer.

Career Beginnings in Media

Becoming a TV Presenter

Jamil at London Fashion Week in 2009

Jamil started her media career in 2009. She began presenting on Channel 4's youth show T4. In January 2009, she became a co-host of the morning TV show Freshly Squeezed. She worked alongside Nick Grimshaw. In 2010, Jamil hosted The Closet. This was an online fashion advice show on the social networking site Bebo.

Jamil also started working as an event DJ in 2010. She has mentioned that her first DJ job was at Elton John's birthday party. She later said she worked as a DJ for eight years. She had studied music for six years on a scholarship.

From 2011 to 2014, she wrote a column for Company magazine. In January 2012, Jamil hosted the reality show Playing It Straight. In June 2012, she launched her first fashion collection with Very. By the end of 2012, she became a radio host for The Official Chart on BBC Radio 1. She also co-hosted The Official Chart Update with Scott Mills. Jamil made history as the first woman to host the BBC Radio 1 Chart show by herself.

Moving to Acting

From UK TV to Hollywood

Jamil at San Diego Comic-Con on 20 July 2019

Jamil moved to Los Angeles in 2016. She initially planned to work as a screenwriter. While working as a writer, her agents suggested she audition for a new comedy series. This was for Michael Schur, who co-created Parks and Recreation. Even without acting experience, she got the role.

In September 2016, the NBC fantasy comedy series The Good Place premiered. Jamil was a main cast member, playing Tahani Al-Jamil. Her character became known for often mentioning famous people.

Jamil appeared on her first American magazine cover in February 2018. This was for The Cut magazine. She also provided her voice for the animated TV series DuckTales. In the same year, Jamil hosted a segment on Last Call with Carson Daly.

Since 2019, Jamil has hosted The Misery Index. This is a comedy game show on TBS. In March 2020, she voiced Mira's Auntie Pushpa in Disney's Mira, Royal Detective.

In April 2020, she started her podcast called I Weigh with Jameela Jamil. This podcast focuses on women's achievements and body positivity. It also discusses activism and including different groups of people. The podcast was nominated for an E! People's Choice Award in October 2020.

In June 2021, Jamil was cast as the supervillain Mary MacPherran / Titania. This was for the Disney+ series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022). The series is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Also in 2022, she voiced Wonder Woman in the animated film DC League of Super-Pets.

Activism and Advocacy

Jamil is known for her activism. In late 2015, she started Why Not People?. This company aimed to create entertainment events that were accessible to people with disabilities.

In March 2018, Jamil created an Instagram account called I Weigh. She was inspired by a picture of celebrities that showed their weights. Jamil describes I Weigh as a movement. It helps people feel valuable and appreciate themselves beyond their physical appearance. The account encourages followers to share non-edited selfies. They use the hashtag #iweigh and describe what they are grateful for. Because of this work, Jamil was named one of BBC's 100 Women in 2018.

Jamil has often spoken out against diet shakes and products. She has shared her own past struggles with unhealthy eating habits. She has criticized celebrities and influencers for promoting these products on social media. Jamil created a petition to stop celebrities from promoting harmful diet products. She asked social media platforms to ban this practice. In September 2019, Instagram introduced new rules to protect young users.

Jamil often criticizes media standards. She believes that some female celebrities promote unhealthy body image. She is against the airbrushing of photos. She refuses to have her own photo shoots retouched. Jamil believes it is wrong to change images without saying so. She also criticizes fashion industry standards. She has called out designers for promoting unhealthy body ideals.

In February 2020, Jamil became a host for the HBO voguing contest show Legendary. Some people questioned her role because she was not seen as part of the queer community. In response, she publicly shared that she identifies as queer.

Jamil also supports climate change awareness. She admires activists like Jane Fonda and Greta Thunberg. In 2023, Jamil signed an open letter. It expressed concerns about how The New York Times reported on transgender people.

Charity Work

Jamil has supported many charities. She volunteered for C4 Orange Rockcorps 2009. This helped create a concert to fund local community projects. She has supported the Cultural Learning Alliance. This group helps children and young people access culture. She also supported the Vinspired National Awards. These awards recognize young people who volunteer in their communities.

Jamil designed her own version of SpongeBob SquarePants. It was auctioned to raise money for Childline. She also wore a chicken costume for 16 days. This was to raise money for Comic Relief, collecting about £16,000.

Awards and Recognition

Jamil was one of 15 women featured on the cover of British Vogue in September 2019. This special issue was called "Forces for Change". It was guest-edited by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

On 2 August 2019, Jamil received the "Advocate of the Year" award. This was from the Ehlers-Danlos Society.

Jamil also received the "Phenom" award. This was at the 12th annual Shorty Awards on 3 May 2020.

Personal Life

Jamil has been in a relationship with musician James Blake since 2015. She publicly shared that she is queer. This happened after her role as a judge on the Legendary series. The show's dance style, voguing, is important to Black and Latino LGBT+ communities.

Jamil has spoken about her experiences with mental well-being. She has discussed facing challenges like anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. She has also shared that she sought therapy to help with past difficult experiences. In May 2024, Jamil mentioned that her past eating disorder had affected her bone density and internal organs.

Film and Television Roles

Film Appearances

Television Appearances

Radio Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Jameela Jamil para niños