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)
Family	James Litherland (father-in-law)

Jameela Alia Jamil (born 25 February 1986) is a British actress, activist, and presenter. She started her career in the UK on Channel 4, hosting a pop culture show called T4 from 2009 to 2012. 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 fantasy comedy series The Good Place. She also hosted the game show The Misery Index and was a judge on the reality competition Legendary. In 2022, Jamil worked on two superhero projects: 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 Jamil was born in London on February 25, 1986. Her father is Indian and her mother is Pakistani-British. As a child, Jamil faced many health challenges. She was born with some hearing loss and had several operations.

She was also diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome at age nine. This is a genetic condition that affects the body's connective tissues. At age 12, she was diagnosed with coeliac disease, which means she cannot eat gluten.

Jamil has shared that as a teenager, she struggled with her body image and eating habits. She felt pressure from society and magazines to be thin. When she was 17, she was hit by a car. This accident broke several bones and damaged her spine. Doctors told her she might not walk again, but she slowly recovered with treatment and physiotherapy. She used a Zimmer frame to help her start walking. Jamil says the accident changed her view of her body and helped her recover from her eating struggles.

She attended Queen's College, London but could not finish her studies because of the accident. After that, she taught English to foreign students for two years. She also worked as a photographer and a model agent.

Career Beginnings in Media

Jamil at London Fashion Week in 2009

Jamil has said she was working as a teacher when a TV producer discovered her. She was asked to audition to be a presenter. She also applied for a job at T4, a youth show on British Channel 4. She started presenting for T4 in 2009. In January 2009, she became the co-host of the morning TV show Freshly Squeezed. In 2010, Jamil hosted The Closet, an online fashion show.

Jamil also started working as an event DJ in 2010. She wrote a column for Company magazine from 2011 to 2014. In June 2012, she launched her first fashion collection with Very. At the end of 2012, Jamil became the radio host of The Official Chart on BBC Radio 1. She made history as the first woman to host the show by herself.

Moving to Acting

In 2016, Jamil moved from London to Los Angeles. She planned to become a screenwriter, not an actress. However, her agents told her that Michael Schur, who created Parks and Recreation, was looking for a British actress for a new comedy series. Even though she had no acting experience, she auditioned and got the role.

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

Jamil at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019

Jamil appeared on the cover of The Cut magazine in February 2018. She also voiced characters in the animated TV series DuckTales. In the same year, Jamil hosted a segment called "Wide Awake with Jameela Jamil" on Last Call with Carson Daly.

Since 2019, Jamil has hosted The Misery Index, a comedy game show on TBS. In 2018, she joined the cast of Disney's Mira, Royal Detective, voicing Mira's Auntie Pushpa.

In April 2020, she started her podcast called I Weigh with Jameela Jamil. This podcast focuses on women's achievements, body positivity, activism, and including people from all backgrounds. In October 2020, the podcast was nominated for an E! People's Choice Award.

In June 2021, Jamil was cast as the supervillain Mary MacPherran / Titania in the Disney+ series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022), which is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Also in 2022, she voiced Wonder Woman in the animated movie DC League of Super-Pets. Since 2021, she has also helped produce music for her boyfriend, James Blake.

Activism and Advocacy

In late 2015, Jamil started Why Not People?, a company that organizes entertainment events for people with disabilities. In March 2018, Jamil created an Instagram account called I Weigh. She was inspired by a picture of famous women that listed their weights. Jamil describes I Weigh as a "movement" to help people feel valuable and proud of themselves, looking beyond their physical appearance. The account encourages people to share their unedited selfies with the hashtag #iweigh, describing things they are grateful for or proud of. 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 that claim to help with weight loss. She has shared that she struggled with eating as a teenager and took advice from celebrities on how to stay thin. She has criticized celebrities and influencers for promoting diet products on social media. Jamil started a petition to stop celebrities from promoting these products, noting their harmful effects on teenagers. In September 2019, Instagram introduced new rules to help protect young users from such promotions.

Using social media, Jamil often criticizes media standards and encourages other female celebrities to promote healthy body images. She often mentions her own past struggles with body image in her arguments. Jamil is against editing photos in magazines and refuses to have her own photos retouched.

She also criticizes fashion and modeling industry standards. She has said that runway models often look "long-starved" and "terrified." Jamil frequently compares Victoria's Secret models to her own identity. She also criticized fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld after his death.

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

Charity Work

Jamil has volunteered for various causes. She appeared on C4 Orange Rockcorps 2009, helping to create a concert to fund local community projects. She has supported the Cultural Learning Alliance, which helps children and young people access culture. She also supports the Vinspired National Awards for young people who volunteer in their communities. Jamil designed a version of SpongeBob SquarePants to be auctioned for Childline. She also wore a chicken costume for 16 days to raise money for Comic Relief, raising about £16,000.

Awards and Recognition

Jamil was one of 15 women chosen to appear on the cover of the September 2019 issue of British Vogue. This special issue was guest-edited by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

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

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

Personal Life

Jamil has been in a relationship with musician James Blake since 2015. She has publicly shared that she is queer. She made this public after her role as a judge on the voguing reality series Legendary received some criticism.

Jamil has experienced anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. She has also used EMDR therapy to help with post traumatic stress disorder. In May 2024, Jamil shared that her past struggles with eating habits had affected her bone density and damaged her kidneys, liver, digestive system, and heart.

Film and Television Roles

Key

Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film

Film appearances by Jameela Jamil

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2019	How to Build a Girl	Cleopatra
2022	Marry Me	Anikah
2022	DC League of Super-Pets	Wonder Woman (voice)
2023	Love at First Sight	Narrator
2025	Elio	Ambassador Questa (voice)

Television

Radio

See also

In Spanish: Jameela Jamil para niños