Janelle James facts for kids

Janelle James, born on September 23, 1979, is a talented American comedian, actress, and writer. She is widely recognized for her role as Ava Coleman in the popular ABC TV show Abbott Elementary. For this role, she has won a Screen Actors Guild Award and an NAACP Image Award. She has also been nominated for several other major awards, including four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award.

Besides acting, Janelle James has also worked as a writer for shows like The Rundown with Robin Thede and Black Monday. She has appeared in other TV programs such as Crashing, Corporate, and Central Park. Her first comedy album, Black and Mild, was released in 2017. In 2020, Variety magazine named her one of their "10 Comics to Watch."

Early Life and Education

Janelle James grew up on St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. Her father owned a food truck, and from the age of seven, she helped him by selling drinks to tourists on the beach. When she was 16, she and her mother moved to New York. While in high school, she once waited in line for many hours to try out for an MTV show called Wanna Be a VJ.

After finishing high school, she started studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology. However, she decided to leave after a couple of years.

Career Highlights

Stand-up Comedy Journey

Janelle James started her comedy career in 2009. She first performed at an open mic event while living in Champaign, Illinois. She describes her comedy style as "just talking stuff." Her stand-up routines cover many topics, including being a mom, being a woman over 35, and dating. She has mentioned comedians like Bill Burr and Wanda Sykes as some of her favorites.

In 2016, her comedy work was noticed by Just for Laughs and Brooklyn magazine. She became more widely known when she opened shows for famous comedian Chris Rock on his 2017 Total Blackout tour. That same year, she released her first comedy album, Black and Mild. This album was recorded at Acme Comedy Company in Minneapolis.

She also performed on Netflix's 2018 comedy series The Comedy Lineup. She was also scheduled to perform at Netflix's first "Netflix Is a Joke" comedy festival in Los Angeles in 2020.

Television Roles and Writing

Janelle James worked as a staff writer for The Rundown with Robin Thede in 2017. She also wrote for the Showtime comedy Black Monday and had a recurring role as an actress on that show. She has appeared in other TV shows like Crashing and Corporate. She is also a writer and voice actor for the animated series Central Park. In 2021, she was a featured comedian on Netflix's The Standups.

She became very famous for her main role on the ABC comedy Abbott Elementary. In the show, she plays Ava Coleman, the self-centered principal. Critics have praised her performance. For this role, Janelle James has received many award nominations. These include a Primetime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, a Golden Globe Award, and a Critics' Choice Award.

In 2022, Janelle James hosted the ABC game show The Final Straw. She also hosted the 2023 Writers Guild of America Awards.

Podcasts

In 2019, Janelle James hosted a podcast called Strong Black Laughs. On this podcast, she interviewed many well-known Black comedians, including Luenell and Sherri Shepherd. In 2020, she hosted another comedy podcast called You In Danger, Gurl. This podcast was about "red flags" in relationships and unusual dating experiences.

Personal Life

After college, Janelle James married a teacher, and they had two sons together. They later separated while living in Champaign, Illinois. For many years, she lived in Brooklyn, New York. However, after the first season of Abbott Elementary became a big success, she moved to Los Angeles in 2022.

Discography

• 2017: Black and Mild

Filmography

Television Appearances

Film Appearances

Awards and Nominations

• 2016 – Brooklyn magazine's 50 Funniest People
• 2016 – Just for Laughs New Faces
• 2020 – Variety magazine's 10 Comics to Watch