Tiffany Haddish facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tiffany Haddish
Haddish in 2013
Birth name	Tiffany Cornilia Haddish
Born	(1979-12-03) December 3, 1979 (age 45) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Medium	Stand-up film television books
Nationality	American
Genres	Observational comedy surreal humor sketch comedy black comedy satire
Subject(s)	American politics African-American culture pop culture racism race relations sexism interpersonal relationships traditions
Spouse	William Stewart ​ ​ (m. 2008; div. 2013)​

Tiffany Cornilia Haddish (born December 3, 1979) is an American stand-up comedian and actress. She became very famous after her main role in the comedy movie Girls Trip (2017). This role won her many awards and was even called one of the best movie performances of the 21st century by The New Yorker.

In 2018, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. The Hollywood Reporter also listed her as one of the 100 most powerful people in entertainment in both 2018 and 2019.

Tiffany Haddish has starred in many TV shows like The Carmichael Show (2015–2017), The Last O.G. (2018–2020), and The Afterparty (2022–2023). She also voiced Tuca in the animated series Tuca & Bertie (2019–2022). Her movies include Keanu (2016), Night School (2018), and Like a Boss (2020).

She won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2017 for hosting an episode of Saturday Night Live. She also wrote a book about her life called The Last Black Unicorn (2017). In 2019, she released a comedy album called Black Mitzvah, which won her a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. She was the second African-American woman to win this award, after Whoopi Goldberg in 1986.

Early Life and Comedy Journey

Tiffany Haddish was born and grew up in South Central Los Angeles, California. Her father, Tsihaye Reda Haddish, was a refugee from Eritrea and had Ethiopian Jewish heritage. Her mother, Leola, was an African-American business owner from a Christian family.

When Tiffany was three, her father left. Her mother later remarried and had four more children. In 1988, when Tiffany was nine, her mother was in a serious car accident that caused brain damage. This made her mother's behavior change, and she became quick-tempered. Tiffany, as the oldest of five kids, became the main caregiver for her younger siblings.

Around this time, Tiffany found that humor helped her. She realized that if she could make her mother laugh, she was less likely to get into trouble. She used comedy at school too, to make friends and protect herself from bullies.

When Tiffany was 13, she and her siblings were placed in foster care and were separated for a while. She used comedy to deal with being in new, unfamiliar places. At 15, she and her siblings were reunited under their grandmother's care.

Tiffany went to George Ellery Hale Middle School and graduated from El Camino Real High School. She was the school mascot! She learned to read better in high school with help from a teacher. Even though she got into trouble sometimes, she also won awards for performing Shakespearean speeches. After high school, she was homeless for a time, living in her car.

In 1997, when she was 17, her social worker gave her a choice: therapy or the Laugh Factory Comedy Camp. Tiffany chose comedy. She says that famous comedians like Richard Pryor and the Wayans brothers helped her discover her love for comedy, which "literally saved her life." She often shares her life experiences in her comedy shows, finding it a "safe space" for her.

She was accepted to New York University but didn't go because of the cost. She later attended Santa Monica College. Before becoming famous, she worked many jobs, including customer service at airports.

Career Highlights

Early Roles and Breakthrough with Girls Trip

Tiffany Haddish's first big chance was on a comedy show called Bill Bellamy's Who's Got Jokes? She appeared on many TV shows like That's So Raven, My Name Is Earl, and New Girl. She also acted in movies like Meet the Spartans.

In 2014, she had a role in the TV drama If Loving You Is Wrong. She then joined the NBC sitcom The Carmichael Show for three seasons, playing Nekeisha. In 2016, she co-starred in the movie Keanu with Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key.

Haddish at the 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards

In 2017, Haddish starred in the comedy movie Girls Trip alongside Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Queen Latifah. Critics loved the movie, and Tiffany's performance as the funny and outgoing Dina was highly praised. Many critics said she was the breakout star of the movie. Girls Trip earned over $140 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing comedy film of 2017. Her performance was even listed among the best film performances of the 21st century by The New Yorker.

In August 2017, Tiffany Haddish had her own stand-up comedy special called Tiffany Haddish: She Ready! From the Hood to Hollywood on Showtime. She also hosted the November 11, 2017, episode of Saturday Night Live. This made her the first African-American woman stand-up comedian to host the show, and she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for it. Her book, The Last Black Unicorn, was released in December 2017 and became a best-seller.

Recent Work and Awards

Starting in 2018, Haddish starred with Tracy Morgan in the TBS sitcom The Last O.G.. In 2018, she also had roles in the movies Uncle Drew and Night School with Kevin Hart. She also starred in the Tyler Perry movie Nobody's Fool.

In 2019, Haddish lent her voice to characters in animated movies like Queen Watevra Wa'Nabi in The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part and Daisy in The Secret Life of Pets 2. She also voiced Tuca in the Netflix animated show Tuca & Bertie. That same year, she became the host and producer of the TV show Kids Say the Darndest Things. In August 2019, Netflix released her comedy special, Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready, where she introduced other comedians she admired.

In 2020, Haddish starred in the movie Like a Boss with Rose Byrne and Salma Hayek.

Tiffany Haddish was asked to host the 2021 Grammy Awards pre-show, but she turned it down. She explained that the show would not pay for her hair, makeup, or clothes for the event. She felt it was disrespectful to ask her to pay for these things herself. She later won the 2021 Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for her album Black Mitzvah.

From 2021 to 2022, Haddish voiced Lady K in the animated series Karma's World.

Personal Life

Haddish at the premiere of The Secret Life of Pets 2 in 2019

Tiffany Haddish married William Stewart in 2008. He helped her find her father, who she hadn't seen in a long time. Her father walked her down the aisle at their wedding, which she called "one of the happiest days of [her] life." They divorced in 2013. She was in a relationship with rapper Common from 2020 to 2021.

On May 22, 2019, Tiffany Haddish became a citizen of Eritrea. She first visited the country in 2018 to bury her Eritrean father and to connect with her relatives there.

Tiffany Haddish is Jewish. She didn't know about her Jewish heritage when she was growing up in foster care. After learning about her father's Jewish background, she became a follower of the Jewish faith. She had her bat mitzvah ceremony in December 2019 when she was 40 years old. Comedian Billy Crystal also attended and supported her.

Helping Foster Youth

Tiffany Haddish works with Living Advantage, Inc., a group that helps young people in foster care. She started a "Suitcase Drive for Foster Youth" to collect suitcases. This helps foster youth have a proper bag for their belongings instead of carrying them in trash bags. She also volunteers at the Laugh Factory Comedy Camp and her "She Ready" Foundation supports foster care programs.

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Tiffany Haddish para niños