Wanda Sykes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wanda Sykes
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![]() Sykes at the 2010 GLAAD Media Awards
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Born |
Wanda Yvette Sykes
March 7, 1964 Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S.
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Education | Hampton University (BS) |
Occupation |
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Years active | 1987–present |
Spouse(s) |
Dave Hall
(m. 1991; div. 1998)Alex Niedbalski
(m. 2008) |
Children | 2 |
Comedy career | |
Medium |
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Genres |
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Subject(s) | |
Wanda Yvette Sykes (born March 7, 1964) is a famous American comedian, actress, and writer. She first became well-known for her writing on The Chris Rock Show. For this work, she won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1999.
In 2004, Entertainment Weekly magazine called Wanda Sykes one of the 25 funniest people in America. She is also famous for her roles on TV shows like CBS' The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006–10) and HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm (2001–2011). She was nominated for Emmy Awards for her roles in ABC's Black-ish (2015–2022) and Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2020). Today, she stars in the Netflix series The Upshaws (2021–) and has appeared in other shows like The Other Two (2019–2023) and The Good Fight (2021).
Besides her TV work, Wanda Sykes has also been in many movies. These include Monster-in-Law (2005), My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006), and Evan Almighty (2007). She has also lent her voice to characters in animated films. Some of these are Over the Hedge, Barnyard, Brother Bear 2 (all in 2006), Rio (2011), and two Ice Age movies (2012–2016).
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Wanda Sykes's Early Life and Family
Wanda Sykes was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. Her family moved to Maryland when she was in third grade. Her mother, Marion Louise, worked as a banker. Her father, Harry Ellsworth Sykes, was a U.S. Army colonel who worked at the Pentagon. Wanda also has an older brother named Harry.
Wanda Sykes's family history was explored on a TV show called Finding Your Roots. Her family line was traced back to the 1600s. This showed a unique history of a Black family that was free for many generations.
Wanda went to Arundel High School in Gambrills, Maryland. She then graduated from Hampton University with a degree in marketing. She was also part of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. After college, her first job was at the National Security Agency (NSA). She worked there for five years.
Wanda Sykes's Career Journey
Starting in Comedy: The 1990s
After working at the NSA, Wanda Sykes started her stand-up comedy career. Her first time performing in front of a live audience was in 1987. This was at a talent show in Washington, D.C.
She kept performing at local places while working at the NSA. In 1992, she moved to New York City. One of her first TV appearances was on Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam. She performed alongside other famous comedians. Her big break came when she opened for Chris Rock at a comedy club.
In 1997, she joined the writing team for The Chris Rock Show. She also appeared on the show many times. The writing team was nominated for four Emmys. In 1999, they won an Emmy for their writing on the show.
After that, she appeared in movies like Pootie Tang and TV shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm. In 2003, she starred in her own TV show called Wanda at Large. That same year, she had a special on Comedy Central called Tongue Untied. Comedy Central also ranked her as one of the top 100 stand-up comedians. She worked as a reporter for HBO's Inside the NFL. She also hosted Comedy Central's Premium Blend. She voiced a character named Gladys on the puppet show Crank Yankers.
Comedy and TV Success: The 2000s
Wanda Sykes wrote a book called Yeah, I Said It in 2004. It was full of her funny thoughts on different topics. In 2006, she got a role as Barb on the TV show The New Adventures of Old Christine. She became a main character on the show in 2008. She also voiced characters in animated movies like Over the Hedge and Barnyard.
Her first HBO comedy special, Wanda Sykes: Sick & Tired, came out in 2006. It was nominated for an Emmy Award. In 2008, she performed on Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Tour. This tour supported LGBT rights.
In 2009, Wanda Sykes became the host of her own late-night talk show on Fox. It was called The Wanda Sykes Show. In May 2009, she was the main entertainer at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner. She was the first African American woman and the first openly LGBT person to have this role. Her second comedy special, Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me, premiered on HBO in October 2009.
Continued Work: The 2010s and Beyond
In 2010, Wanda Sykes played Miss Hannigan in the musical Annie on stage. In 2012, she voiced the character Granny in the movie Ice Age: Continental Drift. She returned to this role in Ice Age: Collision Course in 2016.
In 2013, Sykes appeared in the political comedy series Alpha House on Amazon. She played Rosalyn DuPeche, a Democratic Senator. In 2018, Sykes became the head writer for the TV show Roseanne. However, she later left the show.
In 2021, Sykes began starring in the Netflix sitcom The Upshaws. She also co-hosted the 94th Academy Awards in March 2022. During this event, Will Smith slapped Chris Rock. Sykes later spoke about how she felt about the incident. In January 2023, Sykes was a guest host for The Daily Show.
Wanda Sykes's Personal Life
Wanda Sykes was married to record producer Dave Hall from 1991 to 1998. In November 2008, she publicly shared that she is a lesbian. She did this at a rally in Las Vegas for same-sex marriage. A month before, Sykes married her wife, Alex Niedbalski, who is French. They met in 2006. In April 2009, they became parents to twins.
Wanda told her parents about her identity in 2004 when she was 40. Her parents, Marion and Harry, found it hard to accept at first. They did not attend her wedding with Alex. However, they have since become close again.
In 2011, Wanda Sykes shared that she had been diagnosed with a very early form of breast cancer. She chose to have surgery to lower her chances of getting breast cancer in the future. Sykes lives in Media, Pennsylvania, and Cherry Grove, New York.
Wanda Sykes's Activism
Wanda Sykes was very upset when California voters passed a law called Proposition 8. This law banned same-sex marriage. She said she could not just stand by and watch. She has continued to be active in supporting same-sex marriage. She hosts events and helps raise money for the cause. She has also worked with PETA to promote laws against chaining dogs.
She has also supported the Ruth Ellis Center in Detroit. This organization helps young people who are experiencing homelessness, especially those who are LGBTQ+.
Sykes often uses Twitter to share her thoughts on politics and social issues. She encourages her followers to support important laws and causes.
Wanda Sykes's Film Appearances
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1998 | Tomorrow Night | Wanda (Mel's Date) | credited as Wanda Sykes-Hall |
2000 | Nutty Professor II: The Klumps | Chantal | |
2001 | Down to Earth | Wanda | |
Pootie Tang | Biggie Shorty | ||
2005 | Monster-in-Law | Ruby | |
2006 | The Adventures of Brer Rabbit | Sister Moon | Voice; Direct-to-video |
Over the Hedge | Stella | Voice | |
Clerks II | Angry Customer | ||
My Super Ex-Girlfriend | Carla Dunkirk | ||
Barnyard | Bessy | Voice | |
Brother Bear 2 | Innoko | Voice; Direct-to-video | |
CondomNation | Linda | ||
2007 | Evan Almighty | Rita Daniels | |
License to Wed | Nurse Borman | ||
2011 | Rio | Chloe the Canada goose | Voice |
The Muppets | Officer Ethel | Cameo, deleted scene | |
2012 | Ice Age: Continental Drift | Granny | Voice |
2013 | The Hot Flashes | Florine Clarkston | |
2016 | Ice Age: Collision Course | Granny | Voice |
Bad Moms | Dr. Karl | ||
2017 | Snatched | Ruth | |
A Bad Moms Christmas | Dr. Karl | ||
2018 | Hurricane Bianca 2: From Russia with Hate | Prison Matron | |
2019 | UglyDolls | Wage | Voice |
The Wedding Year | Janet / Grandma | ||
Jexi | Denice | ||
2020 | Friendsgiving | Fairy Gay Mother | |
2021 | Breaking News in Yuba County | Rita | |
The One and Only Dick Gregory | Herself | Documentary |
Wanda Sykes's Television Appearances
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1997–2000 | The Chris Rock Show | Various Characters | 7 episodes |
1999 | Best of the Chris Rock Show | TV special | |
2001 | The Downer Channel | Various | 2 episodes |
The Drew Carey Show | Christine Watson | 3 episodes | |
2001–2011 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Herself | 9 episodes |
2002–2005; 2019–2022 |
Crank Yankers | Wanda / Gladys Murphy | Voice, 19 episodes |
2003 | MTV: Reloaded | The Oracle | TV film |
Wanda at Large | Wanda Mildred Hawkins | 19 episodes | |
Chappelle's Show | Herself | Episode: "The Best of Chappelle's Show: Volume 2 Mixtape" | |
Mad TV | Season 9 episode 903 | ||
2004 | Wanda Does It | Herself | 6 episodes |
2006 | Will & Grace | Cricket Walker | Episode: "Buy, Buy Baby" |
2006 | Sick and Tired | Herself | HBO comedy special |
2006–2010 | The New Adventures of Old Christine | Barbara "Barb" Baran | 54 episodes (Recurring Seasons 1–2, Starring Seasons 3–5) |
2007–2011 | Back at the Barnyard | Bessy | Voice, 50 episodes |
2009 | Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me | Herself | HBO comedy special |
White House Correspondents' Dinner | Herself (host) | TV special | |
2009–2010 | The Wanda Sykes Show | Herself | 21 episodes; also creator, writer, executive producer |
2011 | Drop Dead Diva | Judge | Episode: "Prom" |
2012 | Bubble Guppies | The Witch | Voice, episode: "Bubble Puppy's Fin-tastic Fairy Tale!" |
Futurama | Bev the vending machine | Voice, episode: "The Bots and the Bees" | |
2013 | The Simpsons | School Therapist / Counselor | Voice, episode: "What Animated Women Want" |
Real Husbands of Hollywood | Wanda Sykes | 2 episodes | |
2013–2014 | Alpha House | Senator Rosalyn DuPeche | Recurring role |
2014, 2019 | Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | Herself | 2 episodes |
2015 | Repeat After Me | Herself | 1 episode |
2015, 2017 | Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero | Shirley B. Awesome | Voice, 2 episodes |
2015–2020 | Black-ish | Daphne Lido | 16 episodes |
2016 | Bob's Burgers | Sofa Queen | Voice, episode: "Sacred Couch" |
Animals | Chance | Voice, 2 episodes | |
What Happened... Ms. Sykes? | Herself | Epix comedy special | |
2017 | Lip Sync Battle | Episode: "Don Cheadle vs. Wanda Sykes" | |
Doc McStuffins | Thea | Voice, episode: "The Emergency Plan" | |
2017–2021 | Vampirina | Gregoria the Gargoyle | Voice, main role |
2017–2019 | Broad City | Dara | Recurring role |
2018 | Ask the StoryBots | Doctor | Episode: "How Do People Catch a Cold?" |
BoJack Horseman | Mary-Beth | Voice, episode: "INT. SUB" | |
2019 | The Bravest Knight | Mona the Mayor | Voice, episode: "Cedric & the Pixies" |
Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? | Herself | Voice, episode: "Peebles' Pet Shop of Terrible Terrors!" | |
Live in Front of a Studio Audience | Louise Jefferson | Episode: "Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons" | |
Wanda Sykes: Not Normal | Herself | Netflix comedy special | |
Summer Camp Island | Ethel | Episode: "The Great Elf Invention Convention" | |
Big Mouth | Ghost of Harriet Tubman | Voice, episode: "Duke" | |
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | Moms Mabley | Episode: "A Jewish Girl Walks Into the Apollo..." | |
RuPaul's Drag Race | Herself | Episode: "Bring Back My Queens!" | |
2019–2023 | The Other Two | Shuli Kucerac | Recurring role |
2019–2020 | Harley Quinn | Tsaritsa / Queen of Fables | Voice, 3 episodes |
2020 | Mapleworth Murders | Leigh Drain | Episode: "Killer Voices – Part 2" |
2020–2021 | Tig n' Seek | Nuritza | Voice, 15 episodes |
2021 | The Good Fight | Allegra Durado | 3 episodes |
Q-Force | Deb | Voice, main role | |
2021–present | The Upshaws | Lucretia Turner | Main role, 48 episodes; also co-creator, writer, executive producer |
2022 | 94th Academy Awards | Herself (co-host) | TV special |
Chivalry | Jean Shrill | Main role | |
Gutsy | Herself | Episode: "Gutsy Women Have the Last Laugh" | |
2023 | Star Wars: The Bad Batch | Phee Genoa | Voice, 5 episodes |
History of the World, Part II | Various | 8 episodes; also writer and executive producer | |
The Daily Show | Herself (guest host) | 4 Episodes (Week of Jan. 23) | |
Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Herself (guest) | Episode: October 4 | |
2023–2024 | Velma | Linda Blake | Voice, 9 episodes |
Wanda Sykes's Video Game Work
Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
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2022 | Tiny Tina's Wonderlands | Frette | Voice |
Wanda Sykes as a Writer
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1997–1998 | The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show | Writer | 11 episodes |
1997–2000 | The Chris Rock Show | Writer | Wrote 33 episodes Co-produced 14 episodes |
1998 | Comedy Central Presents | Herself and writer (as Wanda Sykes-Hall) | Episode: "Wanda Sykes-Hall" |
2001 | Best of the Chris Rock Show: Volume 2 | Writer | TV special |
The Downer Channel | Writer | Wrote the first 2 episodes | |
2002 | The 74th Annual Academy Awards | Special material written by | Award show |
2002–2003 | Premium Blend | Writer | 4 episodes/Stand-up |
2003 | Wanda Sykes: Tongue Untied | Writer | Documentary |
Wanda at Large | Creator, writer and producer | 19 episodes | |
2004 | Wanda Does It | Creator, writer and executive producer | 6 episodes |
2006 | Wanda Sykes: Sick and Tired | Writer | Stand-up |
2009 | Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me | Writer | Stand-up |
2009–2010 | The Wanda Sykes Show | Creator, writer and executive producer | 21 episodes |
2016 | What Happened... Ms. Sykes? | Writer | Stand-up |
2018 | Roseanne | Writer | Sitcom |
2019 | Wanda Sykes: Not Normal | Writer | Stand-up |
2023 | Wanda Sykes: I'm an Entertainer | Writer | Stand-up |
Wanda Sykes's Awards and Nominations
Wanda Sykes has been nominated for many awards. She has received seventeen Primetime Emmy nominations. She won one Emmy in 1999 for "Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music or Program." In 2001, she won the American Comedy Award for "Funniest Female Stand-Up Comic." She also won a Comedy Central Commie Award in 2003 for "Funniest TV Actress." In 2010, she received the GLAAD Stephen F. Kolzak Award for her work supporting the LGBTQ+ community. In 2015, she won the Activism in the Arts honor at the Triumph Awards.
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | |
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1998 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series | The Chris Rock Show | Nominated | |
1999 | Won | ||||
2000 | Nominated | ||||
2001 | Nominated | ||||
2007 | Outstanding Variety Special | Wanda Sykes: Sick and Tired | Nominated | ||
2010 | Outstanding Variety Special | Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special | Nominated | ||||
2017 | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | Black-ish | Nominated | ||
2018 | Nominated | ||||
2019 | Outstanding Variety Special | Wanda Sykes: Not Normal | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special | Nominated | ||||
2020 | Outstanding Variety Special | Tiffany Haddish: Black Mitzvah | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: A Jewish Girl Walks Into the Apollo... | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | Crank Yankers: Bobby Brown, Wanda Sykes & Kathy Griffin | Nominated | |||
2023 | Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Taped) | Wanda Sykes: I'm an Entertainer | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special | Nominated | ||||
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | Crank Yankers: Wanda Sykes, JB Smoove & Adam Carolla | Nominated | |||
2021 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Guest Performer in a Daytime Fiction Program | Noah's Arc: The 'Rona Chronicles | Nominated | |
2024 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television | Wanda Sykes: I'm an Entertainer | Nominated |
Wanda Sykes's Discography
Year | Title | Label | Formats |
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2003 | Tongue Untied | Comedy Central Records | DVD/Download/Streaming |
2007 | Sick and Tired | Image Entertainment | DVD/Download/Streaming |
2010 | I'ma Be Me | HBO Home Video | DVD/Download/Streaming |
2018 | What Happened... Ms. Sykes? | Sykes Entertainment | Download/Streaming |
2019 | Not Normal | Netflix | Streaming |
See also
In Spanish: Wanda Sykes para niños