Amy Louise Sedaris (; born March 29, 1961) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. Most recently, she has appeared in both ''
The Mandalorian
''The Mandalorian'' is an American space Western television series created by Jon Favreau for the streaming service Disney+. It is the first live-action series in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, beginning five years after the events of '' Retur ...
'' (2019–2020) and ''
The Book of Boba Fett'' (2022) as
Peli Motto
''The Mandalorian'', an American space Western web television series set in the ''Star Wars'' universe created by Jon Favreau and released on Disney+, features an extensive cast of characters. Since the show's debut on November 12, 2019, only ...
. She played
Jerri Blank in the
Comedy Central comedy series ''
Strangers with Candy'' (1999–2000) and the
prequel
A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work.
The term ...
film ''
Strangers with Candy'' (2005), which she also wrote.
Sedaris appeared as Hurshe Heartshe in the
Adult Swim
Adult Swim (AS; stylized as dult swim'' and often abbreviated as s'') is an American adult-oriented night-time cable television channel that shares channel space with the basic cable network Cartoon Network and is programmed by its in-house ...
comedy series ''
The Heart, She Holler'' (2013–2014), as
Princess Carolyn
'' BoJack Horseman'' is an American adult animated sitcom created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg. The series stars Will Arnett as the title character, BoJack Horseman. The supporting cast includes Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, and Aaron Pa ...
in the
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
animated comedy series ''
BoJack Horseman
''BoJack Horseman'' is an American adult animated black comedy-drama streaming television series created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg. It stars the voices of Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, and Aaron Paul. Set primarily in ...
'' (2014–2020), and as Mimi Kanasis in the Netflix sitcom ''
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'' (2015–2020). She received further critical acclaim as the creator and star of the
TruTV
TruTV (stylized as truTV) is an American basic cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The channel primarily broadcasts comedy, docusoaps and reality shows.
The channel was originally launched in 1991 as Court TV, a network that ...
surreal comedy series ''
At Home with Amy Sedaris'' (2017–2020) which earned her two nominations for the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Scripted Variety Series is an award presented to the best sketch comedy-driven variety show of the year. The award goes to the producers of the series.
History
In 2015, Outstanding Variety Series was separ ...
.
Sedaris appeared in various films, including ''
Maid in Manhattan'' (2002), ''
School of Rock
''School of Rock'' (titled onscreen as ''The School of Rock'') is a 2003 comedy film directed by Richard Linklater, produced by Scott Rudin, and written by Mike White. The film stars Jack Black, Joan Cusack, Mike White, and Sarah Silverman. ...
'' (2003), ''
Elf'' (2003), ''
Bewitched
''Bewitched'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series that originally aired for eight seasons on ABC from September 17, 1964, to March 25, 1972. It is about a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typ ...
'' (2005), ''
Chicken Little'' (2005), ''
Shrek the Third'' (2007), ''
Jennifer's Body'' (2009), ''
Puss in Boots'' (2011), ''
Chef
A chef is a trained professional cook and tradesman who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term ''chef de cuisine'' (), the director or head of a ki ...
'' (2014), ''
Ghost Team
''Ghost Team'' is a 2016 independent comedy-thriller directed by Oliver Irving from a screenplay by Peter Warren, based on a story by Irving and Warren. The film's cast includes Jon Heder, David Krumholtz, Melonie Diaz, Paul W. Downs with Justi ...
'' (2016), ''
Handsome
Handsome may refer to:
*Physical attractiveness
*Human physical appearance
Music
*Handsome (band), an American rock band
Albums
*Handsome (EP), ''Handsome'' (EP), 1989 EP by American band Tar
*Handsome (Handsome album), ''Handsome'' (Handsome al ...
'' (2017), and ''
The Lion King
''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance ...
'' (2019).
Early life
Sedaris was born in
Endicott, New York
Endicott is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 13,392 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The village is named after Henry B. Endicott, a founding member of the End ...
to Sharon Elizabeth (née Leonard) and Louis Harry "Lou" Sedaris, and grew up in
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Sout ...
with her five siblings: Lisa,
David
David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
, Gretchen, Tiffany, and Paul. Her father is of Greek descent and her mother was Anglo-American. Her family was
Greek Orthodox Christian.
As a teenager, Sedaris' first job was at the local
Winn-Dixie supermarket where she would make fake announcements over the loudspeaker. Later, she was a waitress at
Zanies Comedy Club in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
. In her brother David's book ''
Me Talk Pretty One Day
''Me Talk Pretty One Day'', published in 2000, is a bestselling collection of essays by American humorist David Sedaris. The book is separated into two parts. The first part consists of essays about Sedaris’s life before his move to Normandy, Fr ...
'', he noted that Amy would often assume characters to play pranks on her family.
Sedaris graduated from
Jesse O. Sanderson High School
Jesse O. Sanderson High School, more commonly called Sanderson High School (SHS), is a co-educational 9–12 public high school located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States in the Wake County Public School System. The school was founded in 1 ...
in Raleigh.
Career
Television
A former member of
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
-based
Second City and
Annoyance Theatre comedy troupes, Sedaris' first major foray into television began in 1995 on the
Comedy Central sketch series ''
Exit 57''; the show also starred
Stephen Colbert and
Paul Dinello. For her performance she was nominated for the
17th CableACE Award for Best Comedy Actress and the series was nominated for Best Comedy Series. It ran for a total of two seasons.
Beginning in 1999 Sedaris played Jerri Blank, a middle-aged woman who goes back to high school in the Comedy Central comedy series ''
Strangers with Candy''. The series, which she co-wrote with Dinello and Colbert was based on Sedaris's impression of 1970s-era
motivational speaker
A motivational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. Such speakers may attempt to challenge or transform their audiences. The speech itself is popularly known as a pep talk.
Motivational speakers c ...
Florrie Fisher. The show ran for three seasons. In 2005, a
film adaptation
A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...
was released, acting as a
prequel
A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work.
The term ...
to the series.
Sedaris went on to make numerous guest appearances on television programs, including ''
Just Shoot Me!'' (2001), ''
Sex and the City
''Sex and the City'' is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO. An adaptation of Candace Bushnell's newspaper column and 1996 book anthology of the same name, the series premiered in the United Stat ...
'' (2002–2003), ''
Monk
A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedic ...
'' (2002–2003), ''
Wonder Showzen'' (2005), ''
My Name Is Earl
''My Name Is Earl'' is an American television sitcom created by Greg Garcia that aired on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States. It was produced by 20th Century Fox Television and starred Ja ...
'' (2006), ''
Sesame Street
''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000 ...
'' (2006), ''
Rescue Me'' (2007), ''
The Closer
''The Closer'' is an American television police procedural starring Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Los Angeles Police Department deputy chief. A CIA-trained interrogator originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Brenda has a reputation as a c ...
'' (2009), ''
The New Adventures of Old Christine
''The New Adventures of Old Christine'' (often shortened to simply ''Old Christine'') is an American sitcom television series starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell, a divorced mother doing her best to keep pace with those around her ...
'' (2009), ''
The Middle'' (2010), ''
Raising Hope'' (2011–2014), and ''
The Good Wife'' (2012). She also hosted the series ''Film Fanatic'' on
Trio.
Sedaris' talk show appearances include ''
Late Show with David Letterman
The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production ...
'', ''
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
''The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'' is an American late-night news and liberal political satire talk show hosted by Stephen Colbert, which premiered on September 8, 2015. Produced by Spartina Productions and CBS Studios, it is the second ...
'', ''
Late Night with Conan O'Brien'', ''
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, California, as part of ABC's ...
'', ''
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish actor and comedian Craig Ferguson. This was the third iteration of the The Late Late Show (American talk show), ''Late Late Show'' franchise, airing ...
'', ''
The Daily Show
''The Daily Show'' is an American late-night talk and satirical news television program. It airs each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central with release shortly after on Paramount+. ''The Daily Show'' draws its comedy and satire form fr ...
'', ''
The Colbert Report
''The Colbert Report'' ( ) is an American late-night talk and news satire television program hosted by Stephen Colbert that aired four days a week on Comedy Central from October 17, 2005, to December 18, 2014, for 1,447 episodes. The show fo ...
'', ''
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon.[ About pag ...](_blank)
'', and ''
WTF with Marc Maron''. During an appearance on ''
Chelsea Lately'', she gave host
Chelsea Handler a presentation on vaginal hygiene using a plush vagina created by fashion designer
Todd Oldham
Todd Oldham (born Jacky Todd Oldham; October 22, 1961) is an American-born designer and president of L-7 Designs Inc and Todd Oldham Studios. His approach to fashion and style has become known to millions through his fashion lines, interior desig ...
.
In 2008, Sedaris starred as Principal Abby Hofman in the
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...
television film ''
Gym Teacher: The Movie'', which was directed by her ''Strangers with Candy'' co-star and frequent collaborator
Paul Dinello.
In early 2010, she had a supporting character in the Canadian comedy series ''
The Drunk and On Drugs Happy Fun Time Hour
''The Drunk and On Drugs Happy Funtime Hour'' is a Canadian television comedy series, which aired during the 2011 television season on Action.
Described by its producers as "''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' after it got smashed in the head with a hammer ...
''.
["The Boys are back and on drugs"](_blank)
, ''The Globe and Mail
''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
'', July 12, 2010. Later in 2010 she appeared alongside Paul Dinello in the episode "Mummified Hand", of the
Discovery
Discovery may refer to:
* Discovery (observation), observing or finding something unknown
* Discovery (fiction), a character's learning something unknown
* Discovery (law), a process in courts of law relating to evidence
Discovery, The Discove ...
/
Science Channel documentary series ''
Oddities''.
In 2011, she appeared in a series of commercials for
Downy (
Lenor UK) Unstoppables, a
fabric softener product.
Grey Global Group designed the commercials as "kicking the old 'mom' image with spots featuring 'laundry expert' (and accomplished lifestyle guru) Amy Sedaris".
In 2013, she replaced
Kristen Schaal as the sex-crazed Hurshe Heartshe, in the second season of the
Adult Swim
Adult Swim (AS; stylized as dult swim'' and often abbreviated as s'') is an American adult-oriented night-time cable television channel that shares channel space with the basic cable network Cartoon Network and is programmed by its in-house ...
comedy series ''
The Heart, She Holler''. She also appeared in third and final season. That same year, Sedaris appeared in a major recurring role in the
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service of Amazon offered as a standalone service or as part of Amazon's Prime subscription. The service pr ...
political satire series ''
Alpha House'', which was written by ''
Doonesbury
''Doonesbury'' is a comic strip by American cartoonist Garry Trudeau that chronicles the adventures and lives of an array of characters of various ages, professions, and backgrounds, from the President of the United States to the title character, ...
'' creator
Garry Trudeau
Garretson Beekman Trudeau (born July 21, 1948) is an American cartoonist, best known for creating the ''Doonesbury'' comic strip. Trudeau is also the creator and executive producer of the Amazon Studios political comedy series '' Alpha House' ...
. Sedaris played Louise Laffer, the Mormon wife of Nevada Senator Louis Laffer who lives with three other Republican senators in a town house on Capitol Hill.
Sedaris later had a recurring role as Pam in the
Comedy Central sitcom ''
Broad City'' (2014–2019), as Rita in the
Hulu
Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television series ...
dark comedy series ''
Difficult People'' (2015–2017). From 2015 to 2020, she portrayed Mimi Kanasis in the
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
comedy series ''
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'', for which she earned a nomination for the
Gold Derby Award for Best Comedy Guest Actress.
In 2016, she made an appearance in the
tragicomedy series ''
Horace and Pete
''Horace and Pete'' is an American web series created, written, and directed by Louis C.K., who describes it as a tragedy. In addition to C.K., the series stars Alan Alda, Steve Buscemi, Edie Falco and Jessica Lange. Dealing with the themes of ab ...
'', as a character named Mara looking for a job at Horace and Pete's. She also co-starred with
Chris Elliott
Christopher Nash Elliott (born May 31, 1960) is an American actor, comedian and writer. He appeared in comedic sketches on ''Late Night with David Letterman'' (1982–1988), created and starred in the comedy series '' Get a Life'' (1990–1992) ...
in the
Sony Crackle family comedy series ''Thanksgiving''.
In 2017, Sedaris created the
TruTV
TruTV (stylized as truTV) is an American basic cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The channel primarily broadcasts comedy, docusoaps and reality shows.
The channel was originally launched in 1991 as Court TV, a network that ...
surreal comedy series ''
At Home with Amy Sedaris'', which she also wrote and executive produced. The series focused on the comedian's love of entertaining, crafts, and cooking. She played numerous characters, including herself, Patty Hogg, Ronnie Vino, and Nutmeg. The series was met with critical acclaim upon its premiere, garnering two consecutive nominations for the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Scripted Variety Series is an award presented to the best sketch comedy-driven variety show of the year. The award goes to the producers of the series.
History
In 2015, Outstanding Variety Series was separ ...
, and ran for three seasons.
Sedaris had a starring role as Janice Delongpre, a dispatch officer, in the
CBS All Access
Paramount+ is an American subscription video on-demand service owned by Paramount Global. The service's content is drawn primarily from the libraries of CBS Media Ventures (including CBS Studios), Paramount Media Networks (formerly Viacom Media ...
comedy series ''
No Activity'' appearing in the series from 2017 to 2019. She had guest-starring roles as Cathy in the
HBO comedy-drama series ''
Divorce
Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving th ...
'' (2018).
Her most recent role as Peli Motto in the
Disney+
Disney+ is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned and operated by the Media and Entertainment Distribution division of The Walt Disney Company. The service primarily distributes films and television se ...
series ''
The Mandalorian
''The Mandalorian'' is an American space Western television series created by Jon Favreau for the streaming service Disney+. It is the first live-action series in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, beginning five years after the events of '' Retur ...
'' (2019) and its spin-off series ''
The Book of Boba Fett'' (2022)
showcase her indelible character acting ability. Sedaris' Peli is all-at-once abrasive, hilarious, and kind.
Voice
Sedaris has voiced commercials for the discount hair salon chain
Supercuts
Supercuts is a hair salon franchise with more than 2,400 locations across the United States. The company was founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1975, by Geoffrey M. Rappaport and Frank E. Emmett. The company's first location was in Albany ...
and was ''
WordGirl'' character Miss Davis for two seasons. She also voiced the Bandit Princess in ''
Adventure Time
''Adventure Time'' is an American fantasy animated television series created by Pendleton Ward for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television. The series follows the adventures of a boy named Finn (Jeremy Shada) and ...
''. She narrated the
PBS special ''Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America'', a six-hour documentary on comedians and comedy in American history.
In film, Sedaris voiced Foxy Loxy in the science fiction comedy ''
Chicken Little'' (2005), Cinderella in the animated fantasy comedy ''
Shrek the Third'' (2007), Gravity in the family comedy ''
Space Buddies'' (2009), Jill in the adventure comedy ''
Puss in Boots'' (2011), Betty in the fantasy comedy ''
Super Buddies
Super Buddies are a team of comic book superheroes in the DC Comics universe who appear in the six-issue ''Formerly Known as the Justice League'' miniseries in 2003, and its 2005 sequel, ''I Can't Believe It's Not the Justice League'' (published ...
'' (2013), and Aunt Ida in the English dub of the
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-nominated comedy drama ''
My Life as a Courgette'' (2016).
She voiced the role of Audrey Temple in two seasons of the podcast ''
Homecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia. ...
'' (2016–2017). The series was later adapted into a
series of the same name, starring
Julia Roberts. Sedaris' character was portrayed in the series by
Hong Chau
Hong Chau (born June 25, 1979) is an American actress who gained recognition for her supporting role in the 2017 film '' Downsizing'', in which she played the character Ngoc Lan Tran. For her performance, she was nominated for several supporting ...
.
Sedaris voiced characters in numerous animated series. From 2014 to 2020, she provided the voice for
Princess Carolyn
'' BoJack Horseman'' is an American adult animated sitcom created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg. The series stars Will Arnett as the title character, BoJack Horseman. The supporting cast includes Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, and Aaron Pa ...
in the Netflix adult animated comedy series ''
BoJack Horseman
''BoJack Horseman'' is an American adult animated black comedy-drama streaming television series created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg. It stars the voices of Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, and Aaron Paul. Set primarily in ...
'', a role which some critics consider her best work.
She also voiced various characters in the
Fox adult comedy series ''
American Dad!
''American Dad!'' is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman for the Fox Broadcasting Company. Since 2014, the series has been airing new episodes on TBS. ''American Dad!'' is the first television ...
'' (2009–2012), Ma Angler in the
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...
children's comedy series ''
SpongeBob SquarePants
''SpongeBob SquarePants'' (or simply ''SpongeBob'') is an American Animated series, animated Television comedy, comedy Television show, television series created by marine science educator and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon. It ...
'' (2011–2019), Lydia / Mina Loveberry in the
Disney Channel
Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Comp ...
action fantasy series
''
Star vs. the Forces of Evil'' (2016–2019), the Zircons in the
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, ...
coming-of-age series ''
Steven Universe'' (2017), and Samantha in the Netflix adult comedy series ''
F is for Family
''F Is for Family'' is an American adult animated comedy drama streaming television series created by Bill Burr and Michael Price for Netflix. It is produced by Vince Vaughn's Wild West Television, King of France Productions, Loner Production ...
'' (2020).
In 2019, Sedaris voiced a Guinea Fowl in the musical drama film ''
The Lion King
''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance ...
'' (2019), which is a
photorealistic computer-animated
Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating animations. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both static scenes (still images) and dynamic images (moving images), while computer animation refer ...
remake of Disney's
1994 film of the same name.
Film
Throughout her career Sedaris had supporting roles in a number of feature films. She appeared in the romantic comedy ''
Maid in Manhattan'' (2002), the musical comedy ''
School of Rock
''School of Rock'' (titled onscreen as ''The School of Rock'') is a 2003 comedy film directed by Richard Linklater, produced by Scott Rudin, and written by Mike White. The film stars Jack Black, Joan Cusack, Mike White, and Sarah Silverman. ...
'' (2003), the Christmas comedy ''
Elf'' (2003), and the fantasy comedy ''
Bewitched
''Bewitched'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series that originally aired for eight seasons on ABC from September 17, 1964, to March 25, 1972. It is about a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typ ...
'' (2005).
Her first leading film role came in the 2005 film adaptation ''
Strangers with Candy'', which she also co-wrote. She followed this with supporting roles in the comedy-drama film ''
Full Grown Men'' (2006), the drama film ''
Snow Angels'' (2007), and the ensemble comedy film ''
Old Dogs'' (2009).
Sedaris had a large role in the comedy film ''
The Best and the Brightest
''The Best and the Brightest'' (1972) is an account by journalist David Halberstam of the origins of the Vietnam War published by Random House. The focus of the book is on the foreign policy crafted by academics and intellectuals who were in Pr ...
'', which was released in 2010. She went on to star in the horror comedy film ''
Jennifer's Body'' (2009), the comedy-drama film ''
Chef
A chef is a trained professional cook and tradesman who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term ''chef de cuisine'' (), the director or head of a ki ...
'' (2014), the supernatural comedy film ''
Ghost Team
''Ghost Team'' is a 2016 independent comedy-thriller directed by Oliver Irving from a screenplay by Peter Warren, based on a story by Irving and Warren. The film's cast includes Jon Heder, David Krumholtz, Melonie Diaz, Paul W. Downs with Justi ...
'' (2016), the mystery comedy film ''
Handsome
Handsome may refer to:
*Physical attractiveness
*Human physical appearance
Music
*Handsome (band), an American rock band
Albums
*Handsome (EP), ''Handsome'' (EP), 1989 EP by American band Tar
*Handsome (Handsome album), ''Handsome'' (Handsome al ...
'' (2017), and the comedy film ''
Save Yourselves!'' (2020).
Writing
In 2003, Sedaris co-authored the text-and-picture novel ''
Wigfield'' alongside collaborators Paul Dinello and Stephen Colbert.
Sedaris has contributed several articles for ''
The Believer'' magazine since 2005. In a 2006 interview with the magazine, she answered part of a Q&A section with, "TURN-OFFS: The beach, having to pay for things, racist people, Orientals."
In 2006, she released ''I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence'', a guide to entertaining, which stayed on the ''New York Times'' bestseller list for more than 12 weeks.
In 2010, she released the crafting book ''Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People!''. While promoting her book on ''
Late Night with David Letterman
''Late Night with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on NBC, the first iteration of the ''Late Night'' franchise. It premiered on February 1, 1982, and was produced by Letterman's production compa ...
'' in October 2010, she demonstrated how the cover can easily be made into a hat.
Theater
Amy has co-written several plays with her brother David, credited only as "The Talent Family": ''Stump the Host'' (1993), ''Stitches'' (1994), ''One Woman Shoe'' (1995), ''Incident at Cobblers Knob'' (1997), and ''The Little Frieda Mysteries'' (1997). She also co-authored the play ''The Book of Liz'' (2002) which had been performed at regional theaters as a play called
No Name Players.
She played a role as the Stage Manager in
Paul Rudnick's play ''The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told'' (1998) and as Froggy in
Douglas Carter Beane's play ''
The Country Club
The Country Club, located in Brookline, Massachusetts, is the oldest golf-oriented country club in the United States. (The Philadelphia Cricket Club, founded in 1854, was the first country club for any sport.) It holds an important place in ...
'' (1998), the latter of which earned her a nomination for the
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions. The awards were established in ...
. She had a role in
David Lindsay-Abaire's play ''
Wonder of the World
Various lists of the Wonders of the World have been compiled from antiquity to the present day, in order to catalogue the world's most spectacular natural features and human-built structures.
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is the o ...
'' and the stage adaptation of her book ''
Wigfield'' (2003), alongside
Paul Dinello and
Stephen Colbert.
Other work
In support of
PETA
Peta or PETA may refer to:
Acronym
* Pembela Tanah Air, a militia established by the occupying Japanese in Indonesia in 1943
* People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an American animal rights organization
* People Eating Tasty Animals, a ...
's anti-fur campaign, Sedaris appeared as her ''Strangers with Candy'' character in an ad that reads, "When you wear fur, people laugh ''at'' you, not ''with'' you."
In 2007, Sedaris was featured in
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album ...
's first mainstream
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
video in fourteen years, "
Better Get to Livin'
"Better Get to Livin'" is a song by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on August 28, 2007, exclusively to the iTunes Store as the first release by Parton's own record label, Dolly Records. The song was subsequently sent to cou ...
.
She was the emcee for
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washi ...
's 2010 annual employee meeting in
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region o ...
on September 28, 2010.
Personal life
Sedaris ran a cupcake and cheeseball business, Dusty Food Cupcakes, out of her home kitchen but has since ceased doing so. 'Dusty' was the name of her pet rabbit. She lives in
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...
, Manhattan, New York City.
Sedaris was in an eight-year relationship with actor/writer
Paul Dinello. After their breakup, they remain close friends and Sedaris is godmother to his two children. Sedaris has stated in several interviews that she has never desired to marry or have children.
Filmography
Film
Television
Video games
Music video
Podcast
Theatre
Bibliography
* Sedaris,
Colbert,
Dinello. ''
Wigfield: The Can-Do Town That Just May Not'' (Hyperion, May 19, 2004)
* ''I Like You: Hospitality Under The Influence'' (
Warner Books, October 16, 2006)
* Sedaris & Dinello. ''Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People'' (
Grand Central Publishing, November 2, 2010)
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
NPR's Weekend Editioninterview with Amy Sedaris
November 2010 interview with Amy Sedarisabout ''Simple Times: Crafts For Poor People''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sedaris, Amy
Living people
Actresses from New York (state)
Actresses from North Carolina
American film actresses
American stage actresses
American television actresses
American television writers
American voice actresses
Writers from Binghamton, New York
People from Greenwich Village
Actors from Raleigh, North Carolina
American women comedians
Greek Orthodox Christians from the United States
American women television writers
Novelists from New York (state)
Writers from Raleigh, North Carolina
American writers of Greek descent
21st-century American novelists
21st-century American women writers
American women novelists
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses
Jesse O. Sanderson High School alumni
Comedians from North Carolina
Comedians from New York (state)
Novelists from North Carolina
Actors from Binghamton, New York
Screenwriters from New York (state)
21st-century American comedians
1961 births