Kym Whitley is an American comedian, actress and podcaster. She is known for her roles on television sitcoms, such as My Brother and Me, Sparks, Animal Practice, The Boondocks, Young & Hungry, The Parkers, The Cleveland Show, Black Dynamite, and Act Your Age. Whitley was nominated for a 2004 BET Comedy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Box Office Movie for her role as Ormandy in the 2003 comedy film Deliver Us From Eva.[1]
Kym Whitley | |
|---|---|
 Whitley at San Diego Comic-Con in 2011 | |
| Born | Shaker Heights, Ohio, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Fisk University |
| Occupation(s) | Comedian, actress, podcaster |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Television | Raising Whitley |
| Children | 1 |
| Website | http://www.kymwhitley.org |
Early life and education
editWhitley was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio to Kaysonia and William Whitley.[2] Her father was a founding partner of Whitley and Whitley,[3] the black architectural firm involved in a joint venture to design and build Jacobs Field (now Progressive Field), home to the Cleveland Guardians.[4] She attended Shaker Heights High School (graduating in 1979)[5] and Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.[6] She was initiated into the Alpha Beta chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.[7]
Career
editIn 1989, Whitley got her big break starring in Shelly Garrett's popular play Beauty Shop, which started in Los Angeles then later traveled across the United States. Whitley's major acting roles include the short-lived sitcoms My Brother and Me and Sparks. She has made guest appearances on several television sitcoms, including The Parent 'Hood, Married... with Children, Moesha, That's So Raven, The Parkers, My Wife and Kids and Curb Your Enthusiasm. She also hosted the short-lived BET show Oh Drama (2000). Whitley had a small role in Next Friday as Craig's aunt Suga. She was part of a group called "The Adults", which featured actors who were adult cast members in the earlier seasons of All That. In the early spring of 2010, Whitley was a co-host with R&B musician Brian McKnight on the short-lived talk show The Brian McKnight Show. From 2012 to 2013, Whitley had a recurring role on the BET comedy Let's Stay Together as Charmaine Wax.
On April 20, 2013, her reality docu-series titled Raising Whitley premiered on the Oprah Winfrey Network, with a total of 1.2 million viewers, making it the fifth most-widely viewed premiere in the history of the network.[8] OWN ordered a second season, which premiered on January 4, 2014. Whitley then joined the cast of the television sitcom Young & Hungry which premiered on ABC Family (now Freeform) in 2014, where she played Josh's housekeeper Yolanda.[9] The show ran for five seasons, ending in 2018.[10] In 2017, she guest starred in the web series The Bay where she played Big Candi. She received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actress in a Digital Daytime Drama Series.[11] In 2018, she guest starred in the "Thanksgiving" episode of Master of None as Denise's aunt Joyce, and sister to Angela Bassett's character.[12] The episode won an Emmy for Best Writing for Master of None's actors Aziz Ansari and Lena Waithe.[13] Whitley was later a recurring guest host on the E! shows Daily Pop and Nightly Pop. In 2023, she played the role of Aunt Nadine in the film You People.
Personal life
editWhitley is a cousin of actor and martial artist Michael Jai White.[14] She has two older brothers, Kyle and Scott.[3] In January 2011, she adopted her son, Joshua.[2][15][16] In 2013, Whitley and her friend Rodney Van Johnson launched a line of t-shirts titled "Don't Feed Me." The shirts alert caregivers about children who have specific food allergies.[15][8]
Filmography
edit| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
Film
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Seven Thirty-Five | Whitley | Short |
| 1999 | Silk Hope | Grace | TV movie |
| Beverly Hood | Nola Washington | ||
| 2000 | Next Friday | Auntie Suga | |
| Nutty Professor II: The Klumps | Party Guest | ||
| A Private Affair | Cheryl | TV movie | |
| 2001 | Baby Boy | Host | |
| House Party 4: Down to the Last Minute | Judy Harris/Jon Jon's Mom | Video | |
| 2002 | What About Your Friends: Weekend Getaway | Ms. Wells | TV movie |
| 2003 | Deliver Us from Eva | Ormandy | |
| Love Chronicles | Renee | ||
| Malibooty! | Donna | Video | |
| 2004 | Along Came Polly | Gladys | |
| Up Against the 8 Ball | Mrs. Thompson | ||
| 2005 | The Salon | Lashaunna | |
| The Golden Blaze | Mother Johnson (voice) | Video | |
| The Perfect Man | Dolores | ||
| L.A. Dicks | Madame Opal | ||
| Fun with Dick and Jane | Kostmart Training Leader | ||
| 2006 | Thugaboo: Sneaker Madness | Ms. Attitude (voice) | TV movie |
| Thugaboo: A Miracle on D-Roc's Street | Ms. Attitude (voice) | TV movie | |
| 2008 | College Road Trip | Michelle Porter | |
| The Hustle | Miss Tanya | ||
| Cuttin' da Mustard | - | ||
| 2009 | Black Dynamite | Honeybee | |
| I Love You, Man | Female Co-Worker | ||
| Donation | Cashier Keisha | Short | |
| Straight from the Horses Mouth | Herself | Video | |
| 2010 | Heaven Ain't Hard to Find | Sis. Hattie May | |
| Group Sex | Tiffany | Video | |
| Something Like a Business | Sasha | ||
| The Woman in the Red Dress | The Detective's Wife | Short | |
| 2011 | Rango | Melonee (voice) | [17] |
| Taking Liberties (?) | Sarah | Short | |
| 35 and Ticking | Shavelle | [18] | |
| We Bought a Zoo | Cashier | ||
| Sebastian | Roxanne | ||
| 2012 | Silent No More | Ms. Carolyn | |
| Sistaah Friend | Publicist | Video | |
| C'mon Man | Herself | ||
| 2013 | Ticket to Vegas | Monik | |
| Anything is Possible | Ms. Kim | ||
| 2014 | A Haunted House 2 | Church Lady | |
| 2015 | The Biz | Casting Director | Short |
| 2017 | Fist Fight | 911 Operator | |
| 2018 | She Get it from Her Mama | Lena | Short |
| The Weekend | Karen Barber | ||
| 2019 | Love Dot Com: The Social Experiment | Aunty Kathy | |
| 2020 | Hubie Halloween | Farmer Louise | |
| 2022 | Boosters LA | Tina | |
| Izzy Lyon: The Unspun Truth | Rhonda Jackson Lyon | ||
| 2023 | You People | Aunt Nadine | |
| Outlaw Johnny Black | Sister Betty | ||
| Urkel Saves Santa: the Movie | Mrs. Paxson (voice) | Video | |
| TBA | Killing Mary Sue † | TBA | Post-production[19] |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Vinnie & Bobby | Glodine | Episode: "Spring Is in the Air" |
| 1994 | The Sinbad Show | - | Episode: "Keep the Faith" |
| 1994–95 | My Brother and Me | Mrs. Pinckney | Recurring Cast |
| 1995 | The Parent Hood | Muriel | Episode: "Wendell and Muriel's Wedding" |
| Martin | Louisa | Episode: "Uptown Friday Night" | |
| 1996 | Married... with Children | Danielle | Episode: "The Hood, the Bud & the Kelly: Part 2" |
| 1996–98 | Sparks | Darice Mayberry | Main Cast |
| 1998 | The Wayans Bros. | Phyllis | Episode: "Misery" |
| Sports Theater with Shaquille O'Neal | Cheer Instructor | Episode: "Scrubs" | |
| 1999 | Arli$$ | Susan Caldwell | Episode: "Our Past, Our Present, Our Future" |
| 2000 | Intimate Portrait | Herself | Episode: "Robin Givens" |
| Grown Ups | Kim | Episode: "Valentine J" | |
| Moesha | Gertrude Lowe | Episode: "The Candidate" | |
| 2001–02 | Oh, Drama! | Herself/Host | Main Host |
| 2001–04 | The Parkers | Gertrude "Gertie" Lowe | Guest: Season 2-3, Recurring Cast: Season 4-5 |
| 2002 | My Wife and Kids | Wanda | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
| 2003 | The Real Roseanne Show | Herself | Episode: "Domestic Goddess" |
| The Proud Family | Caramel Jones/Mamma (voice) | Recurring Cast: Season 2 | |
| 2004 | Wanda Does It | Herself | Episode: "Wanda Does Photos" |
| Discovery Health Celebrity Body Challenge | Herself | Episode: "Spa Day" | |
| Curb Your Enthusiasm | Monena | Episode: "The Car Pool Lane" | |
| Significant Others | Nurse | Episode: "Intercourse, an Official Gathering & a Big Fat Lie" | |
| 1-800-Missing | DEA Agent Dominique Shaw | Episode: "Domestic Bliss" | |
| One on One | Liza | Episode: "Who Brought the Jive Turkey?" | |
| 2005 | That's So Raven | Cousin Vicky | Episode: "Country Cousins: Part 1 & 2" |
| Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law | Waitress/Norlisa (voice) | Episode: "Booty Noir" & "Harvey's Civvy" | |
| Grey's Anatomy | Yvonne | Episode: "Into You Like a Train" | |
| 2005–10 | The Boondocks | Various Characters (voice) | Recurring Cast: Season 1-3 |
| 2006 | Love, Inc | Arsenetta | Episode: "Arrested Development" |
| Reno 911! | Kay Kay | Episode: "The Junior Brothers" | |
| Class of 3000 | Drama Student (voice) | Episode: "Peanuts! Get Yer Peanuts!" | |
| Standoff | Angela Worthington | Episode: "Accidental Negotiator" | |
| 2007 | Comics Unleashed | Herself | Episode: "May 17 & 23, 2007" |
| 2008 | 1st Amendment Stand Up | Herself | Episode: "Kym Whitley/Ray Lipowski/Steve Brown" |
| 2008–09 | 'Til Death | Tina | Recurring Cast: Season 3 |
| 2009–13 | The Cleveland Show | Auntie Momma (voice) | Guest: Season 1 & 4, Recurring Cast: Season 3 |
| 2010 | The Brian McKnight Show | Herself/Co-Host | Main Co-Host |
| Curb: The Discussion | Herself | Episode: "The Lefty Call" | |
| School Pride | Herself | Main Cast | |
| Jonas | Officer Evie | Episode: "And... Action!" | |
| 2010–11 | Meet the Browns | Yvonne | Guest Cast: Season 4-5 |
| 2011 | A Series of Unfortunate People | Dr. Kent | Episode: "She's in a Better Place" |
| Childrens Hospital | Black Administrator | Episode: "The Black Doctor" | |
| Nick Swardson's Pretend Time | Baneequwa | Episode: "Show Me on the Doll" | |
| Hot in Cleveland | Jada | Episode: "Elka's Choice" | |
| 2011–12 | The Life & Times of Tim | Tanya Miller (voice) | Recurring Cast: Season 3 |
| 2011–14 | Let's Stay Together | Charmaine Wax | Recurring Cast: Season 1-2, Guest: Season 4 |
| 2011–15 | Black Dynamite | Honeybee (voice) | Main Cast |
| 2012–13 | Animal Practice | Juanita | Main Cast |
| 2013 | Mommy in Chief | Herself | Episode: "Actress Kym Whitley Talks New Baby & Food Allergies for Kids" |
| Wanda Sykes Presents Herlarious | Herself | Episode: "Kym Whitley" | |
| Exhale | Herself | Episode: "Entertainment" | |
| 2 Broke Girls | Shirley | Recurring Cast: Season 2 | |
| 2013–14 | Baby Daddy | Margaret Jenson | Guest Cast: Season 2-3 |
| 2013–16 | Raising Whitley | Herself | Main Cast |
| 2014 | Mind of a Man | Herself/Panelist | Recurring Panelist |
| Apollo Night LA | Herself/Celebrity Host | Episode: "ANLA 024" | |
| London Garcia Entertainment Show | Herself | Episode: "Ernest Borgnine Tribute honoring Joe Mantegna" | |
| The King Assassin Show | Herself | Main Cast | |
| Life with La Toya | Herself | Recurring Cast: Season 2 | |
| One Love | Mrs. Frock | Episode: "Tea-Ball" | |
| 2014–18 | Young & Hungry | Yolanda | Main Cast |
| 2015 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Aunt Cudi | Episode: "Judy Greer Wears a Navy Blouse and Strappy Sandals" |
| 2015–16 | The Bay | Big Candi | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
| 2016 | Kocktails with Khloé | Herself | Episode: "The Happiest Hour" |
| It's Not You, It's Men | Herself | Episode: "The Playbook Exposed" | |
| Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul | Herself | Episode: "Featuring the Cast of 227" | |
| Botched | Herself | Episode: "Pinched Perfect" | |
| Celebrity Food Fight | Herself | Episode: "Greg Grunberg Goes Gooey" | |
| Celebrity Name Game | Herself/Celebrity Player | Episode: "David Alan Grier & Kym Whitley #1-#3" | |
| Hollywood Game Night | Herself/Celebrity Player | Episode: "Back to the Game Night" | |
| 2017 | Chopped Junior | Herself/Judge | Episode: "Let's Taco 'Bout It" |
| Face Value | Herself/Team Captain | Episode: "Kym Whitley vs Donnell Rawlings" | |
| Hollywood and African Prestigious Awards | Herself/Host | Main Host | |
| The Real | Herself/Guest Co-Host | Episode: "Kym Whitley/Tichina Arnold/Celeb in 60/Besos" | |
| Master of None | Joyce | Episode: "Thanksgiving" | |
| Curb Your Enthusiasm | Monena | Episode: "Never Wait for Seconds!" | |
| Harvey Beaks | MC Queen | Episode: "Princess Wants a Mom" | |
| 2018 | The Doctors | Herself/Guest Co-Host | Episode: "Episode #11.33" |
| Marlon | Lovey | Episode: "Sisters" | |
| Forever | Sharon | Recurring Cast | |
| 2019 | My Big Fat Fabulous Life | Herself | Episode: "The Skinny - Game Night" |
| Unsung | Herself | Episode: "Kenny Lattimore" | |
| Worst Cooks In America: Celebrity Edition | Herself/Contestant | Main Cast: Season 16 | |
| Hollywood Game Night | Herself/Celebrity Player | Episode: "Jane's New Diggs" | |
| Match Game | Herself/Celebrity Panelist | Episode: "Episode #4.11" | |
| Uncensored | Herself | Episode: "LisaRaye McCoy" | |
| Pinky Malinky | Mrs. Malinky (voice) | Recurring Cast: Season 1 | |
| Florida Girls | Shelby's Mom | Recurring Cast | |
| Fuller House | Mayor Boone | Episode: "The Mayor's Bird" | |
| 2019–20 | 25 Words or Less | Herself/Contestant | Recurring Guest |
| 2019–21 | The Neighborhood | LaTonya | Guest Cast: Season 2-3 |
| 2020 | Iyanla: Fix My Life | Herself | Episode: "The Masks We Wear" |
| blackAF | Aunt Nadine | Episode: "yo, between you and me... this is because of slavery" | |
| Two Degrees | Kym | Episode: "DATING MYself" | |
| Mr. Iglesias | Mrs. Webber | Episode: "Playing Favorites" | |
| 2020–21 | Twenties | Esther | Recurring Cast |
| 2020–22 | Daily Pop | Herself/Co-Host | Recurring Co-Host |
| 2021 | Overserved with Lisa Vanderpump | Herself | Episode: "A Trip to Japan: Jaleel White & Kym Whitley" |
| Puppy Bowl Presents: The Summer Games | Herself/Host | Main Host | |
| Uncensored | Herself | Episode: "Kym Whitley" | |
| The Big Holiday Food Fight | Herself/Host | Episode: "Battle of the Spices" | |
| Baby Shark's Big Show! | Toothfish Fairy (voice) | Episode: "Baby Tooth/Slobber Slug" | |
| Call Your Mother | Barbara | Episode: "One Bad Mother" | |
| That Girl Lay Lay | Kym | Episode: "Lay Lay & Sadie's Big Hair Adventure" | |
| 2021–22 | Made For Love | Judiff | Recurring Cast |
| 2022 | Phat Tuesdays: The Era Of Hip Hop Comedy | Herself | Recurring Guest |
| I Love Us | Herself/Host | Main Host | |
| Guy's Ultimate Game Night | Herself/Contestant | Episode: "Greetings from Flavortown" | |
| The Talk | Herself/Guest Co-Host | Recurring Guest Co-Host: Season 12 | |
| The Wheel | Herself/Dating Expert | Episode: "The Skater & the Dater" | |
| Curious George | Amy | Episode: "Curious George and the Lost Puppy/Gnocchi's Purr-fect Day" | |
| Loot | Renee | Episode: "Spades Night" | |
| 2022–24 | The Upshaws | Althea Turner | Guest Cast: Season 2-3 |
| 2023 | Celebrity Squares | Herself | Episode: "Ooh... I Need a Napkin" |
| Name That Tune | Herself/Contestant | Episode: "Love is in the Tunes" | |
| History of the World, Part II | Florynce Kennedy | Recurring Cast | |
| A Black Lady Sketch Show | Christine | Episode: "Pre-Ph.D, Based on a Novel by Sapphire" | |
| Raven's Home | Tricia | Episode: "Lizard Let Lie" | |
| Act Your Age | Bernadette | Main Cast | |
| Family Guy | Masseuse (voice) | Episode: "Old World Harm" | |
| 2024 | Pictionary | Herself/Team Captain | Episode: "Puppy Love" |
Music Video
edit| Year | Song | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "Pass the Courvoisier, Part II" | Busta Rhymes featuring P. Diddy and Pharrell |
Documentary
edit| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2007 | Angels Can't Help But Laugh |
| 2009 | Standing-n-Truth: Breaking the Silence |
| Secrets of Life | |
| 2011 | Saggin' in the A-T-L... |
| 2013 | Why We Laugh: Funny Women |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | BET Comedy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Box Office movie | Deliver Us From Eva | Nominated | [1][20] |
| 2016 | 7th Indie Series Awards | Best Guest Actress – Drama | The Bay | Won | [21] |
| 2017 | 44th Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actress in a Digital Daytime Drama Series | The Bay | Nominated | [22] |
| 2022 | 53rd Annual NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Lifestyle/Self-Help Podcast | Two Funny Mamas | Won | |
| 2023 | 54th Annual NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Arts & Entertainment Podcast | Two Funny Mamas | Won | [23] |
References
edit- ^ a b "BET Honors Urban Comedy During Network's First-Ever Comedy Awards Telecast Hosted by Steve Harvey". BET Press Room. September 3, 2004. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
- ^ a b Robinson-Jacobs, Karen (June 8, 2019). "Actress-comedienne Kym Whitley pictures family in her den". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 8, 2019. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
- ^ a b "William Whitley: Biography". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
- ^ Attanasio, Ed; Gouldsberry, Eric. "Progressive Field". This Great Game. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
- ^ Okura, Lynn (January 31, 2014). "Kym Whitley Visits Her Old High School Teacher In Cleveland (VIDEO)". HuffPost. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
- ^ Chumney, Richard (May 6, 2018). "Graduates counseled to pursue passions". The News & Advance. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
- ^ "Wildin' Out Wednesday With Actress/Comedian Kym Whitley". NewsOne Now. February 10, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
- ^ a b "Don't Feed Me T-Shirts Calm Parents of Allergic Kids". ABC News. March 19, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
- ^ Swift, Andy (June 25, 2014). "Young & Hungry Stars Preview 'Sexy,' 'Inspiring' New ABC Family Comedy". TVLine. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ Fishman, Scott (July 25, 2018). "Emily Osment Says Goodbye to 'Young & Hungry' With the Series Finale". TV Insider. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ "Kym Whitley Lands Daytime Emmy Nomination For 'The Bay'". Houston Style Magazine. March 24, 2017. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ Jacobs, Matthew (May 17, 2017). "Kym Whitley On Her Breakout 'Master Of None' Episode And Kanye West's Failed HBO Pilot". HuffPost. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ Kimble, Lindsay (September 17, 2017). "Lena Waithe's Emmy-Winning Master of None Episode Was Inspired by Her Real-Life Story". People. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ "Hey Family, Michael Jai White and Kym Whitley are Cousins". March 13, 2018.
- ^ a b Murray, Rheana (March 21, 2013). "Actress launches line of 'Don't Feed Me' T-shirts for kids with allergies". New York Daily News. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ "Kym Whitley is a New Mom". Black Celebrity Kids. February 28, 2011. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
- ^ "APA Signs 'Raising Whitley's Kym Whitley". Deadline Hollywood. August 13, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
- ^ "Stars Sign On For Romantic Comedy, '35 and Ticking'". MadameNoire. June 2, 2010.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (September 27, 2024). "Sierra McCormick & Dermot Mulroney Leading Action Caper 'Killing Mary Sue' With Bleiberg Launching Sales; First Look Revealed". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
- ^ Holder, Frank; Littleton, Darryl (November 4, 2019). This Day In Comedy: The Ethnic Encyclopedia of Laughter. TrineDay. ISBN 9781634242639. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
- ^ Newcomb, Roger (April 7, 2016). "WINNERS: 7th Annual Indie Series Awards". We Love Soaps. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
- ^ "The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Announces Nominations For the 44th Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards" (PDF). National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. March 22, 2017. Retrieved March 22, 2017.
- ^ "54th NAACP Image Awards winners". NAACP Image Awards. February 25, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
External links
edit- Kym Whitley at IMDb