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S5 E4, "Sex" as Gloria Steinem
As one of the creators, writers and breakout stars of the hit comedy series, "Broad City" (Comedy Central 2014-), Abbi Jacobson was part of a new generation of female comedy writers and performers who found success through their own creations. Along with her writing partner Ilana Glazer, the duo parlayed their 20-something experiences of being young, single and broke in New York City into a web series-turned-cable-comedy. Despite following other female-driven shows about singles in the big city, the series succeeds thanks to the duo's crackling onscreen chemistry and the outrageous yet rooted in reality story lines. Abbi Jacobson was born on Feb 1, 1985 in the Philadelphia suburb of Wayne, Pennsylvania. While in high school, she briefly dabbled in acting, taking Saturday classes at the Walnut Street Theatre and the Actor's Center in Philadelphia, but it was the visual arts that would be her first creative pursuit. She left her home state to attend the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she pursued a degree in fine arts and a minor in video, the latter of which would soon overshadow her art career. After graduating in 2006, Jacobson made the move to New York City to try her hand at dramatic acting, but quickly discovered that comedy was more her forte, after she learned about the comedy incubator Upright Citizens Brigade. Jacobson found her comedic voice in improv and sketch and trained with the Atlantic Acting Conservatory and the Magnet Theater in addition to the UCB. It was there that Abbi met her future writing partner, Ilana Glazer, when the two bonded as the only women in their improv group. What followed was the typical grind for struggling creatives. Their mindless and varied day jobs to pay the bills would become future plotlines of their comedy projects. After relentless auditioning, Jacobson still couldn't get a commercial agent, so she and Glazer decided the only way to break into the business was to create their own material. In 2009, they started a scripted web series based on their friendship called Broad City. With the help of their UCB friends, the crudely produced show eventually blossomed into an online hit. By 2011, the duo was finishing up their second season and had a pilot they were looking to shop around. In their pursuit to end the show's season with a bang, they asked one of their UCB teachers to see if UCB founder and one of its most famous alumni, Amy Poehler, would be a guest star on the show. Much to their surprise, Poehler said yes and even signed on to become the executive producer of the TV series. With a big name attached to the project, Jacobson and Glazer quit their jobs and flew to Los Angeles to pitch the series as a television show. While FX had originally taken interest, they eventually passed on the pilot until Comedy Central took up the reins and ordered ten episodes, which aired in 2014. Drawing heavily from their own experiences, the characters were based on exaggerated versions of themselves. With a strong background in improv, the two actresses played off each other in a loose form akin to "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO 2000-2011). Despite drawing strong comparisons to "Girls" (HBO 2012-) - another show about millennials figuring things out in New York City - the show steered away from drama and over-analysis and stuck to the brash and absurd. The series featured a mix of big name comic talent like Amy Poehler, Fred Armisen, Amy Sedaris, Jason Mantzoukas, Janeane Garofalo, Rachel Dratch and locals from the New York comic community. Jacobson's TV debut turned out to be an impressionable one, and the series was renewed for a second season. In addition to her comedy career, she was also a talented visual artist and illustrated two coloring books for Chronicle Books in 2013, as well as the illustrated humor book Carry This Book (2016), which reached the New York Times bestseller list. Continuing her re-engagement with her fine arts background, Jacobson began the podcast "A Piece of Work" in collaboration with the Museum of Modern Art and WNYC in 2017, in which she and her guests discussed various aspects and particular works of modern art. Also during this period, Jacobson appeared in a small role in comedy sequel "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising" (2016) before co-starring in indie drama "Person to Person" (2017) and animated comedy "The Lego Ninjago Movie" (2017). Continuing in animation, Jacobson collaborated with Matt Groening on adult-oriented cartoon "Disenchantment" (Netflix 2018- ), the story of an alcoholic fairy princess. In the fall of 2018, Jacobson published her second book, a collection of essays entitled I Might Regret This, written during a three-week cross-country road trip in 2017, following the breakup of her first serious relationship with another woman.- Age: 41
- Birthplace: Wayne, Pennsylvania, USA
- Credits: Broad City, Special Things to Do
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S3 E13, "Space" as Pavel Belyayev
Born in Waterloo, Iowa, writer, actor and comedian Adam DeVine had a life-changing experience at the tender age of 11. While walking his bike across a street, DeVine was hit by a 42-ton cement truck, severely fracturing both his legs and requiring multiple surgeries. It was two years before he could walk again. Following high school, DeVine moved to California, where he attended Orange Coast College, and later studied acting at American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. After completing his studies, DeVine moved to Los Angeles where he began performing stand up comedy, and formed the sketch troupe Mail Order Comedy with fellow improvisers Blake Anderson, Anders Holm and Kyle Newacheck. The foursome found a large fan-base online, and was able to parlay their web success into "Workaholics" (Comedy Central 2011-17), on which DeVine served as a creator, actor and producer. DeVine appeared in guest roles on other television series as well, including cult favorite "Community" (NBC 2009-2014) and the Christina Applegate vehicle "Samantha Who?" (ABC 2007-09). DeVine reached a more mainstream audience when he joined the cast of the hit sitcom "Modern Family" (ABC 2009- ) as Andy, Phil and Gloria's new nanny and a potential love interest for Haley (Sarah Hyland). DeVine also worked on the big screen as well, playing Bumper in the surprise hit "Pitch Perfect" (2012). In addition to his work on-screen, DeVine also worked regularly as a voice artist, providing the voice for the character Pizza Steve on Cartoon Network's series "Uncle Grandpa" (Cartoon Network 2013- ) DeVine's own series "Adam DeVine's House Party" (Comedy Central 2013- ), a unique blend of standup comedy and sitcom, debuted in the fall of 2013. Following supporting roles in "Neighbors" (2014), Nancy Meyers comedy-drama "The Intern" (2015) and animated hit "Ice Age: Collision Course" (2016), as well as a return to "Pitch Perfect 2" (2015), DeVine had his mainstream breakout as co-star of indie comedy "Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates" (2016) opposite Aubrey Plaza, Anna Kendrick and Zac Efron. After "Workaholics" wrapped up its final season, DeVine appeared in "The Lego Batman Movie" (2017) as The Flash before co-writing and starring in romantic comedy "When We First Met" (Netflix 2018).- Age: 41
- Birthplace: Waterloo, Iowa, USA
- Credits: Pitch Perfect, Workaholics, Uncle Grandpa, Mama's Boy, The Final Girls
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S2 E4, "Baltimore" as Kate Warne
Actress Adrianne Palicki possessed a fierce determination and commitment to her craft that made her an easy choice to play one of the most beloved superheroes of all time. She first made her mark with guest roles on popular crime and drama shows before she became a series regular on the critically lauded series "Friday Night Lights" (NBC/DirecTV, 2006-2011), where she portrayed a town vixen trying to shake off her bad-girl reputation. Palicki's career appeared poised for an upswing when she scored the lead on NBC's revamp of the popular 1970s series "Wonder Woman" (2011), where she donned the infamous gold cuff and shiny, star-spangled costume popularized by Lynda Carter in the original incarnation, but the much-publicized pilot was not picked up for a series. After appearing in a recurring role in the sitcom "About A Boy" (NBC 2014-15), Palicki joined the casts of another comic book adaptation, "Agents of SHIELD" (ABC 2013- ) and Seth MacFarlane's Ster Trek spoof "The Orville" (Fox 2017- ) while starring in films ranging from '80s action remake "Red Dawn" (2012) to science fiction thriller "John Wick" (2014) and TV action reboot "S.W.A.T.: Under Siege" (2017). Adrianne Palicki was born on May 6, 1983 in Toledo, OH. At her hometown's Whitmer High School, she ran track, played basketball, and was a runner-up for homecoming queen. After graduating from high school in 2001, Palicki headed out West to pursue a career in show business. But before she landed acting gigs, she bid her time making sandwiches at Togo's restaurant. By 2003, Palicki started making headway in her acting career with minor roles in independent short films and on a number of drama series such as "Smallville" (WB, 2001-2011), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (CBS, 2000-15), and a recurring part on the short-lived "South Beach" (UPN, 2006) starring Vanessa Williams. She also appeared in the pilot episode of the fantasy drama "Supernatural" (The WB, 2005- ), as the ill-fated girlfriend of Jared Padalecki's character. In 2006, Palicki joined the ensemble cast of the critically acclaimed drama "Friday Night Lights," based on H.G. Bissinger's classic 1990 book and a 1994 film of the same name. The show centered on the Permian Panthers, the high school football team in a fictional Texas town, and the team's coach and his family. Palicki portrayed the cheerleader girlfriend of one of the football players who, as the series progressed, tried to shed her bad-girl reputation. While the show was well received by critics and audiences alike, it struggled with low ratings and was moved around different networks, which led to it ultimately getting canceled. Palicki's earnest performance on "Friday Night Lights" led to bigger roles, including a lead part on "Lone Star" (Fox, 2010), as the unsuspecting wife of a Texas con man (James Wolk) who is leading a double life. While the series' pilot earned rave reviews, low ratings forced its cancellation after the second episode. In 2010, Palicki starred in the remake of the 1984 cult classic "Red Dawn," about a group of teenagers fighting Russian and Chinese soldiers who have invaded their small town. That same year, Palicki made headlines when writer-producer David E. Kelley handpicked her to star in the remake of the popular 1970s television series "Wonder Woman," taking over the super heroine role made famous by Lynda Carter. Although the pilot was highly publicized, it was rejected by the network and never aired. Following a supporting role in the romantic comedy "About A Boy" (NBC 2014-15) as a love interest for star David Walton, Palicki joined the cast of another comic book adaptation, "Agents of SHIELD" (ABC 2013- ) as fan favorite Bobbi Morse. Originally a recurring role, Morse became a series regular during the show's second season, and was projected as the star of a spin-off series, "Marvel's Most Wanted," but the 2016 pilot was not picked up. During this period, Palicki continued working in movies, including the female leads in "GI Joe: Retaliation" (2013), Keanu Reeves science fiction thriller "John Wick" (2014) and action thriller "S.W.A.T.: Under Siege" (2017). After her "Agents of SHIELD" story arc ended, Palicki joined the cast of Seth MacFarlane's space opera spoof "The Orville" (Fox 2017- ) as Commander Kelly Grayson.- Age: 41
- Birthplace: Toledo, Ohio, USA
- Credits: John Wick, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Red Dawn, Legion
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- Comedy Central
S1 E6, "Detroit" as Arthur Conan Doyle
Alfred Molina, an esteemed actor of stage and screen, was born in London, England on May 24, 1953. The son of a Spanish waiter and an Italian housekeeper, Molina's diverse cultural background and upbringing would later play a significant role in his ability to embody a wide range of characters with authenticity and depth. He began his acting career at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, from where he graduated in 1975. Molina first gained international recognition for his performance in the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark, where he played the ill-fated guide Satipo. However, it was his portrayal of the artist Diego Rivera in the 2002 film Frida, which earned him critical acclaim and a BAFTA nomination. His versatility as an actor is evident in his body of work, which spans multiple genres from drama to comedy, and includes both villainous and heroic roles. Notably, his performance as Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man 2 (2004) has been hailed as one of the best villain portrayals in the superhero genre. On stage, Molina's performances have been equally impactful. He received a Tony nomination for his role in Art (1998), and again in Red (2010), where he played the abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko. His dedication to the craft extends beyond acting, as he has also ventured into voice-over work for animated films and video games. Regardless of the medium, Alfred Molina's dynamic performances continue to captivate audiences, solidifying his legacy as one of the most versatile actors of his generation.- Age: 71
- Birthplace: Paddington, London, England, UK
- Credits: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Spider-Man 2, Chocolat, An Education
- 1Doctor Octopus (Otto Octavius)255 Votes
- 2Green Goblin (Norman Osborn)284 Votes
- 3Venom257 Votes
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Ali Stroker
S5 E5, "Civil Rights" as Judy Heumann
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S2 E10, "First Ladies" as Frances Folsom Cleveland Preston
S3 E4, "Spies" as Virginia Hall
S4 E10, "Hamilton" as Alexander Hamilton
- Age: 35
- Birthplace: Riverside, California, USA
- Credits: Arrested Development, Three Kings, Whip It, The Runaways, Damsels in Distress
COLLECTION31 LISTS
Very Funny PeopleRanking the best, funniest, and most original stand-up comedians and comic actors.
