Tiffany Haddish

Tiffany Haddish is an American comedian, actress, and author who rose to widespread fame in the late 2010s. Her breakthrough role came in the 2017 comedy film Girls Trip, which earned her critical acclaim and several major award nominations. Known for her energetic and candid comedic style, Haddish has since headlined comedy specials for Netflix, starred in numerous films, and published a bestselling memoir. She is the first Black female stand-up comedian to host Saturday Night Live and has won a Primetime Emmy Award.

Early life and education

Tiffany Sara Cornilia Haddish was born on December 3, 1979, in South Central Los Angeles. Her mother, Leola, is of Ethiopian Jewish heritage, and her father, Tsihaye Reda Haddish, was an Eritrean American refugee. After her father left the family and her mother suffered a severe brain injury in a car accident, Haddish and her siblings were placed in foster care. To cope, she began performing in the Laugh Factory's comedy camp for at-risk youth, where she was discovered and mentored by comedian Richard Pryor. She attended El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, and later studied at the Los Angeles City College broadcasting program.

Career

Haddish began her career performing stand-up comedy in Los Angeles clubs. Her early television appearances included roles on That's So Raven, My Name Is Earl, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. She gained wider recognition as a series regular on the NBC sitcom The Carmichael Show. Her career-defining moment arrived with the blockbuster success of Malcolm D. Lee's Girls Trip, where her performance as Dina was hailed by critics at publications like The New York Times and Rolling Stone. Following this, she hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live in November 2017, released the Netflix stand-up special Tiffany Haddish: She Ready! From the Hood to Hollywood, and published the memoir The Last Black Unicorn, which became a New York Times bestseller. Major film roles followed, including in Night School with Kevin Hart, The Kitchen, and Like a Boss. She also voiced characters in animated projects like The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part and the Apple TV+ series Central Park. In 2021, she starred in and executive produced the Adult Swim series The Freak Brothers.

Personal life

Haddish was briefly married to William Stewart from 2007 to 2011. She has been open about her past struggles with homelessness and her experiences in the foster care system, often discussing these topics in her comedy and advocacy work. She is a supporter of several charitable organizations, including those focused on foster youth like First Place for Youth. Haddish has also studied her Ethiopian Jewish roots, traveling to Israel with the organization Shavei Israel. In 2022, she faced legal issues related to a lawsuit alleging she and fellow comedian Aries Spears groomed minors, which was later dismissed by the plaintiffs.

Filmography

A selection of her notable film and television work includes: * Keanu (2016) * Girls Trip (2017) * The Carmichael Show (2015–2017) * Night School (2018) * The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019) – Voice * The Kitchen (2019) * Like a Boss (2020) * The Freak Brothers (2021–2022) – Voice * The Afterparty (2022–present)

Awards and nominations

Haddish has received significant recognition for her work. For Girls Trip, she won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress and was nominated for the MTV Movie & TV Award for Best Comedic Performance and a NAACP Image Award. Her hosting of Saturday Night Live earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. She has also won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for the audio version of The Last Black Unicorn and received nominations for the Critics' Choice Television Award and the BET Award for Best Actress.

Category:American comedians Category:American actresses Category:1979 births Category:Living people