Amita Rao

Amita Rao (born September 9, 1998) is an American comedian, actress and writer.

Early life and education Rao grew up in Centreville, Virginia. She attended Virginia Tech and transferred to Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts (VCU).

At VCU, she met Chelsea Matkins. Rao and Matkins co-founded Gag Reflex, a sketch comedy and improv group, with two other students. The group performed No Shame at the Shafer Alliance Laboratory Theatre (SALT)'s monthly variety show. Matkins brought Rao on to keep Gag Reflex going after existing members graduated and moved away. The duo participated in a slew of improv groups in addition to Gag Reflex at VCU, including Running AMok, Blue Collard Greens, and Toxic Shock. They also lived together in Richmond, Virginia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between January and May 2021, she worked as a development intern at Queen City Comedy in New York.

Career In 2020, while living together in Richmond, Rao and Matkins started filming short-form situational comedy videos for TikTok. These videos featured various characters engaged in "relatable", everyday conversations, resulting in paid content partnerships with brands like Target and Tinder. The same year, she showcased for Saturday Night Live twice. Time called Rao's Adults character, Issa, "loud, dramatic [and] sexually liberated" and "unapologetically brash".

In August 2025, Rao joined the cast of Wishful Thinking, a film starring Lewis Pullman and Maya Hawke. She voiced Harper for High on Life 2 (2026).

Personal life Rao’s brother is a professional Super Smash Bros. Melee player. In 2025, she moved from Chicago to Brooklyn Heights, New York City.

Filmography

Television Year Title Role Notes 2024 The Emperor of Ocean Park Receptionist Episode: "Chapter One" 2025–present Deli Boys Nandika 6 episodes Adults Issa Main role 2026 Wishful Thinking Ella Post-production