Janelle James

Janelle James (born September 23, 1979) is an American comedian, actress, and writer. She is best known for her role as Ava Coleman in the ABC television series Abbott Elementary, for which she won a Critics Choice Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and two NAACP Image Awards, in addition to nominations for five Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Golden Globe Award.

Her writing credits include The Rundown with Robin Thede and Black Monday, and she acted on the programs Crashing, Corporate, and Central Park. Her debut comedy album Black and Mild was released in 2017. She was named one of Varietys 10 Comics to Watch for 2020.

Early life and education James was born and raised on Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Her father had a food truck, and starting at age 7, she helped out by selling beers on the beach to tourists. While in high school, she once stood in line for 12 hours to audition for MTV's Wanna Be a VJ. She described her style of comedy as "just talking shit" James named Bill Burr, Hadiyah Robinson, John Early, Wanda Sykes, Richard Pryor, and Kareem Green as favorite comedians.

In 2016, James' work was recognized by Just for Laughs and Brooklyn magazine. She gained wider prominence as the opening act for Chris Rock's 2017 Total Blackout tour. She hosted You In Danger, Gurl, a comedy podcast about relationship red flags and bizarre dating experiences, in 2020.

James was a staff writer for The Rundown with Robin Thede (2017) and the Showtime comedy Black Monday, and also acted in a recurring role on the show. She has also appeared on the shows Crashing, Corporate, and is both a writer and voice actor for Central Park. She was a featured comic on Netflix's The Standups in 2021.

She gained wide prominence in her role as a main cast member on the ABC comedy Abbott Elementary. Her performance as the self-involved principal Ava Coleman has been hailed by critics. James garnered award nominations including a Primetime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, a TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy, a Golden Globe Award, and a Critics' Choice Award.

In 2022, James hosted the ABC game show The Final Straw. She hosted the 2023 Writers Guild of America Awards. She appeared as a supporting character in the 2025 buddy comedy One of Them Days. James is a voice actress for the principal character Sheila Flambé on the Netflix series Strip Law.

Personal life After college, James married a teacher, with whom she had two sons. 2020 – Variety 's 10 Comics to Watch Dorian Awards Best Supporting TV Performance Gotham Independent Film Awards Outstanding Performance in a New Series Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture One of Them Days Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Abbott Elementary Discography 2017: Black and Mild

Filmography Television Voice

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Ava Coleman Episode: "The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary" Super Duper Bunny League|Narrator Voice, first bridge series 2026 Strip Law''Sheila FlambéVoice, main role

Film