Luenell

Luenell Campbell (born March 12, 1959), known mononymously as Luenell, is an American comedian and actress. She is best known for her appearance in the mockumentary comedy film Borat.

Her other film roles include Think Like a Man (2012), Taken 2 (2012), Think Like a Man Too (2015), A Star Is Born (2018), Dolemite Is My Name (2019), and Coming 2 America (2021).

Luenell also voiced a Shrunken Head in Hotel Transylvania (2012) and its 2015 sequel.

She has had recurring television roles as Rhonda in Showtime comedy-drama series Californication (2009–2014) and as Miss Loretta on HBO Max dark comedy series Hacks (2021–2025).

Career In the early 1990s, Luenell appeared regularly on Soul Beat TV on the Oakland, California cable station KSBT, along with prominent Bay Area African-American journalist Chauncey Bailey, an interviewer and talk show host on the program. Luenell was one of the hired actors in the 2006 hit mockumentary comedy film Borat, playing the role of a prostitute.

Personal life Luenell lived in Castro Valley, California, through most of her teen years. On June 18, 2001, Luenell married her husband, whom she refers to as Mr. Rarely. She also has a daughter, Da'Nelle.

Although Luenell and Mr. Rarely eventually divorced, they remained close. She revealed that he had undergone treatment for prostate cancer and was living with COPD. On June 23, 2024, Luenell announced on Instagram that he had died following a prolonged illness: “No more breathing machines, no more needles, no more suffering… Even though we were no longer legally married, we remained in each other’s hearts until the very end.”

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1993 So I Married an Axe Murderer Police Records Officer 1996 The Rock Female Tourist 2004 Never Die Alone Jasper 2005 So Fresh, So Clean... a Down and Dirty Comedy Mrs. Keyes 2006 Borat Luenell 2007 Katt Williams: American Hustle Herself Video Divine Intervention Sister Jones 2008 The Hustle Metermaid 2009 Spring Breakdown Hooker All About Steve Protester Lydia 2011 Kiss and Tell: The History of Black Romance in Movie Herself Video 35 and Ticking Donya Budz House Mary Jane Howard 2012 Think Like a Man Aunt Winnie That's My Boy Champale C'mon Man Joyce Mac & Devin Go to High School Principal Cummings Taken 2 Driving Instructor Hotel Transylvania Shrunken Heads (voice) 2013 In Transition Marla Stevens Video Dealin' with Idiots Big Time Sara A Christmas Blessing Sheila TV movie 2014 Think Like a Man Too Aunt Winnie School Dance Mamma Tawanna Matthew 18 Aunt Jessie 2015 Where Have All the Fathers Gone Herself Documentary Hotel Transylvania 2 Shrunken Heads (voice) The HOA Chanel TV movie 2016 Definitely Divorcing Eunice LAPD African Cops Mylanta What Are the Chances? Miss King The Clean Dr. Anastasia Sparks 2017 Sremm Break Doña Escopeda Short Broken Dreams Blvd Shelley TV movie 2018 Don't Get Caught Mrs. King Video A Star Is Born Cashier 2019 Funny Women of a Certain Age Herself TV movie I Got the Hook Up 2 Ms. Pam Dickerson Dolemite Is My Name Rudy’s Aunt 2020 Ballbuster Cari She Ball Mrs. Mack 2021 Coming 2 America Aunt Livia Miracles Across 125th Street - TV movie 2022 The American King-As told by an African Priestess Herself Block Party Debra God Save the Queens God 2025 Dog Man Milly (voice) TBA Monique Completed

Television Year Title Role Notes 1993 Hip Hop Slam TV Herself/host Episode: "9 & 16 Oct 1993" 1996 Nash Bridges Street Car Reporter Episode: "Vanishing Act" 2004 The Tracy Morgan Show Woman In Hat Episode: "Church" 2005 ComicView Herself Episode: "Episode #14.2" 2006 Laffapalooza Herself Episode: "Laffapalooza Volume 7" 2007 Comics Unleashed Herself Episode: "23 February 2007" Comedy Central Roast Herself Episode: ″Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav″ 2008 I Love the New Millennium Herself Recurring Guest Reality Bites Back Herself Episode: "Shock of Love" 1st Amendment Stand Up Herself Episode: "Angelo Lozada/Luenell/Rod Man/Will-E Robo" Reality Bites Back Herself Episode: ″Episode 2″ Head Case Twinkle Finkelstein Episode: "Come Together" Chocolate News Episode: "Episode #1.5" & "#1.9" 2009 Black to the Future Herself Episode: "Hour 4: The 00s" 2009–2014 Californication Rhonda Recurring cast: season 3, guest: season 7 2010 Undateable Herself Episode: "Hour 1-5" The Boondocks Nellie Ruckus (voice) Episode: "The Color Ruckus" 2010–2011 Latino 101 Herself Main Guest 2011 Way Black When: Primetime Herself Episode: "Episode #1.4" Laugh Out Loud Comedy Festival Herself Episode: "Luenell 'Hey Luenell'" Funny or Die Presents Herself Episode: "Episode #2.6" In the Flow with Affion Crockett Herself Episode: "Glee Auditions" Breaking In Lunch Truck Lady Episode: "Tis Better to Have Loved and Flossed" It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Catfish Episode: "The ANTI-Social Network" The Middle Security Woman Episode: "Hecks on a Plane" 2012 Dishing Tea with Big Meach Herself Episode: "From Tollette, AK to Hotel Transylvania, SHE Is Going Places" StandUp in Stilettos Herself Episode: "StandUp in Stilettos, Best of - Melissa Villasenor, Luenell and Nadine Rajabi" DTLA Racine Episode: "Episode #1.5" 2013 Who Gets the Last Laugh? Herself Episode: "Finesse Mitchell/Luenell Campbell/Alan Thicke" Apollo Night LA Herself/Celebrity Host TV series 2014 Camille Solari's Glaminlalaland Herself Episode: "One Year Anniversary at The Comedy Store Hosted by Camille Solari & Adam Barnhardt with Tom Rhodes" Comedy Underground with Dave Attell Herself Episode: "Episode #1.6" Black Dynamite Moms Mabley (voice) Episode: "‘Sweet Bill's Badass Singalong Song’ or ‘Bill Cosby Ain't Himself’" 2015 The Real Housewives of Atlanta Herself Episode: "Fix It Therapy" Real Husbands of Hollywood Herself Episode: "When Kevin Met Salli" Raising Whitley Herself Episode: "Beauty Shop Returns" Lucas Bros. Moving Co. DMV Lady (voice) Episode: "Lucas Burgers" & "Escape from Momma" Breaking In Lunch Truck Lady Episode: "Tis Better to Have Loved and Flossed" Axe Cop Waitress Episode: "Axe Cop Saves God" Black Jesus Laverne Episode: "Tasty Tudi's" 2016 Botched Herself Episode: "Pinched Perfect" Shahs of Sunset Herself Episode: "Six Persians Walk Into a Bar" Unsung Hollywood Herself Episode: "Rudy Ray Moore" & "Guy and Joe Torry" Bunnicula Ted's Wife Episode: "Alligator Tears" 2017 Unsung Herself Episode: "Lenny Williams" Lopez Miss Wendy Recurring cast 2018 Black Card Revoked Herself Episode: "K. Michelle, Andra Fuller, Luenell" Braxton Family Values Herself Recurring cast: season 6 Comedians and Cocktails Herself Episode: "Grown People Talk" Abelism Neighbor Episode: "Roomful of Assholes" 2019 Black Jesus Laverne Episode: "Hair Tudi" 2020 Iyanla: Fix My Life Herself Episode: "The Masks We Wear" The Last O.G. Aunt Elaine Episode: "Family Feud" Game On: A Comedy Crossover Event Peaches Episode: "Family Reunion: Remember the Family's Feud?" Power Book II: Ghost Ms. Richards Episode: "Family First" 2021 Dark Humor Herself Recurring Guest Joseline's Cabaret Herself/co-host Episode: "Joseline's Cabaret Atlanta: The Reunion Part 1 & 2" Let's Talk Hair Herself Episode: "The Big Chop" Dad Stop Embarrassing Me! Sheila Episode: "BlackPeopleDontGoToTherapy" Ten Year Old Tom Lunch Lady (voice) Recurring cast 2021–2025 Hacks Miss Loretta Recurring cast 2022 Herself Main Guest Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Herself/Celebrity Contestant Episode: "Paul Scheer, Luenell and Mary Lynn Rajskub"2023Jimmy Kimmel Live!Herself/GuestEpisode: October 4 2024John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in LA HerselfEpisode: "Earthquakes"