Ricky Velez

Ricky Velez is an American stand-up comedian, writer, and actor. He co-starred with Pete Davidson, in The King of Staten Island, which he also helped write and produce. His first stand-up special, Ricky Velez: Here's Everything, was released on HBO in October 2021.

Early life

Ricky Velez was born and raised in Queens, New York in a blue-collar family with two brothers. One of his brothers introduced him to stand-up comedy through half-hour specials on Comedy Central and watching The Daily Show. He has said that the experience on the show taught him that he did not like making daily television.

Velez collaborated with his long-time best friend Pete Davidson on The King of Staten Island, a semi-biographical film about Davidson by Judd Apatow that was released in 2021. Velez co-starred with Davidson and was also a writer and producer on the film. Velez was cast in June 2019 after Davidson asked him to audition for the part of one of his close friends who is a bad influence on Davidson's character. Velez was also signed by William Morris Endeavor in 2021.

Judd Apatow helped Velez release his first stand-up special later that year on HBO, Ricky Velez: Here's Everything, which was executive produced by Apatow and Pete Davidson. Velez described the special as "me introducing myself to the world". Velez had toured for five months prior to filming to work on the material during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Personal life Velez's mother died in 2016. Velez has a son, born in 2018.

Filmography Films

Television

Stand-up