Wanda Sykes

Actor, Writer, Stand-up Comedian

American Portsmouth, Virginia, United States

Quick Info

ProfessionActor, Writer, Stand-up Comedian
NationalityAmerican
Date of Birth07/03/1964
Age62 years
BirthplacePortsmouth, Virginia, United States

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Bio/Wiki

Birth NameWanda Yvette Sykes

Physical Stats & More

Height5' 2" (158 cm)
Eye ColorBlack
Hair ColorBlack with Light Golden Brown highlights

Educational Qualification(s)

SchoolArundel High School, Gambrills, Maryland
College/UniversityHampton University, Virginia
DegreeBachelor of Science in Marketing

Personal Life

Food HabitVegetarian/Non-vegetarian

Relationships & More

Marital StatusMarried
Sexual OrientationLesbian
Marriage Date25/10/2008
Previous Marriage
SpouseDave Hall (record producer)
Duration1991 - 1998

Family

FatherHarry Ellsworth Sykes
MotherMarion Louise Sykes (née Peoples)
SiblingsHarry Sykes
SpouseAlex Sykes
Children
  • Lucas Claude
  • Olivia Lou

Career

DebutMade her television debut on 'Def Comedy Jam' in the 1990s, marking the beginning of a successful career in comedy and writing.
Awards
  • 1999: Won the Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series award for 'The Chris Rock Show' at the 51st Primetime Emmy Awards.
  • 2025: Received the Career Achievement award at the Critics Choice Association's 2nd Annual Celebration Of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television.
  • 2001: Won the American Comedy Award for 'Outstanding Female Stand Up Comic'.
  • 2002, 2004, 2005: Emmy Awards for her work as correspondent on HBO's 'Inside the NFL'.
  • 2004: Named one of Entertainment Weekly's 25 Funniest People in America.
  • 2017, 2018: Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for 'Black-ish'.
  • 2020: Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' and Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance for 'Crank Yankers'.
  • 2023: Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance.
Notable Works
  • Sykes has appeared in films such as 'Tomorrow Night' (1998), 'Pootie Tang' (2001), and 'Monster-in-Law' (2005).
  • She has created and produced shows like 'Wanda Does It' (2004) and 'The Wanda Sykes Show' (2009-2010).
  • Wanda has also lent her voice to animated films and series such as 'Ice Age: Continental Drift' (2012) and 'Vampirina' (2017-2021).
  • Recurring roles on 'The New Adventures of Old Christine' (2006–2010) as Barb Baran and 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' (2001–2011).
  • Stars in Netflix's 'The Upshaws', HBO Max's 'The Other Two', and 'The Good Fight'.
  • Stand-up specials include 'Wanda Sykes: Not Normal' (2019), 'What Happened...Ms. Sykes?' (2016), 'I'ma Be Me' (2009), 'Sick & Tired' (2006), and 'Tongue Untied' (2003).
  • Guest-starred on 'Black-ish' (2015–2022) and 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel'.
Comedy Career
  • Began performing stand-up during evenings while working at the NSA, transitioned to full-time comedy in 1992.
  • Gained national attention after opening for Chris Rock at Caroline's Comedy Club.

Social Media

Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/iamwandasykes/
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/iamwandasykes/
Twitterhttps://x.com/iamwandasykes
Official Websitehttps://www.wandasykes.com/

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Wanda was born in Portsmouth and later moved to Maryland, where she spent her childhood.
2. She has a notable family history traced back to an indentured servant, highlighting rare genealogical records.
3. Wanda was a contracting specialist at the National Security Agency before fully committing to her comedy career.
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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