Female Comedians

One of the most popular actresses of the 1950s and 1960s, Lucille Ball created the sitcom, I Love Lucy, in 1951. In 1962, she started managing the Desilu Productions, becoming the first woman to run a major TV studio. The recipient of two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Lucille Ball was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1984.

An actress and comedian, Julia Louis-Dreyfus has won more Screen Actors Guild Awards and more Emmy Awards than any other artist in American television history. In 2016, she was named in Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world list. In 2018, she was presented with America's highest comedy honor - The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

The co-founder of Upright Citizens Brigade, an improvisational-comedy troupe, Amy Poehler went on to utilize her comedic skills to establish herself as a prominent Hollywood personality. Over the years, she has played a crucial role in enhancing the popularity of American television, for which she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Australian actress, Rebel Wilson, started her acting career with television in Australia and then gained wider recognition after appearing in Hollywood films. Struck by Lightning, Bachelorette, Isn't It Romantic, The Hustle, Cats and Jojo Rabbit are some of the notable films she has acted in. She received critical appreciation for the 2012 film, Pitch Perfect, and subsequently acted in its two sequels.

Carol Burnett inspired a lot of women and set off a chain reaction by hosting her groundbreaking show The Carol Burnett Show. Regarded as one of USA's most cherished entertainers, Carol continues to enhance the lives of millions, for which she was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She has also won the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

Betty White, American actress and comedian, is considered as the pioneer of television and has had the longest television career of any entertainer, straddling more than 80 years. She’s known for her award-winning performances in shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls and Hot in Cleveland. 

Kate McKinnon is a popular American actress and comedian known for her work in sketch comedy series, such as Saturday Night Live and The Big Gay Sketch Show. She is also famous for co-creating a web-series called Notary Publix and an audio series titled Heads Will Roll. An openly gay actress, McKinnon serves as an inspiration to the LGBT community.

Primetime Emmy-winning Canadian-American actor and comedian Catherine O'Hara soared to fame with the sketch-comedy show SCTV. She is known for her frequent appearances in the films of Tim Burton and Christopher Guest. She is the sister of singer Mary Margaret O'Hara and is herself a fairly decent singer.

Mary Steenburgen is an American actress and musician. Also an active humanitarian, Steenburgen has been involved with several groups that work towards the welfare of people and the environment. In 2005, she inspired students at the Clinton School of Public Service with her lecture on students' role in public service.

An actress, writer, singer, and comedian, Lisa Kudrow gained international fame for portraying the iconic character Phoebe Buffay in one of the most popular American sitcoms of all time - Friends. She is also one of the highest-grossing film actresses as her movies have grossed more than $2 billion worldwide.

British-American actor Tracey Ullman began her career with sketch-comedy shows such as Three of a Kind and later had her own Fox show, The Tracey Ullman Show, which featured 30-second segments of The Simpsons in between, making the latter a hit, too. She rose to become the third-richest comedian from Britain.

Lily Tomlin is an American comedian, actress, singer, and writer. Tomlin has earned several award nominations for her performance in films and TV series, such as Nashville and Grace and Frankie. An openly lesbian actress, Lily Tomlin serves as an inspiration to the LGBTQ community.

Rue McClanahan was an actress and comedian. Apart from being an actress, McClanahan was also an animal welfare advocate and one of the first celebrity patrons of the popular animal rights organization, PETA. She also supported nonprofit organizations, such as Alley Cat Allies. A woman ahead of her time, Rue McClanahan was a supporter of same-sex marriage and gay rights.

Jennifer Coolidge is an American actress. She is known for playing Jeanine Stifler in the sex comedy film series American Pie. Also known for her charity work, Coolidge has had a major impact working with organizations that support animal rights and AIDS assistance. Thanks to her performance in Legally Blonde, her voice has been the subject of a famous impression.

African-American comedian and actress, Tiffany Haddish, gained fame with the ensemble comedy film Girls Trip. Earlier, a difficult childhood turned her towards comedy. After appearing in a comedy competition, sketch comedies and numerous minor roles in films and television, she made the heads turn with her brilliant performance in television series, Real Husbands of Hollywood, If Loving You Is Wrong and The Carmichael Show.

Actress, comedian, and writer Mindy Kaling first gained international fame with her work in the NBC sitcom, The Office, for which she was nominated for several Primetime Emmy Awards. She earned a bachelor's degree in playwriting before beginning her career. As the child of immigrants from India, she is one of the few Indian-American women active in the industry.

Cloris Leachman is an actress and comedian. One of the most decorated American actresses of all time, Cloris Leachman has won several prestigious awards in an illustrious career spanning more than seven decades; she is the most awarded actress in the history of Emmy Awards, along with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She has also received an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award.

Fran Drescher is an American actress and comedian. Characterized by her thick New York accent and nasal voice, Fran Drescher serves as an inspiration to many cancer patients as she successfully fought off the disease after suffering from uterine cancer. She is also an outspoken LGBT rights activist and healthcare advocate.

Actress and comedian, Joan Cusack was born to a family with a legacy in acting. Talented and ambitious from a young age, she started by playing small roles in films before gaining popularity with her performance in the comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live. She has also acted in numerous critically acclaimed films.

Cecily Strong is an American comedian and actress best known for her work in the popular sketch comedy and variety show Saturday Night Live. In 2015, she was part of the White House Correspondents' Association dinner where she was the featured entertainer; she took digs at the US Secret Service, news organizations, the state of Indiana, and President Barack Obama.

Madeline Kahn was an American actress, singer, and comedian. She is best remembered for her comedic roles in movies like Young Frankenstein, History of the World, Part I, and High Anxiety. Over the course of her career, Madeline Kahn received several prestigious awards such as the Drama Desk Award, People's Choice Award, and Daytime Emmy Award.

Teri Garr is best known for her Academy Award-nominated role of Sandra Lester in Tootsie. Fans also loved her in Mr. Mom, One from the Heart, and After Hours. After revealing her long struggle with multiple sclerosis, she began raising awareness about the condition and retired from acting.

A multi-talented personality, Maya Rudolph is known for her acting, singing, and comedic skills. Apart from playing supporting roles in popular films, such as 50 First Dates and Grown Ups, Maya played a crucial role in Saturday Night Live from 2000 to 2007, during which she impersonated personalities like Kamala Harris, for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award.

Like many American comedians, Kristen Wiig is also a product of the television show, Saturday Night Live. She then became a successful writer and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for her work in the film Bridesmaids (2011). An influential woman, Kristen was named in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World list in 2012.

Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan initially worked at a restaurant to support her education and then stepped into open mic and comedy nights. She has performed across Canada and the UK and even at the LA-based Comedy Store. Now an actor, too, she is also a 2-time skin cancer survivor.

Aisling Bea is an Irish actor, screenwriter, and comedian who has been serving as a team captain on the popular British comedy panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats since 2016. Apart from being a comedian and actor, Aisling Bea is also an activist; she campaigned successfully for the introduction of legal abortion and same-sex marriage legislation in Ireland.

Kristy McNichol is a retired American comedian, singer, and actress. After being born into a middle-class family, McNichol started acting at a young age and went on to become one of the most popular teen stars of her generation. After her retirement, Kristy McNichol devoted her time to charity work and taught acting in Los Angeles.

Carol Kane is an American comedian and actress known for her work across all three major acting mediums. Although she has appeared in several films and TV series in a career spanning more than 50 years, Kane is still remembered for one of her earliest TV roles; Simka Gravas from Taxi, which earned her two Emmy Awards.

Molly Shannon is an American comedian and actress who contributed immensely to the success of Saturday Night Live between 1995 and 2001. As an actress, she received the Film Independent Spirit Award for her portrayal of Joanne Mulcahey in the 2016 comedy-drama film, Other People. Also an author, Molly Shannon released her first children's book, Tilly the Trickster, in 2011.