Jillian Bell

Jillian Bell
Born
Jillian Leigh Bell

(1984-04-25) April 25, 1984 (age 40)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • screenwriter
Years active2006–present

Jillian Leigh Bell[1] (born April 25, 1984)[2][3] is an American actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She was a writer for the 35th season of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live between 2009 and 2010. Since her departure from SNL, she has had starring roles in the films Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019) and I'm Totally Fine (2022). She has also appeared on television, starring as Jillian Belk on Workaholics, voicing Violet Hart on Bless the Harts,[4] and in a recurring role as Dixie on the final season of Eastbound & Down. Her other film credits include 22 Jump Street (2014), Fist Fight (2017), Godmothered (2020), and Candy Cane Lane (2023). As of June 2024, she is engaged to illustrator/musician Luke McGarry.

Early life

Bell was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, the daughter of Ron and Tanzy Bell.[5][6] She began studying improv at age eight.[7] She graduated from Bishop Gorman High School in 2002,[8] then moved to Los Angeles, California, and became a member of the comedy group The Groundlings.[5]

Career

She auditioned for Saturday Night Live, and although she did not join the cast, she became a writer for the show in 2009 for its 35th season.[5] That year, she appeared in an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm as an assistant who wears revealing clothing at work.[7]

In 2011, she began playing Jillian Belk on the Comedy Central series Workaholics. Film director Paul Thomas Anderson saw her in it and gave her a small role in his 2012 film The Master, then another small role in his 2014 film Inherent Vice.[5] She had a recurring role as Dixie in the fourth and final season of Eastbound and Down. In 2014, she appeared in 22 Jump Street with Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum.[9] In 2015, she co-starred in Goosebumps and The Night Before.

In January 2016, Comedy Central debuted a new series, Idiotsitter, in which Bell portrayed the constantly misbehaving adult daughter of wealthy parents. It was originally launched as a web series in early 2014.[10]

Bell starred as the Fairy Godmother in Disney's Godmothered, which was released on Disney+.[11]

Filmography

Key
† Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Bridesmaids Girl at Shower
2012 Love, Gloria Cheryl
The Master Susan Gregory
2014 22 Jump Street Mercedes Nillsen
Inherent Vice Chlorinda
2015 Goosebumps Lorraine Conyers
The Night Before Betsy Greenberg
2016 The Angry Birds Movie Helene the Lunch Mom, Yoga Instructor Voice
Office Christmas Party Trina Vanstone
2017 Fist Fight Counselor Holly
Rough Night Alice
2018 Game Over, Man! Embarrassed Girl
2019 Brittany Runs a Marathon Brittany Forgler Also executive producer
Sword of Trust Cynthia
2020 Cowboys Sally
Bill & Ted Face the Music Dr. Taylor Wood
Godmothered Eleanor Fay Bloomingbottom / Fairy Godmother
2022 The Drop Lindsey
I'm Totally Fine Vanessa
2023 Murder Mystery 2 Susan
Fool's Paradise Shaman
Good Burger 2 Katt Boswell
Candy Cane Lane Pepper
2024 Reunion Vivian Also executive producer
TBA Kinda Pregnant † TBA Post-production
Summer of 69 † N/A Director

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Crossbows & Mustaches Denise Television shorts
2007–2008 Preppy Hippies Jillian 5 episodes
2009 Waiting to Die Kristy Pilot
Worst Week Eleanor Episode: "The Puppy"
2009–2010 Saturday Night Live Team Helga Curling Player Episode: "Jennifer Lopez"; also writer
2009–2024 Curb Your Enthusiasm Maureen 2 episodes
2011 Franklin & Bash Jennifer Putnam Episode: "Jennifer of Troy"
Friends with Benefits Amanda Episode: "The Benefit of Keeping Your Ego in Check"
2011–2017 Workaholics Jillian Belk 44 episodes
2012–2013 Partners Renata 6 episodes
2013 To My Future Assistant Pilot
Eastbound & Down Dixie 8 episodes
High School USA! Miriam Voice, episode: "Rumsprinabreakers"
2014 Gravity Falls Melody Voice, 2 episodes
2015 Lucas Bros Moving Co Beyonce, Laura
2015–2019 SuperMansion Lex Lightning Voice, 20 episodes
2016 Portlandia Car Rental Clerk Episode: "Weirdo Beach"
Son of Zorn Dorothy Clementina, Headbutt Girl Voice, episode: "Return of the Drinking Buddy"
2016–2017 Idiotsitter Genevieve "Gene" Russell Also creator and writer
2017 Dogs In a Park Various Dogs 8 episodes
2018 Drunk History Clara Kinsey Episode: "Sex"
2018–present Bob's Burgers Mandy, Nat Voice, 5 episodes
2019 Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television Herself Episode: "The Rhy Chromosome"
Neurotica Hailey Episode: "Eureka!"
What Just Happened??! with Fred Savage Herself Episode: "Elevator"
Human Discoveries Minerva Voice, recurring role
Archer Captain Glenda Price Voice, episode: "Dining with the Zarglorp"
Nailed It! Guest host Episode: "One Fail, Two Fail. I Fail, You Fail!"
2019–2021 Bless the Harts Violet Hart Voice, recurring role
2019–2022 Green Eggs and Ham Gluntz Voice, recurring role
2020 Impractical Jokers: Dinner Party Herself Episode: "The Eggplant Parm Episode"
Room 104 Sam Episode: "Star Time"
2021 Home Sweet Homegoods Jillian 6 episodes
2022 Tales of the Walking Dead Gina Episode: "Blair / Gina"
Roar Christina Episode: "The Woman Who Solved Her Own Murder"
Impractical Jokers Herself Episode: "Jillian Bell"
2023 History of the World, Part II Head Writer Episode: "VIII"
2024 Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Lee the Eel Voice, guest role

Accolades

In 2010, Bell was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series for her work in the writers' room on Saturday Night Live.[12]

In 2015, she was nominated for two MTV Movie Awards for Best Fight with Jonah Hill and Best Villain for her work on 22 Jump Street.[13]

In 2019, she received the Fairbanks Award at the San Diego International Film Festival[14] and the Next Wave Award at the Provincetown International Film Festival.[15]

References

  1. ^ Jillian Bell [@jilliandeltoro] (June 8, 2014). "Replying to @middlenamegame @middlenamegame Leigh :)" (Tweet). Retrieved December 1, 2020 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ "Jillian Bell's 30th". The Spazmatics. May 2, 2014. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
  3. ^ Lenny Jacobson [@lennyjacobson] (April 25, 2015). "Happiest of Birthdays to this little shit head! My best friend & sister..Love you Jilly Bean!" (Tweet). Retrieved December 22, 2015 – via Twitter.
  4. ^ "Jillian Bell". TVmaze.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d Justin Shady (July 24, 2012). "Bell: Workaholic aces 'Master' class". Variety. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  6. ^ "Claire Voyant - Past Column from July 06, 2012". Lvol.com. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  7. ^ a b McNamara, Jimmy (September 6, 2012). "From Curb to Partners: Jillian Bell". HuffPost. Archived from the original on August 24, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  8. ^ "Seven Questions With Jillian Bell '02". Bishop Gorman High School Alumni Newsletter: 12. Summer 2012. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  9. ^ "'Workaholics' Star Jillian Bell Joins Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum in '22 Jump Street' (Exclusive)". TheWrap. September 12, 2013. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  10. ^ Miller, Liz Shannon (January 14, 2016). "If Comedy Central's 'Idiotsitter' is Half as Funny As Talking to Its Creators, It Could Be the Funniest Show on TV". Indiewire. Archived from the original on April 2, 2016. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
  11. ^ "Jillian Bell, Isla Fisher to Star in Disney+ Comedy 'Godmothered' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. January 9, 2020. Archived from the original on January 12, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  12. ^ "Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series Nominees / Winners 2010". Television Academy. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  13. ^ "MTV Movie Awards 2015: See the Full Winners List". Billboard. April 12, 2015. Archived from the original on May 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  14. ^ Nissen, Dano (September 5, 2019). "Laurence Fishburne, Jared Harris & Jillian Bell to be Feted at San Diego Intl. Film Festival". Variety. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  15. ^ "John Cameron Mitchell Receives Provincetown's Filmmaker on the Edge Award". The Hollywood Reporter. June 16, 2019. Archived from the original on August 15, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2020.