The Chef
A versatile performer who brings sharp wit and warmth to every role.
Amy Sedaris is an American actress, comedian, and writer known for her distinctive comedic voice and eccentric character work. She played Jerri Blank in the Comedy Central series Strangers with Candy (1999–2000) and its 2005 prequel film, which she also co-wrote. Her television credits include Hurshe Heartshe on The Heart, She Holler (2013–2014), Princess Carolyn on BoJack Horseman (2014–2020), and Mimi Kanasis on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2020). She created and starred in the TruTV series At Home with Amy Sedaris (2017–2020), earning two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series. She also appeared as Peli Motto in both The Mandalorian (2019–2023) and The Book of Boba Fett (2022).
Quick Facts
- Role
- Actress
- Comedian
- Writer
- Affiliation
- Comedy Central
- TruTV
- Netflix
- Status
- Active
Lore & Background
Born in Endicott, New York on March 29, 1961, Sedaris was the fourth of six children in a Greek Orthodox family. Her father, Louis Harry 'Lou' Sedaris, was an IBM engineer, and her mother, Sharon Elizabeth, was a homemaker. When she was four, her family moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, where she grew up with siblings Lisa, David, Gretchen, Tiffany, and Paul. Her sister Tiffany died by suicide in 2013. As a teenager, Sedaris worked at a local Winn-Dixie supermarket, where she would make fake announcements over the loudspeaker. She attended Jesse O. Sanderson High School and was a Girl Scout until graduation. At age 20, she and her mother worked together making and selling spanakopita. After a relationship ended, she moved to Chicago with her brother David and took classes at Second City and Annoyance Theatre, also working as a waitress at Zanies Comedy Club.
Reader's Guide
Sedaris has appeared in numerous films, including Maid in Manhattan (2002), Elf (2003), Bewitched (2005), Chicken Little (2005), Shrek the Third (2007), Jennifer's Body (2009), Puss in Boots (2011), Chef (2014), Ghost Team (2016), Handsome (2017), The Lion King (2019), The Boss Baby: Family Business (2021), and Smurfs (2025). She voiced Foxy Loxy in Chicken Little, Cinderella in Shrek the Third, Jill in Puss in Boots, and a Guinea Fowl in The Lion King (2019). Her voice work includes Princess Carolyn on BoJack Horseman (2014–2020), which some critics consider her best work, as well as roles on American Dad! (2009–2012), SpongeBob SquarePants (2011–2019), Star vs. the Forces of Evil (2016–2019), and Steven Universe (2017). She also voiced Audrey Temple in the podcast Homecoming (2016–2017).
Did You Know?
- Sedaris was nominated for the 17th CableACE Award for Best Comedy Actress for her work on Exit 57.
- Her character Jerri Blank on Strangers with Candy was based on her impression of 1970s motivational speaker Florrie Fisher.
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