Leslie Jones

Annette Leslie Jones was born on September 7, 1967, in Memphis, Tennessee. Her early life involved frequent relocations due to her father’s career in the United States Army. The family eventually settled in Los Angeles, where her father worked as an electronics engineer at Stevie Wonder’s radio station, KJLH. During her high school years in Lynwood, California, Jones actively participated in basketball, influenced by her father who encouraged her due to her height. She continued her athletic pursuits at Chapman University on a basketball scholarship. While originally considering a professional basketball career overseas, her academic path diversified, leading her through various majors including pre-law, accounting, computer science, and eventually settling on communications. Her introduction to comedy occurred in 1987 while still in college, after a friend entered her into a ‘Funniest Person on Campus’ contest, which she won.

Following her college win, Jones moved to Los Angeles to pursue stand-up full-time, supplementing her income with day jobs at establishments like Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles and UPS. Her comedic journey took her to New York City for two years, where she appeared on BET’s ‘ComicView’ before returning to Los Angeles. Despite initial setbacks, including unfavorable reviews at The Comedy Store and being booed while opening for Jamie Foxx, she received pivotal advice from Foxx to ‘live life for a little while’ to develop her comedic material. After a three-year hiatus, she resumed performing in smaller clubs, eventually securing prime-time slots at The Comedy Store in 2010. A significant turning point came in 2012 when Chris Rock saw her perform, leading to an audition for ‘Saturday Night Live.’ She was initially hired as a writer in 2013 and later joined the cast as a featured player in 2014, marking a notable career achievement.

Her tenure on ‘Saturday Night Live’ from 2014 to 2019 earned her three Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and a Writers Guild of America Award nomination. During this period, she also made a significant impact in film, starring as Patty Tolan in the 2016 ‘Ghostbusters’ reboot. Her filmography further expanded with roles in ‘Masterminds’ (2016), ‘The Angry Birds Movie 2’ (2019), and ‘Coming 2 America’ (2021), the latter earning her an MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance. Beyond acting and comedy, Jones became known for her engaging live-tweeting of the Olympic Games, which led to her joining NBC’s official commentary team. She has also hosted ‘Supermarket Sweep’ and the 2021 MTV Movie & TV Awards, diversifying her career across various entertainment platforms.