Marina Franklin

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Marina Franklin established herself as a prominent figure in the comedy scene. She pursued higher education, graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and Syracuse University, which provided a foundation for her diverse career. Her early career saw her performing stand-up in various renowned clubs and festivals worldwide, including the Melbourne Comedy Festival, Scotland’s Glasgow Comedy Festival, and Montreal’s Just For Laughs, building a strong reputation for her comedic style. Franklin’s presence extended to television with appearances on shows like “Best Week Ever” and “Chappelle’s Show” in 2004, and “Last Comic Standing” the same year, marking her initial milestones in broader entertainment.

Franklin’s career progressed with notable roles and writing contributions across various platforms. She was a staff writer for the HBO comedy series “Divorce” in 2016 for 9 episodes. Her acting credits include the 2015 film “Trainwreck,” where she appeared as a Woman in Back of Theater, and television series such as “Louie” (2015), “The Jim Gaffigan Show” (2015), and “Inside Amy Schumer” (2013-2015), where she played multiple characters including Karen, Ruth, and Operator Kate across three episodes. She also performed on “Conan O’Brien” and worked with him on his Comic-Con shows. Her comedic talent was further showcased in her 2019 special “Marina Franklin: Single Black Female” and the 2021 FX on Hulu documentary “Hysterical.” Other significant appearances include “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore,” and “Crashing.” Recently, she has been involved in “Life & Beth” (2022) with one episode and “The Last O.G.” (2021) in one episode, portraying Leah.

Beyond her acting and writing, Marina Franklin is also a respected podcast host. She leads “Friends Like Us,” a podcast featuring a diverse group of women comedians who discuss current events, and has been a guest on popular podcasts such as “WTF with Marc Maron” and “You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes.” Franklin’s work encompasses a range of comedic and acting endeavors, collaborating with notable names in the industry and cementing her status as a versatile and enduring talent in entertainment.