Mary Elizabeth Ellis

Mary Elizabeth Ellis was born on May 11, 1979, in Laurel, Mississippi. She graduated from Southern Methodist University in 2001. Her career began with early television roles, including an appearance on “Reno 911!” in 2004, where she auditioned and co-starred with Charlie Day as incestuous siblings. That same year, she also appeared in “Cracking Up.” This period marked the beginning of key collaborations and roles that would define her career.

Ellis gained widespread recognition for her recurring role as “The Waitress” on FX’s long-running series “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” which began in 2005 and continues to the present. This role, initially developed from home movies she made with her now-husband Charlie Day, showcased her comedic talent. Her work extended beyond acting to writing and producing; in 2008, she co-wrote and starred in the independent film “A Quiet Little Marriage,” which won the Grand Jury prize at The Slamdance Film Festival. She also co-created and starred in the Adult Swim special “Mother May I Dance with Mary Jane’s Fist,” an adaptation of a live show she developed at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. Her directorial debut was the short film “The Last to Leave.” Throughout her career, Ellis has consistently demonstrated her abilities both in front of and behind the camera, transitioning from minor roles to significant contributions in various projects.

Her film credits include playing Momma Anita in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” (2021) and Olivia in Amazon Studios’ “RedOne” (2024), where she starred opposite Chris Evans. Other notable film appearances include “Godmothered” (2020), “Masterminds” (2016) as Owen Wilson’s wife Michelle, and “The Free State of Jones” (2016) with Matthew McConaughey. On television, she has held roles in a variety of series such as Netflix’s “A Man on the Inside” (2024) opposite Ted Danson, “Unstable” (Netflix, 2023), “Santa Clarita Diet” (Netflix, 2017-2019), “Lodge 49” (AMC, 2019), “The Grinder” (Fox, 2015-2016), and “New Girl” (Fox, 2011-2014). She also appeared in Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” music video (2022) as Kimber, the murderous daughter-in-law.