Noel Wells

Noël Kristi Wells was born on December 23, 1986, in San Antonio, Texas. She grew up with a Tunisian immigrant father and a mother of Mexican descent, graduating as salutatorian from Memorial High School in Victoria, Texas. Wells pursued higher education at the University of Texas at Austin, earning degrees in Plan II Honors and Radio-Television-Film in 2010. During her college years, she performed with Esther’s Follies, a local musical satire show, where she honed her skills in sketches, ventriloquism, and as a magician’s assistant. Her early career also involved work as an editor and in motion graphics, laying a foundation for her multifaceted creative endeavors.

In 2010, Wells relocated to Los Angeles and began performing at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre with the sketch team “New Money.” She gained online recognition for her sketch and parody videos on platforms like Cracked.com and CollegeHumor, accumulating over 18 million views on YouTube. Her career progressed significantly in 2013 when she joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live” as a featured player for its 39th season, showcasing her comedic talent through various impressions. Though her tenure at SNL concluded in 2014, she transitioned to other prominent roles, including co-starring as Rachel Silva in the critically acclaimed Netflix comedy-drama “Master of None” from 2015 to 2017. Her performance on “Master of None” was widely praised for its subtlety and depth, contributing to the show’s success and its 2016 Critics’ Choice Award for Best Comedy.

Wells further expanded her creative footprint by writing, directing, and starring in the feature film “Mr. Roosevelt,” which premiered at the SXSW film festival in 2017. This project earned her multiple awards, including the Audience Award and Louis Black Lone Star Jury Award at SXSW, and Best US Narrative Feature at the Traverse City Film Festival. She has also made a significant mark in voice acting, lending her talent to roles such as Kelsey Pokoly in “Craig of the Creek” (2018–2025) and Ensign D’Vana Tendi in “Star Trek: Lower Decks” (2020–2024), demonstrating her versatility across different platforms and genres. In 2019, Wells ventured into music with her debut album “It’s So Nice!”, highlighting her capabilities as a singer-songwriter.