Janelle James is an American comedian, writer, and actress. Her writing credits include Black Monday, and she acted on the programs Crashing, Corporate, and Central Park. Her debut comedy album Black and Mild was released in 2017. She was named one of Variety's 10 Comics to Watch (2020). James currently portrays principal Ava Coleman on the ABC series Abbott Elementary, for which she received nominations for a TCA Award, a Black Reel Award, a Dorian Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
Known For
Credits
Cast Credits
Live with Kelly and Mark (2023)
Guest starring as Janelle James
- Episode 2x113: Jane Krakowski, Janelle James (Feb 13, 2024)
The Jennifer Hudson Show (2022)
Guest starring as Janelle James
(2 episodes)
- Episode 2x126: Janelle James, William Stanford Davis (Apr 10, 2024)
- Episode 1x105: Janelle James, Capt. Sandy Yawn (Feb 22, 2023)
The Final Straw (2022)
Starring as Host
(9 episodes)
- Episode 1x09: Crescendo of Chaos (Sep 11, 2022)
- Episode 1x08: Be Ready to Run (Aug 28, 2022)
- Episode 1x07: The Monster Crash (Aug 21, 2022)
- Episode 1x06: Any Pull Can Be Your Last (Aug 14, 2022)
- Episode 1x05: Stack Overboard! (Aug 7, 2022)
- Episode 1x04: The Wedding Crasher (Jul 31, 2022)
- Episode 1x03: What Happens in Granny's Attic, Stays in Granny's Attic (Jul 24, 2022)
- Episode 1x02: Wiggle! Wiggle! (Jul 17, 2022)
- Episode 1x01: Ready, Set, Pull! (Jul 10, 2022)
Abbott Elementary (2021)
Starring as Ava Coleman
(46 episodes)
- Episode 3x11: Double Date (May 1, 2024)
- Episode 3x10: 2 Ava 2 Fest (Apr 17, 2024)
- Episode 3x09: Alex (Apr 10, 2024)
- Episode 3x08: Panel (Mar 20, 2024)
- Episode 3x07: Librarian (Mar 13, 2024)
- Episode 3x06: Willard R. Abbott (Mar 10, 2024)
- Episode 3x05: Breakup (Feb 28, 2024)
- Episode 3x04: Smoking (Feb 21, 2024)
- Episode 3x03: Gregory's Garden Goofballs (Feb 14, 2024)
- Episode 3x02: Career Day Part 2 (Feb 7, 2024)
- Episode 3x01: Career Day Part 1 (Feb 7, 2024)
- Episode 2x22: Franklin Institute (Apr 19, 2023)
- Episode 2x21: Mom (Apr 12, 2023)
- Episode 2x20: Educator of the Year (Apr 5, 2023)
- Episode 2x19: Festival (Mar 15, 2023)
- Episode 2x18: Teacher Appreciation (Mar 8, 2023)
- Episode 2x17: Mural Arts (Mar 1, 2023)
- Episode 2x16: Teacher's Conference (Feb 22, 2023)
- Episode 2x15: Fire (Feb 15, 2023)
- Episode 2x14: Valentine's Day (Feb 8, 2023)
- Episode 2x13: Fundraiser (Jan 18, 2023)
- Episode 2x12: Fight (Jan 11, 2023)
- Episode 2x11: Read-A-Thon (Jan 4, 2023)
- Episode 2x10: Holiday Hookah (Dec 7, 2022)
- Episode 2x09: Sick Day (Nov 30, 2022)
- Episode 2x08: Egg Drop (Nov 16, 2022)
- Episode 2x07: Attack Ad (Nov 2, 2022)
- Episode 2x06: Candy Zombies (Oct 26, 2022)
- Episode 2x05: Juice (Oct 19, 2022)
- Episode 2x04: The Principal's Office (Oct 12, 2022)
- Episode 2x03: Story Samurai (Oct 5, 2022)
- Episode 2x02: Wrong Delivery (Sep 28, 2022)
- Episode 2x01: Development Day (Sep 21, 2022)
- Episode 1x13: Zoo Balloon (Apr 12, 2022)
- Episode 1x12: Ava vs. Superintendent (Apr 5, 2022)
- Episode 1x11: Desking (Mar 29, 2022)
- Episode 1x10: Open House (Mar 22, 2022)
- Episode 1x09: Step Class (Feb 22, 2022)
- Episode 1x08: Work Family (Feb 15, 2022)
- Episode 1x07: Art Teacher (Feb 8, 2022)
- Episode 1x06: Gifted Program (Feb 1, 2022)
- Episode 1x05: Student Transfer (Jan 25, 2022)
- Episode 1x04: New Tech (Jan 18, 2022)
- Episode 1x03: Wishlist (Jan 11, 2022)
- Episode 1x02: Light Bulb (Jan 4, 2022)
- Episode 1x01: Pilot (Dec 7, 2021)
Teenage Euthanasia (2021)
Guest starring as Additional Voices
(2 episodes)
- Episode 2x05: Cars 4 (Aug 23, 2023)
- Episode 2x01: Remember Fun? (Jul 26, 2023)
Monsters at Work (2021)
Guest starring as Joy
(2 episodes)
- Episode 2x06: Field of Screams (Apr 20, 2024)
- Episode 2x04: Opening Doors (Apr 13, 2024)
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (2021)
Guest starring as Janelle James
- Episode 3x13: Janelle James, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Chris Perfetti (Jan 4, 2023)
Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020)
Guest starring as Katrot
- Episode 4x05: Empathological Fallacies (Sep 28, 2023)
Central Park (2020)
Guest starring as Investor #2
- Episode 1x02: Skater's Circle (May 29, 2020)
Guest starring as Fran
(8 episodes)
- Episode 2x14: The Ballad of Johnnie Lee (Mar 25, 2022)
- Episode 2x10: Bee Is for Brandenham (Mar 4, 2022)
- Episode 2x07: A Decent Proposal (Jul 23, 2021)
- Episode 2x05: Down to the Underwire (Jul 9, 2021)
- Episode 2x04: Of Course You Realize This Means Ward (Jul 2, 2021)
- Episode 1x10: A Fish Called Snakehead (Jul 24, 2020)
- Episode 1x05: Dog Spray Afternoon (Jun 19, 2020)
- Episode 1x04: Garbage Ballet (Jun 12, 2020)
Guest starring as Martha
- Episode 1x04: Garbage Ballet (Jun 12, 2020)
Guest starring as Additional Voices
(2 episodes)
- Episode 3x13: The Brandenpire Strikes Back (Nov 18, 2022)
- Episode 3x10: Money Candy (Oct 28, 2022)
Tamron Hall (2019)
Guest starring as Janelle James
- Episode 4x128: Tony Evans Jr., Janelle James (Mar 16, 2023)
Black Monday (2019)
Guest starring as Joyce
(4 episodes)
- Episode 2x10: I Don't Like Mondays (Jul 19, 2020) [Co-Star]
- Episode 2x04: Fore! (Mar 29, 2020) [Co-Star]
- Episode 2x02: So Antoine (Mar 15, 2020) [Co-Star]
- Episode 2x01: Mixie-Dixie (Mar 15, 2020) [Co-Star]
Live with Kelly and Ryan (2017)
Guest starring as Janelle James
- Episode 7x148: Live's Favorite Food Farewell Week (Apr 10, 2023)
The $100,000 Pyramid (2016)
Guest starring as Janelle James
- Episode 6x08: Mario Cantone vs Rachel Bloom and Lisa Ann Walter vs Janelle James (Aug 28, 2022)
Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014)
Guest starring as Janelle James
(2 episodes)
- Episode 2022-12-05: Lea Michele; Janelle James (Dec 5, 2022)
- Episode 2019-01-15: James McAvoy, D'Arcy Carden, Janelle James (Jan 15, 2019)
@midnight (2013)
Guest starring as Janelle James
(2 episodes)
- Episode 2016-12-06: Sam Morril, Janelle James, Mike Lawrence (Dec 6, 2016)
- Episode 2016-05-18: Kurt Braunohler, Janelle James, Emily Heller (May 18, 2016)
Comedy Up Late (2013)
Guest starring as Janelle James
- Episode 5x09: Mel Buttle, Becky Lucas, Janelle James, Lloyd Langford & Tom Walker (Jun 8, 2017)
Watch What Happens Live (2009)
Guest starring as Janelle James
- Episode 21x26: Janelle James, Dylan McDermott (Feb 12, 2024)
Jimmy Kimmel Live (2003)
Guest starring as Janelle James
(2 episodes)
- Episode 2024-03-20: Jerrod Carmichael, Janelle James, Chicano Batman (Mar 20, 2024)
- Episode 2022-04-12: Gillian Anderson, Janelle James, Maxwell (Apr 12, 2022)
The Emmy Awards (1949)
Guest starring as Janelle James
- Episode 2022-09-12: The 74th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards 2022 (Sep 12, 2022)
Crew Credits
Central Park (2020)
Show crew as Story Editor
(13 episodes)
- Episode 2x16: A Lyin' in Winter (Apr 8, 2022)
- Episode 2x15: Where There's Smoke (Apr 1, 2022)
- Episode 2x14: The Ballad of Johnnie Lee (Mar 25, 2022)
- Episode 2x13: Celeste We Forget (Mar 18, 2022)
- Episode 2x12: Castle Sweet Castle (Mar 11, 2022)
- Episode 2x11: The PAIGE-riarchy! (Mar 4, 2022)
- Episode 2x10: Bee Is for Brandenham (Mar 4, 2022)
- Episode 2x09: A Boat-iful Mind (Mar 4, 2022)
- Episode 2x07: A Decent Proposal (Jul 23, 2021)
- Episode 2x05: Down to the Underwire (Jul 9, 2021)
- Episode 2x04: Of Course You Realize This Means Ward (Jul 2, 2021)
- Episode 2x02: Mother's Daze (Jun 25, 2021)
- Episode 2x01: Central Dark (Jun 25, 2021)
Episode crew as Writer
- Episode 2x13: Celeste We Forget (Mar 18, 2022)
Black Monday (2019)
Episode crew as Writer
(2 episodes)
- Episode 3x02: Nine! (May 30, 2021)
- Episode 2x07: Who Are You Supposed to Be? (Jun 28, 2020)
The Rundown with Robin Thede (2017)
Episode crew as Writer
- Episode 1x01: October 12, 2017 (Oct 12, 2017)