Janelle James is an American comedian, actress, and writer. She is best known for her role as Ava Coleman in the ABC television series Abbott Elementary, for which she won a Screen Actors Guild Award and an NAACP Image Award, in addition to nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Golden Globe Award.
Known For
Credits
Cast Credits
Kite Man: Hell Yeah! (2024)
Guest starring as Queen of Fables
(10 episodes)
- Episode 1x10: Hero Stuff, Hell Yeah! (Sep 12, 2024)
- Episode 1x09: To Get to the Other Side, Hell Yeah! (Sep 5, 2024)
- Episode 1x08: Just Right, Hell Yeah! (Aug 29, 2024)
- Episode 1x07: Sexiest Villain Alive, Hell Yeah! (Aug 22, 2024)
- Episode 1x06: Mother/Daughter Day, Hell Yeah! (Aug 15, 2024)
- Episode 1x05: Prison Break, Hell Yeah! (Aug 8, 2024)
- Episode 1x04: Portal Potty, Hell Yeah! (Aug 1, 2024)
- Episode 1x03: Villigan's, Hell Yeah! (Jul 25, 2024)
- Episode 1x02: Grand Reopening, Hell Yeah! (Jul 18, 2024)
- Episode 1x01: Pilot, Hell Yeah! (Jul 18, 2024)
Live with Kelly & Mark (2023)
Guest starring as Janelle James
(2 episodes)
- Episode 3x65: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle James (Dec 2, 2024)
- Episode 2x113: Jane Krakowski, Janelle James (Feb 13, 2024)
The Jennifer Hudson Show (2022)
Guest starring as Janelle James
(3 episodes)
- Episode 3x77: Janelle James, Mayan Lopez (Jan 16, 2025)
- 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
(71 episodes)
- Episode 4x22: Please Touch Museum (Apr 16, 2025)
- Episode 4x21: Rally (Apr 9, 2025)
- Episode 4x20: Ava Fest: Tokyo Drift (Apr 2, 2025)
- Episode 4x19: Music Class (Mar 26, 2025)
- Episode 4x18: Audit (Mar 19, 2025)
- Episode 4x17: Karaoke (Mar 12, 2025)
- Episode 4x16: Books (Mar 5, 2025)
- Episode 4x15: 100th Day of School (Feb 26, 2025)
- Episode 4x14: District Budget Meeting (Feb 12, 2025)
- Episode 4x13: Science Fair (Feb 5, 2025)
- Episode 4x12: Girard Creek (Jan 29, 2025)
- Episode 4x11: Strike (Jan 22, 2025)
- Episode 4x10: Testing (Jan 15, 2025)
- Episode 4x09: Volunteers (Jan 8, 2025)
- Episode 4x08: Winter Break (Dec 4, 2024)
- Episode 4x07: Winter Show (Dec 4, 2024)
- Episode 4x06: The Deli (Nov 13, 2024)
- Episode 4x05: Dad Fight (Nov 6, 2024)
- Episode 4x04: Costume Contest (Oct 30, 2024)
- Episode 4x03: Class Pet (Oct 23, 2024)
- Episode 4x02: Ringworm (Oct 16, 2024)
- Episode 4x01: Back to School (Oct 9, 2024)
- Episode 3x14: Party (May 22, 2024)
- Episode 3x13: Smith Playground (May 15, 2024)
- Episode 3x12: Mother's Day (May 8, 2024)
- 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
(4 episodes)
- Episode 2x10: Powerless (May 4, 2024) [Co-Star]
- Episode 2x09: Descent into Fear (May 4, 2024) [Co-Star]
- 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)
The Drew Barrymore Show (2020)
Guest starring as Janelle James
- Episode 5x65: Janelle James, Nini Nguyen, Matt Rife (Dec 11, 2024)
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 & 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)
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005)
Guest starring as Ava Coleman
- Episode 17x01: The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary (Jul 9, 2025) [Special Guest Star]
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)
NAACP Image Awards (1984)
Guest starring as Presenter
- Episode 2025-02-22: 56th Annual NAACP Image Awards (Feb 22, 2025)
Guest starring as Interviewed
- Episode 2025 Special: 56th Annual NAACP Image Awards Red Carpet Live (Feb 22, 2025)
Good Morning America (1975)
Guest starring as Janelle James
- Episode 2024-12-02: Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle James (Dec 2, 2024)
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)