Janelle James

Known for: Acting

Born: 1979-09-23 (age 46)

From: Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

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.

Filmography (31)

TV★ 7.0
Strip Law
2026
as Sheila Flambé (voice)
MOVIE★ 2.0
The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Holiday 2025
2025
TV★ 7.7
Super Duper Bunny League
2025
as Narrator (voice)
MOVIE★ 6.7
One of Them Days
2025
as Ruby
TV★ 4.0
Hollywood Squares
2025
as Self
TV★ 6.7
Kite Man: Hell Yeah!
2024
as Queen of Fables (voice)
MOVIE★ 7.0
The Garfield Movie
2024
as Olivia (voice)
TV★ 5.6
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
TV★ 2.6
Sherri
2022
as Self - Guest
TV★ 2.0
The Final Straw
2022
as Self - Host
TV★ 7.5
Abbott Elementary
2021
as Ava Coleman
TV★ 5.4
Teenage Euthanasia
2021
TV★ 7.2
Monsters at Work
2021
as Joy (voice)
TV★ 7.1
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
2021
as Self - Contestant
MOVIE★ 5.2
Tom of Your Life
2020
TV★ 7.6
Star Trek: Lower Decks
2020
as Katrot (voice)
TV★ 6.3
Central Park
2020
as Fran (voice)
MOVIE
Sixteen Thousand Dollars
2020
as Catherine
TV★ 6.8
Black Monday
2019
as Joyce
TV★ 5.1
The Comedy Lineup
2018
as Self
TV★ 5.1
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self
TV★ 5.2
@midnight with Chris Hardwick
2013
as Self
TV★ 5.5
Gotham Comedy Live
2012
as Self - Comic
TV★ 7.3
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars
2012
as Self - Guest Judge
TV★ 5.0
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
TV★ 8.3
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
2005
as Ava Coleman
TV★ 5.3
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self
TV★ 6.0
The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA
1995
as Self
TV★ 5.6
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
as Self - Guest
TV★ 7.9
The Emmy Awards
1949
as Self
TV★ 7.0
Golden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Nominee