Kym Whitley

Kym Whitley is one of those rare individuals to whom the phrase "renaissance woman" might be applied. These days, most people know her either from her frequent appearances on Larry David's groundbreaking HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm or from the Tom Joyner Morning Show, a nationally syndicated radio program. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Kym is actually a comedienne, actress, activist, author and-perhaps most importantly-a mother. Originally from the Cleveland area, Kym has been...See more

Kym Whitley is one of those rare individuals to whom the phrase "renaissance woman" might be applied. These days, most people know her either from her frequent appearances on Larry David's groundbreaking HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm or from the Tom Joyner Morning Show, a nationally syndicated radio program. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Kym is actually a comedienne, actress, activist, author and-perhaps most importantly-a mother. Originally from the Cleveland area, Kym has been based in Los Angeles for years. She was a schoolteacher in Compton back in the day but always loved performing and, especially, comedy. A chance encounter with the legendary Redd Foxx (who told her she had "the comedic goods") led her to pursue acting more seriously. Her first real job was in the Shelley Garrett play Beauty Shop, which started in L.A. and did a national tour. Kym's TV career began a few years later. One highlight was when she launched the first female panel talk show, Oh Drama, on BET. Kym has appeared in Moesha, The Wayans Brothers Show and many others. Of the latter series, she says, "My favorite was The Wayans Brothers Show. I laughed through the whole thing!" She was also was nominated for both a Daytime Emmy Award and an Indie Series Award for her portrayal of "Big Candi" in The Bay, The Series. Kym is also no stranger to the big screen. Her first big role was as "Auntie Suga" in Next Friday. Since then, she has appeared in The Nutty Professor, Along Came Polly, College Road Trip, the upcoming Young & Hungry and dozens of other films. She also voiced the characters "Honey Bee" in Black Dynamite and "Melonee" in the popular computer-animated feature Rango. See less