Ilana Glazer (born April 12, 1987)[1] is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, producer, director, and activist. They[a] co-created with Abbi Jacobson the Comedy Central series Broad City, in which Glazer also co-starred with Jacobson. The series was based on the web series of the same name.[2] They were twice nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for the series. Glazer also starred in the 2017 film Rough Night and released their debut stand-up comedy special, The Planet Is Burning, in January 2020. In 2022, they won the Tony Award for Best Musical for serving as a producer for the Broadway show A Strange Loop.

Ilana Glazer
Glazer in 2015
Born (1987-04-12) April 12, 1987 (age 37)
New York City, U.S
Medium
  • Stand-up
  • television
  • film
EducationNew York University (BA)
Years active2006–present
Spouse
David Rooklin
(m. 2017)
Children1

Early life

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Glazer, born in New York City, New York,[1] is the child of Sandi and Larry Glazer, who both work in insurance and finance.[1][3] They grew up in a Reform Jewish family in St. James, New York, on Long Island and are of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.[4][5][6] Their brother, Eliot Glazer, is a producer, writer and actor with whom they have worked on shows like The Boys Presents: Diabolical and Broad City where he plays their brother.[7]

Glazer graduated from New York University in 2009,[8][9] majoring in psychology.[10]

Career

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Early work

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Glazer began taking classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in 2006, and performed around New York City doing improv and stand-up for the next several years.[11][12]

Broad City

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Development

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In 2009, along with co-creator Abbi Jacobson, Glazer began shooting Broad City, a web series starring the two as fictionalized versions of themselves. The series was nominated for an ECNY Award for 'Best Web Series'[13] and was positively received, garnering attention from major media outlets such as Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal.[14] The series caught the attention of Amy Poehler, who subsequently met with Glazer and Jacobson to help them shop a pilot script based on the series.[15][2] Poehler also agreed to star in the web series finale.[16][17]

 
Jacobson and Glazer at Internet Week in 2015

In 2011, cable network FX, working with Poehler as the producer, purchased a script commitment for the series from Glazer and Jacobson. However, the network did not approve the script and decided not to proceed with development. Glazer and Jacobson then approached Comedy Central, who agreed to purchase the script from FX and order a pilot.[18][19]

From 2012 to 2014, Glazer co-created the web series Chronic Gamer Girl with Alex Charak.[20][21]

Reception and renewal

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Broad City made its broadcast television premiere in January 2014 and was received with positive reviews and strong ratings, becoming Comedy Central's highest-rated first season since 2012 among the younger demographics, including adults 18–34, with an average of 1.2 million viewers.[22]

The show has received critical acclaim from fans and critics alike. Review aggregation website Metacritic noted season 1 received "generally favorable reviews," giving it a score of 75 out of 100, based on reviews from 14 critics.[23]

In February 2014, Comedy Central renewed the show for a second season.[24] Season 2 received positive reviews, with Metacritic giving it a score of 89 out of 100, based on reviews from eight critics.[25]

In January 2015, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on February 17, 2016.[26] In January 2016, the series was renewed for a fourth and a final fifth season,[27] which premiered on January 24, 2019.

Film

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Glazer starred in the 2013 independent feature film How to Follow Strangers.[28] The film won top prize at the Lower East Side Film Festival.[29] They appear in the 2015 film The Night Before.[30] Glazer starred alongside Scarlett Johansson and Kate McKinnon in the 2017 comedy Rough Night.[31] Glazer co-wrote, produced, and starred in the horror film False Positive, released on Hulu on June 25, 2021.[32] In 2024, they starred in the movie Babes.

Other

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Glazer's debut stand-up special The Planet Is Burning premiered on Amazon Prime in January 2020.[33] It was directed by Ryan Cunningham and Glazer served as an executive producer.

In 2022, Glazer was in the main cast of the Apple TV+ mystery comedy series The Afterparty.

Activism

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Glazer founded the campaign platform Generator Collective in 2016 with Glennis Meagher. The platform promotes female election candidates and general participation in democracy and political discussion.[34][35][36][37]

Personal life

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Glazer was once roommates with comedian Rachel Bloom after college in Brooklyn.[38] In February 2017, Glazer married their longtime boyfriend, computational biologist[10] David Rooklin, in a private ceremony.[39][40] Glazer is queer and has credited their work on Broad City with helping them understand their sexuality.[41] Glazer is also nonbinary, an identity they realized while they were pregnant: "For the first time, my femininity didn't feel like drag or a joke or a role, but a powerful, open space. And my masculinity was also something I didn't need to make a joke out of. It was something that I thought was cool and hot and a part of me. That was an interesting aspect of being a queer, birthing person."[42]

On March 17, 2021, Glazer announced on social media and in a magazine photo shoot that they and Rooklin were expecting a child together. Their child, a daughter, was born in July 2021.[43][44]

Filmography

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Film work by Ilana Glazer
Year Title Role Notes
2012 Nature Boys Elle Short film
2013 Little Horribles Lindsay Short film
How to Follow Strangers Ellie
2014 High and Dry Vet Assistant Short film
2015 The Night Before Rebecca Grinch
2017 Rough Night Frankie
2021 False Positive Lucia "Lucy" Martin Also writer and producer
2022 Sell/Buy/Date Themself Documentary
2024 Babes Eden Also writer and producer
2025 Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie Gabby's Mom
Television work by Ilana Glazer
Year Title Role Notes
2010 Broad City Ilana Wexler Web series; also creator
15 episodes
2012 Tosh.0 Alison (uncredited) Episode: "Parkour Girl" (character in viewer video)
2013 CollegeHumor Unknown Episode: "All-Nighter: Rap Intro"
2014–19 Broad City Ilana Wexler Lead role; also creator, writer, director, executive producer
50 episodes
2015 Lucas Bros Moving Co Sister Sister (voice) Episode: "Sister Sister Sister"
Inside Amy Schumer Themself Episode: "80s Ladies"
Lip Sync Battle Themself Episode: "Ilana Glazer vs. Abbi Jacobson"
2015–20 BoJack Horseman Penny Carson (voice) 3 episodes
2016 Time Traveling Bong Sharee Lead role; miniseries
Brad Neely's Harg Nallin' Sclopio Peepio Various Regular
2018 Sesame Street Ms. Noodle 2 episodes
RuPaul's Drag Race Themself, guest judge Episode: "Breastworld"[45]
2019–2022 Green Eggs and Ham EB (voice) Main cast
2022 The Afterparty Chelsea Main cast; 7 episodes
Ziwe Themself Episode: "Hot!"
2024 Dinner Time Live with David Chang Themself, guest Episode: "Pumpkin Spice"

Awards and nominations

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Association Year Category Work Result Ref(s)
Critics' Choice Television Awards 2014 Best Actress in a Comedy Series Broad City Nominated [46]
2015 Best Actress in a Comedy Series Broad City Nominated [47]
Daytime Emmy Awards 2023 Outstanding Daytime Special (as a host) Recipe for Change: Standing Up to Anti-Semitism Won [48]
MTV Movie & TV Awards 2017 Best Comedic Performance (with Abbi Jacobson) Broad City Nominated [49]
Primetime Emmy Awards 2016 Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series Hack Into Broad City Nominated [50]
2017 Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series Hack Into Broad City Nominated
2019 Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series Hack Into Broad City Nominated
Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series Nominated
Tony Awards 2022 Best Musical A Strange Loop Won [51]
Writers Guild of America Awards 2016 Best Comedy Series Broad City Nominated [52]

Notes

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  1. ^ Glazer uses they/them and she/her pronouns. This article uses they/them pronouns for consistency.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Ilana Glazer: Biography". TV Guide. Archived from the original on December 8, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Talking 'Broad City' with Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer". Vulture. June 21, 2014. Archived from the original on April 21, 2018. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  3. ^ "Coping with the heaven, hell and humor of family travel". CNN. May 27, 2011. Archived from the original on October 12, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2015. Glazer's father, Larry, works in insurance and finance. Her mother, Sandi, works with him.
  4. ^ "Goodbye To "Broad City," Which Put Jewishness Front And Center". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved December 10, 2020. Jacobson and Glazer have talked about growing up in Reform Jewish families, but neither is especially observant...
  5. ^ Schleier, Curt. "Meet the Broads of 'Broad City'". The Forward. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  6. ^ Ifeanyi, K.C. (February 17, 2016). "'We Don't Always Agree, But That Would Be Crazy If We Did'". Fast Company. Retrieved March 17, 2016. Hometown: St. James, New York
  7. ^ "Eliot Glazer on Diving Into the "Dark and Funny" World of The Boys: There Was "A Lot of Room to Play"". Consequence TV. Retrieved March 10, 2022. The writers involved also include Eliot Glazer, who might be most immediately recognizable to comedy fans as the actor who played Eliot, the brother of Ilana Wexler (Ilana Glazer) on Broad City
  8. ^ "'Broad City,' starring Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, tries to crack the 20-something code". The Washington Post. January 17, 2014. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  9. ^ "NYU Alumni Inspire: 18 Alumni Claim Spots on Forbes "30 Under 30"". January 16, 2015. Archived from the original on May 1, 2016. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  10. ^ a b "Id Girls". The New Yorker. June 23, 2014. Archived from the original on May 6, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  11. ^ "Bright Lights, 'Broad City': Some Face Time With TV Crashers Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer". Grantland. January 29, 2014. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
  12. ^ "Ilana Glazer Bio". Upright Citizens Brigade. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
  13. ^ Drumheller Gargus, Nicole (January 16, 2014). "Local star Abbi Jacobson appearing on Comedy Central". Montgomery News. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  14. ^ "Abbi Jacobson, from MICA to 'Broad City'". The Baltimore Sun. March 24, 2014. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
  15. ^ Paumgarten, Nick (June 23, 2014). "Id Girls". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Archived from the original on May 6, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  16. ^ "Bustle". www.bustle.com. March 19, 2015. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  17. ^ Arons, Rachel (February 5, 2014). "The Best of "Broad City" on the Web". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  18. ^ "FX Developing TV Version Of Web Series 'Broad City' With Amy Poehler Producing". Deadline Hollywood. November 22, 2011. Archived from the original on August 2, 2014. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  19. ^ "Talking to Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson of 'Broad City' About Their Upcoming Comedy Central Show". Vulture. March 20, 2013. Archived from the original on May 20, 2018. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  20. ^ "Chronic Gamer Girl". YouTube. March 20, 2013. Archived from the original on March 14, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  21. ^ John Wenzel (April 25, 2014). "High Scores: "Broad City" star Ilana Glazer even kookier in "Chronic Gamer Girl"". The Cannabist. Archived from the original on October 12, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  22. ^ "Comedy Central Renews 'Broad City' for Second Season". The Hollywood Reporter. February 24, 2014. Archived from the original on March 6, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  23. ^ Broad City: Season 1 at Metacritic  , Retrieved January 30, 2014.
  24. ^ "Comedy Central Renews 'Broad City' for Second Season". The Hollywood Reporter. February 24, 2014. Archived from the original on March 6, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  25. ^ "Broad City". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 19, 2015. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  26. ^ "'Broad City' Gets Season 3 Pickup From Comedy Central". Deadline Hollywood. January 14, 2015. Archived from the original on February 24, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  27. ^ Petski, Denise (January 6, 2016). "'Broad City' Gets 2-Season Renewal On Comedy Central; Pot Comedy Gets Green Light". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 10, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  28. ^ "'Broad City' Breakout Ilana Glazer Can Do Drama, But She'll Never Be the Next Claire Danes". Indiewire. April 9, 2014. Archived from the original on May 3, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  29. ^ "L.E.S. Film Festival's Top Prizes Go to 'How to Follow Strangers,' 'Having You'". Indiewire. June 24, 2013. Archived from the original on May 10, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  30. ^ Rich, Katey (November 19, 2015). "See, It's Really Not Hard to Have Good Female Roles in a Studio Comedy". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  31. ^ "Girls go wild, again, in raunchy Rough Night from Broad City team". Los Angeles Times. June 16, 2017. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  32. ^ Cadenas, Kerense (March 16, 2021). "Ilana Glazer's New Movie Is a Thriller About IVF A first look at Hulu's False Positive". The Cut. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  33. ^ "TV News Roundup: Ilana Glazer's First Stand up Special Gets Premiere Date at Amazon". December 12, 2019. Archived from the original on December 29, 2019. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  34. ^ Grobar, Matt; Grobar, Matt (March 29, 2022). "'The Afterparty's Ilana Glazer Signs With WME".
  35. ^ "Ilana Glazer hosting NYC "Dance for Democracy" to benefit abortion funds". BrooklynVegan. September 15, 2022.
  36. ^ West, James (December 12, 2018). ""Broad City" star Ilana Glazer guest-hosted our podcast this week. She's really good at it!".
  37. ^ "Ilana Glazer Strikes Out On Her Own In New Stand-Up Special". Weekend All Things Considered. December 28, 2019. Gale A610078467 – via Gale Academic OneFile.
  38. ^ "Ilana Glazer and Rachel Bloom used to be roommates". Entertainment Weekly. April 4, 2016. Archived from the original on July 13, 2016. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  39. ^ Clemmons, Rachael (February 28, 2017). "Wait, did Ilana Glazer have a super secret wedding?". Metro. Archived from the original on March 14, 2017. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  40. ^ Baila, Morgan (March 13, 2017). "Broad City's Ilana Glazer Quietly Got Married IRL". Refinery29. Archived from the original on May 5, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  41. ^ McVey, Ciara (January 17, 2020). "How 'Broad City' Helped Ilana Glazer Embrace Her Queerness". Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 8, 2020. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  42. ^ Ryan, Patrick (May 31, 2024). "With 'Babes,' Ilana Glazer wants to show the 'hilarious and insane' realities of pregnancy". USA Today. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  43. ^ Glazer, Ilana (March 17, 2021). "hi ✡️👶🏻✡️". Ilana Glazer verified Instagram account. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  44. ^ Kinane, Ruth (n.d.). "Ilana Glazer is ready for her next chapter". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  45. ^ Rudolph, Christopher (March 8, 2018). "Shania Twain, "Broad City" Stars And More Join The Judges' Panel On "Drag Race" Season 10". Newnownext.com. Archived from the original on March 8, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  46. ^ Bacle, Ariana (May 28, 2014). "Critics' Choice TV Awards 2014: And the nominees are..." Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  47. ^ Pedersen, Erik (May 6, 2015). "'Justified', 'Olive Kitteridge', HBO Lead Critics' Choice TV AwardsNominees; Cat Deeley Set As Host – Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  48. ^ "The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Announces the Winners of the 50th Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards" (PDF). National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. December 16, 2023. p. 4. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  49. ^ Petit, Stephanie (April 6, 2017). "'Get Out' Leads the Nominations for MTV's First Ever Movie & TV Awards". People. Archived from the original on April 7, 2017. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  50. ^ "Ilana Glazer | Emmy Awards". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  51. ^ Grein, Paul (June 12, 2022). "Here Are the 2022 Tony Awards Winners: Full List". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  52. ^ McNary, Dave (February 13, 2016). "WGA Honors 'Big Short,' 'Spotlight,' 'Mad Men' at 68th Awards". Variety. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
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