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Wanda Sykes

Wanda Sykes

Actor, producer and writer · Born March 7, 1964 (62) · Portsmouth, Virginia, USA

Primetime Emmy winner · Golden Globe nominee · 2 other major award bodies

Wanda Sykes (born March 7, 1964) is an American writer, stand-up comedian and actress. She earned the 1999 Emmy Award for her writing on The Chris Rock Show. In 2004 Entertainment Weekly named her as one of the 25 funniest people in America. She is well known for her role as Barb on The New Adventures of Old Christine and for her appearances on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm. In November 2009 The Wanda Sykes Show, her own late-night talkshow, premiered on Fox, airing Saturday nights. Description above from the Wikipedia article Wanda Sykes, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 7, 1964 (62)
From
Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
Works as
Actor, producer and writer
Titles
81 on MovieCove · 103 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 28% in 30 days

What are Wanda Sykes' films like?

Across their 48 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 36 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Light 29 · Serious 7 · Dark 0

A split, not a type: Grounded 18 · Stylized 12 · Heightened 6

A split, not a type: Gentle 21 · Charged 14 · Intense 1

Steady 23 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 28

Slow burn 16 · Even-paced 20 · Relentless 0

Casual 26 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 0

Resolved 36 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

18 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 8 of 18 analyzed roles.

Ally
8 of 18
Trickster
4 of 18
Mentor
3 of 18
Threshold guardian
1 of 18
Shadow
1 of 18
Hero
1 of 18
Show the 18 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
35
Warm
23
Absurd
19
Hopeful
12
Contemplative
8
Other
31

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy31
  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous4
  • Cyclical2
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Wanda Sykes' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 68 of their 81 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (21).

Subscription and free streaming for Wanda Sykes' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

103 credits, 81 with a MovieCove page; 58 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Tangles(2026)

    as Paula (voice)

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
  • Wanda Sykes: Legacy(2026)

    Executive Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
  • Undercard(2025)

    Executive Producer · as Cheryl 'No Mercy' Stewart

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Cristela Alonzo: Upper Classy(2025)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
  • Lil Kev (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 10 episodes · as Nancy (voice)

  • Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films
  • Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution(2024)

    Executive Producer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
  • Good Times(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Likeigiveashit (voice)

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all shows
  • Underwater Projects (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Narrator

  • Rock, Paper, Scissors(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Dian (voice)

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows
  • The Mecca of Comedy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Actor

  • Wanda Sykes: I'm an Entertainer(2023)

    Executive Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
  • History of the World: Part II(2023)

    Show 8 episodes · Executive Producer · Writer · as Various Characters

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows
  • Velma(2023)

    Show 16 episodes · as Krista (voice) · as Linda (voice)

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • Chivalry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 5 episodes · as Jean Shrill

  • Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
  • Q-Force(2021)

    Show 10 episodes · as Deb (voice)

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows
  • The Upshaws(2021)

    Show 60 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer · as Lucretia

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows
  • Star Wars: The Bad Batch(2021)

    Show 7 episodes · as Phee Genoa (voice)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
  • Friendsgiving(2020)

    as Fairy Gay Mother #1

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films
  • Noah's Arc: The 'Rona Chronicles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Actor

  • Visible: Out on Television(2020)

    Show 5 episodes · Executive Producer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Tiffany Haddish: Black Mitzvah(2019)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • Harley Quinn(2019)

    Show 3 episodes · as Queen of Fables (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
  • Jexi(2019)

    as Denice

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films
  • The Wedding Year(2019)

    as Janet / Grandma

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
  • A Black Lady Sketch Show(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Heckler

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows
  • Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Wanda Sykes (voice)

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
  • Wanda Sykes: Not Normal(2019)

    Executive Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
  • UglyDolls(2019)

    as Wage (voice)

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
  • The Other Two(2019)

    Show 19 episodes · as Shuli Kucerac

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows
  • Vampirina: Ghoul Girls Rock!(2018)

    Show 15 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)
  • Unprotected Sets(2018)

    Show 32 episodes · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)
  • Summer Camp Island(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Ethel (voice)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
  • Vampirina(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Gregoria (voice)

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows
  • Big Mouth(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Ghost of Harriet Tubman (voice)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows
  • A Bad Moms Christmas(2017)

    as Dr. Elizabeth Karl

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
  • Snatched(2017)

    as Ruth

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
  • The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Moms Mabley

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
  • The Good Fight(2017)

    Show 3 episodes · as Allegra Durado

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
  • Face Value(2017)

    Show Producer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)
  • Talk Show the Game Show(2017)

    Show Producer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all shows
  • Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Wanda Sykes: What Happened… Ms. Sykes? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Writer · as Herself

  • Ask the StoryBots(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
  • Bad Moms(2016)

    as Dr. Elizabeth Karl

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • Ice Age: Collision Course(2016)

    as Granny (voice)

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
  • How to Vajaculate: If You Build It, She Will Come (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Goddess

  • Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero(2014)

    Show 2 episodes · as Shirley B. Awesome (voice)

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows
  • Black-ish(2014)

    Show 16 episodes · as Daphne Lido

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows
  • BoJack Horseman(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Mary-Beth (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows
  • Broad City(2014)

    Show 3 episodes · as Dara

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
  • The Hot Flashes(2013)

    as Florine Clarkston

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
  • Alpha House(2013)

    Show 14 episodes · as Senator Rosalyn DuPeche

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows
  • Ice Age: Continental Drift(2012)

    as Granny (voice)

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
  • House of Lies(2012)

    Show 3 episodes · as Rita

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows
  • Rio(2011)

    as Chloe / Goose (voice)

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
  • Bob's Burgers(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Sofa Queen (voice)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows
  • The Wanda Sykes Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 22 episodes · Creator · Actor

  • Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Writer · as Herself

  • Drop Dead Diva(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge Yvonne Wright

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
  • Cowman: The Uddered Avenger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Bessy (voice)

  • The Wendy Williams Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Back at the Barnyard(2007)

    Show 97 episodes · as Bessy

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all shows
  • License to Wed(2007)

    as Doctor (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
  • Evan Almighty(2007)

    as Rita

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
  • Hammy's Boomerang Adventure(2006)

    as Stella (voice)

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • Wanda Sykes: Sick and Tired (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Writer · as Herself

  • Barnyard(2006)

    as Bessy (voice)

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • Clerks II(2006)

    as Wife

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
  • My Super Ex-Girlfriend(2006)

    as Carla Dunkirk

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films
  • Brother Bear 2(2006)

    as Innoko (voice)

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • Over the Hedge(2006)

    as Stella (voice)

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
  • The Adventures of Brer Rabbit(2006)

    as Sister Moon (voice)

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
  • The New Adventures of Old Christine(2006)

    Show 67 episodes · as Barb Baran

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows
  • Monster-in-Law(2005)

    as Ruby

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
  • Wanda Does It (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • MTV Reloaded (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as The Oracle

  • Wanda at Large (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 19 episodes · Creator · Writer · as Wanda Mildred Hawkins

  • Wanda Sykes: Tongue Untied(2003)

    Producer · Writer · as Herself

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
  • Crank Yankers(2002)

    Show 3 episodes · as Gladys (voice) · as Gladys Murphy (voice)

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all shows
  • Best of the Chris Rock Show: Volume 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Actor

  • The Downer Channel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • Pootie Tang(2001)

    as Biggie Shorty

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • Down to Earth(2001)

    as Wanda

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm(2000)

    Show 9 episodes · as Wanda

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films
  • Futurama(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Bev (voice)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
  • Will & Grace(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Cricket

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows
  • Tomorrow Night(1998)

    as Wanda

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • Premium Blend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 97 episodes · as Host

  • The Chris Rock Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 17 episodes · Writer · Actor

  • The Drew Carey Show(1995)

    Show 3 episodes · as Christine Watson

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows
  • Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 2 episodes · Additional Writing · as Wanda (voice)

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Therapist (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
  • Deck the Y'alls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 98 titles, 96 of them dated from 1989 to 2026; peak year 2006.

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutNomination
19892026

Peak 2006 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 6 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting85 of 98: 78 only acting, 7 with another role · typical Midcredits score52ndWriting10 of 98: 4 only writing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score76thProducing12 of 98: 6 only producing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score65thOther crew4 of 98: 0 only other crew, 4 with another role

98 titles, 10 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s7 · 7 acting · 2 crew2000s29 · 26 acting · 5 crew2010s36 · 32 acting · 4 crew2020s23 · 17 acting · 9 crew

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 0% of 28 roles
0010

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

a Primetime Emmy from 21 major nominations, 1998–2026.

WinNomination
  1. 2026
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special
  2. 2024
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 nominations
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety Sketch Series
      • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Comedy Album
  3. 2023
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special
  4. 2020
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
  5. 2019
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special
  6. 2018
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
  7. 2017
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
  8. 2010
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special
Show 5 earlier years
  1. 2007
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special
  2. 2001
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
  3. 2000
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
  4. 1999
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program
  5. 1998
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Wanda Sykes' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 51st percentile, the median of all 42; across their 36 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 57th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Approval · how many liked their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Reach · how many have seen their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Midcredits score across 81 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up25
  • 50th to 74th23
  • 25th to 49th13
  • Below 25th20

Shape of the crowd

32 of their 81 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive5
  • Cult Classic9
  • Crowd Pleaser20
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed32

Reviewers score the acting 63/100 in their films, across 25 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Wanda Sykes' work okay for kids?

Across up to 17 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore15 titles20–63 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity17 titles24–72 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity16 titles18–87 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs13 titles11–56 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense13 titles13–55 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Wanda Sykes work with?

People who share at least 2 of Wanda Sykes' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Page Hurwitz shares the most, 14.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles