The top female comedians working in film and television today

The comedies of TV and film are currently blessed with a bevy of talented women. The transition from writing standup material to award-winning, mainstream masterpieces has never been so visible, and the impressive canon of female voices peppering the entertainment world is staggering. Though the days of Nora Ephron navigating the male-dominated waters of Hollywood's comedy writing are not so long in the past, there is an ocean of evidence pointing to a future that is decidedly female. Here is a look at the top female comedians working in film and television today.

Tina Fey created, wrote, and starred in "30 Rock," was the head writer on SNL, and also created "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt." What do you do after conquering television? Well you turn your first movie into a hit Broadway musical, Mel Brooks-style, and get 12 Tony Award nominations for "Mean Girls." This year you can hear Tina Fey's voice in the new Pixar film, "Soul," co-written by Fey, who also plays a character named "22."

Phoebe Waller-Bridge swept the Emmys this year with "Fleabag," which she created, wrote and starred in, and completely changed the way people look at priests. She also acted as show runner for the first season of "Killing Eve," played a droid in a Star Wars movie and co-wrote the upcoming James Bond movie, "No Time To Die." She invigorated "SNL" with her hosting gig this year, and you'll also be able to see her star in "Run," a comedy-thriller series from HBO, because who has time for sleep?

Irish standup comedian and actress Aisling Bea had a huge year in 2019, starring in "This Way Up," where she was also head writer, and Netflix's "Living With Yourself" opposite Paul Rudd. Bea can act, she can be a clown, her accent is extremely charming and even with all her TV and film work she still finds time to kill it at comedy clubs.

Her breakthrough comedy special, "Baby Cobra," was recorded while she was seven-and-a-half months pregnant and inspired countless Halloween costumes. She was even more pregnant in her follow-up, "Hard Knock Wife" (which premiered on Netflix Mother’s Day 2018). Wong wrote for the first three seasons of "Fresh Off The Boat," wrote a New York Times bestseller "Dear Girls" and released a romantic comedy ("Always Be My Maybe") with its star, her lifelong friend Randall Park, and Keanu Reeves! She even voiced an Angry Bird and met Ellen.

Issa Rae is the creator and star of "Insecure," which returns for its fourth season on HBO in 2020. She's also the executive producer of "A Black Lady Sketch Show," also on HBO, where she makes guest appearances. Rae is one of the smartest, funniest voices anywhere, but she specifically showcases the lives of young, everyday black women. She's also an author, reaching The New York Times best-seller list with her memoir, "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl." This Valentine's Day you can see Rae opposite Lakeith Stanfield in the romantic comedy "The Photograph."

Emily Heller is a writer on HBO's great "Barry," which won her a Writer's Guild Award. She's also a whip-smart, hilarious standup, which you can see in her recent Comedy Central special, "Ice Thickeners." But Heller truly stands out on the red carpet, where she delighted Getty Images photographers with her Getty Images handbag before the 2018 Emmy's. Last year she couldn't make the red carpet, so she let Twitter users dress her instead.

Emmy Award voters are finally recognizing the decades of excellence from Alex Borstein, who won her second consecutive Best Supporting Actress Award for "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" in 2019. She also got Emmys in 2018 and 2019 for her voice work on "Family Guy," after 19 short years. Borstein also starred in the excellent and dark medical comedy, "Getting On," 13 seasons of "Mad TV" and even wrote for the classic '90s animated classic "Pinky and the Brain."

Jessica Williams was the youngest "The Daily Show" correspondent in history, debuting on the show when she was only 22 years old. Phoebe Robinson wrote for "Girl Code" and had a highly read blog called “Blaria” (for Black Daria). Robinson started to do a monthly show called "Blaria LIVE," which eventually turned into "2 Dope Queens," a live show co-hosted by Williams, which is edited down to a podcast and is now an HBO series. The show talks about race, politics and gender and then a lot of unserious nonsense too. But it stands out because of the Queens’ fantastic personalities, and it provides a showcase for so many comedians of color and various orientations. That’s part of what led Robinson to her spinoff podcast, "Sooo Many White Guys," which is more of an interview show and has even fewer white guys.

Lilly Singh is not only the first comedian to transition from YouTube fame to hosting her own late-night show ("A Little Late With Lilly Singh"), but she's also the first LGBT late-night host of a big three network show. Singh is wildly popular on the internet, with her videos racking up over 3 billion views, combing comedy with interviews and playing characters including her own parents. She may have a long future at NBC, since her old time slot's occupant, Carson Daly, did 2000 episodes, so let's hope her show isn't one of the Things That Should Die In 2019.

This year, Aparna Nancherla starred as the frustrated HR rep on Comedy Central’s "Corporate," and in March her first Netflix special premiered. This native of D.C. has a dry, absurdist wit and extremely understated delivery, but her neurotic sweetness comes through. You can see her standup on Comedy Central, watch her as "Grace" on "Corporate" or in the movie "A Simple Favor" and hear her on "Bojack Horseman," where she plays Bojack's maybe-daughter Hollyhock Manheim-Mannheim-Guerrero-Robinson-Zilberschlag-Hsung-Fonzerelli-McQuack.

Haddish followed up her award-winning, NSFW performance in "Girls Trip" by becoming the first black female standup to host "Saturday Night Live," which won her an Emmy. Since then, she's starred opposite Kevin Hart in the movie "Night School," alongside Tracy Morgan in the sitcom "The Last O.G." and delivered a slam dunk performance in the Kyrie Irving/Pepsi basketball classic, "Uncle Drew." She also published a best-selling memoir, "The Last Black Unicorn." Currently she is hosting the revival of "Kids Say the Darnedest Things" on ABC. No word yet on whether she’ll become a spokeswoman for grapefruits, but you can see her this January in "Like A Boss" with Salma Hayek and Rose Byrne.

Amy Schumer had a long run of success with her sketch show, "Inside Amy Schumer," but she blasted into movie stardom with "Trainwreck," which she wrote and starred in. Along with giving LeBron James his greatest acting role, Schumer has had a string of hit specials, two "SNL" hosting gigs and a best-selling memoir, "The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo." In 2017 she made her Broadway debut in "The Meteor Shower," for which she earned a Tony Award nomination.

Melissa McCarthy is the biggest female comedy star in movies, if not the biggest comedy star in movies altogether. Not only has she starred in the series of blockbuster hits, including "Bridesmaids," "Spy" and "The Heat," but she’s also written a few hits, like "Tammy" and "The Boss." She's also a legitimate serious actress, as evidenced by her Best Actress nomination for "Can You Ever Forgive Me?"  Presumably she’ll also continue in her role as an honorary member of the "Saturday Night Live" cast, especially if Sean Spicer ever gets another job. Next year she'll star in "Superintelligence," her fourth collaboration with husband Ben Falcone.

If American voters loved Hillary Clinton half as much as they love Kate McKinnon‘s impression of Hillary Clinton, we’d have a different situation in politics these days. McKinnon has won two Emmys for her wide-ranging character work on "SNL," and in her spare time she steals scene after scene in some of the biggest comedies on the big screen: "Ghostbusters: Answer The Call," "Rough Night" and "Office Christmas Party." Last year she had her first leading film role, alongside Mila Kunis in "The Spy Who Dumped Me," and she'll soon be starring as Theranos fraudster Elizabeth Holmes in Hulu's "The Dropout."

"Broad City" started as a web series, but it became one of Comedy Central‘s most acclaimed and respected sitcoms, thanks to the sharp writing and the marvelous chemistry between Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson. "Broad City" even has cinematic coattails, when one of the show’s writer-directors was able to make "Rough Night," starring Glazer and Scarlett Johansson. Glazer has been on "Sesame Street," and Jacobson tried dramatic acting with the film "Six Balloons." In addition, Jacobson is, as far as we know, the only woman on this list who’s published a best-selling book of illustrations.

A six-time winner of "@midnight" and standing 6-foot-2, Arguello is starting to take over Hollywood. She’s written for the rap battle show "Drop The Mic" as well as "Bill Nye Saves The World." You can catch her at festivals and comedy clubs around the country, you can check out her debut album, "The Woke Bully," you can check out her interview show, "You Welcome" and as a sure sign that she’s arrived, you can also see her get hassled on Twitter by conservatives like Tucker Carlson.

Schaal’s big eyes, curly hair and unique voice — both her comedic POV and her distinct vocal quality — make her a hilarious, cartoon-like performer. It’s not a surprise that she’s been tapped for voice work on cartoons ranging from "Bob’s Burgers," where she plays Louise Belcher, to "Toy Story 4." We think her best role, showcasing her eccentricities and sweetness, was on Fox’s "Last Man On Earth," where her crafting and raisin balls delighted and frustrated her fellow survivors. This year you can see her alongside Dave Bautista in "My Spy."

Wanda Sykes is a nationally touring headliner and award-winning comedy writer who recently moved into producing. She won an Emmy for her work on "The Chris Rock Show," starred on "The New Adventures of Old Christine" and shined as Larry’s foil on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," where she played “Wanda.” Recently she produced the revived "Last Comic Standing," Guy Branum’s "Talk Show: The Game Show" and worked on the wildly popular reboot of "Roseanne." She’s also very nice, as long as you don’t yell about her tush.

You may know Karen Kilgariff from "My Favorite Murder," her breakout true crime podcast, which gives hilarious recountings of grisly crimes. But she’s been behind some of the finest comedic projects of the past decades, from "Mr. Show" to "Ellen" (and Ellen’s later standup specials). She was the head writer for both "The Rosie Show" and "The Pete Holmes Show" and currently wrote and appeared on "Talk Show: The Game Show." In addition, she has a beautiful singing voice and often performs her own original songs on stage. Check her out, stay sexy and don't get murdered.

She may have written and starred in "Jesus Is Magic," but Hollywood seems to agree that Sarah Silverman is magic. The contrast between her cheerful appearance and songs coupled with raunchy, line-crossing offensive material charms audience. That’s the case whether she’s taking deplorable stances on social issues on "The Sarah Silverman Show" or singing to ex-boyfriend Jimmy Kimmel about having carnal relations with his “enemy,” Matt Damon. She lent her voice to the blockbuster "Wreck-It Ralph" movies and dabbled in dramatic acting in "Battle Of The Sexes" and the upcoming "Marry Me."

Butcher is best-known for the sitcom "Take My Wife" and the comedy show/podcast "Put Your Hands Together," where Butcher worked with then-real-life wife Cameron Esposito. But Butcher is fantastic in their own right, with the acclaimed album, "Butcher," and a recurring role on "Adam Ruins Everything." Butcher's cool, Midwestern charm is certain to reach the silver screen soon, or at least the Dodgers will let Butcher throw out the first pitch at a game. Speaking of baseball, they also have an excellent baseball podcast called Three Swings.

Bamford is one of the most inventive and creative comedians working today and also one of the most honest about mental health. Her surreal Netflix series, "Lady Dynamite," is a weird, hilarious and heartbreakingly honest meta-fictional comedy series about struggling with your own psyche. She’s also an incredible voice artist, whether she’s seamlessly slipping into the cadences of her Midwestern family or voicing what feels like 100 different characters on "Adventure Time" and "Bojack Horseman." "Lady Dynamite" is done after two seasons, but you can still stream it or even check out all her characters in her holiday ads for Target.

When it premiered, "Full Frontal With Samantha Bee" was the only late-night show hosted by a female comedian. Bee not only shatters the glass ceiling, but she also shatters the conventions of late night, eschewing a desk and a band while providing sharp, heated commentary on news. Her show after the 2016 election has been viewed over 3 million times. But Bee, an Emmy winner for "The Daily Show," is also all about solidarity. When late-night shows by Sarah Silverman and Robin Thede premiered, Bee sent them matching satin jackets that say NASTY.

Amy Poehler was one of the founders of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Chicago, and after moving to New York, she starred in the surreal sketch show of the same name, though many viewers saw her for the first time as Andy’s little sister on "Conan." Then she spent seven years on "SNL," seven more as the lead in "Parks and Recreation," three years as host of the Golden Globes and three different stints at Camp Firewood in the "Wet Hot American Summer" projects. If that weren’t enough, she’s a best-selling author, executive produced "Difficult People" and "Broad City," runs an empowering web-based project called "Smart Girls At The Party" and voiced the lead role in "Inside Out." She recently directed her first feature, "Wine Country," for Netflix, and hosts a craft competition called "Making It" with Parks co-star Nick Offerman. And you thought Leslie Knope was a hard worker!

Natasha Leggero is one of the most elegant comedians around, happy to perform in fur coats and cocktail dresses. It’s a character, but it’s sort of not because she has the soul of a socialite from an earlier time. That's precisely what she played on "Another Period," the show she created with Riki Lindhome about trashy heiresses, a turn-of-the-century version of "Keeping Up With The Kardashians." Leggero has had featured roles in "Let’s Be Cops" and "The Do-Over," and "The Honeymoon Special" on Netflix, a series of three standup specials recorded with her husband, Moshe Kasher. This year you can see her on CBS in the new sitcom "Broke."

Whitney Cummings is a great comedian but also a wildly successful TV producer. Some comedians dream of having a sitcom; Cummings had picked up at the same time, with "Whitney" and "2 Broke Girls," which lasted a combined eight seasons — Cummings wasn’t even 30 years old! She hasn’t slowed down since, as she's published a book, "I’m Fine... And Other Lies," wrote, directed and starred in "The Female Brain" and ran the day-to-day production for the first season of the "Roseanne" reboot. She is co-starring in "Good People," an Amazon sitcom she co-wrote with Lee Daniels, alongside Lisa Kudrow, Greg Kinnear, and Martin Short. You can stream her new standup special "Can I Touch It?" on Netflix.

Though Tig Notaro had always been a cult favorite, delighting audiences with her slow pacing and deadpan delivery, the world really discovered her in 2012. The same day she found out that she had cancer, and three weeks after her mother’s death, Notaro got on stage at Largo and opened with "Hi. I have cancer. Just found out today. I'm going to die soon." What followed was one of the most legendary sets to ever be recorded, alternately deeply hilarious and deeply sad. And it outsold the Kiss album released that week! Since then she’s beaten cancer, created and starred in the autobiographical "One Mississippi" on Amazon and became the mother of twins. Also, she runs into Taylor Dayne all the time!

Oakland’s own Chelsea Peretti is one of the best parts of "Brooklyn 99," as Gina, the blunt secretary who doesn’t do any work. Peretti wrote some of the best episodes of "Parks and Recreation," played a variety of characters on "Kroll Show," and she has an excellent Netflix special, the hyperbolically titled "One of the Greats." She’s also married to "Get Out" director Jordan Peele and her brother founded BuzzFeed, so eventually Peretti will take over all of media.

It’s hard to describe Bridget Everett’s wildly aggressive, over-the-top cabaret act, but everyone should experience it at least once in their lives. You can see it in her special, "Bridget Everett: Gynecological Wonder," but it’s not the same as being in the audience, as Everett’s admittedly amazing singing mixes with disturbing personal stories, borderline sexual harassment of audience members and exhortations to “put em up in the air” (she’s talking about breasts). She had major roles in "Camping" and "Lady Dynamite," and she wrote and starred in her own Amazon pilot, "Love You More," co-written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait.