Quick Facts
Biography
Kimberly "Kym" Elizabeth Whitley (born June 7, 1961) is an American comedian and actress. She is best known for her roles on television sitcoms, such as Animal Practice, The Boondocks, Young & Hungry, and The Parkers. Whitley was nominated for a 2004 BET Comedy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Box Office Movie for her role as Ormandy in the 2003 comedy film Deliver Us From Eva.
Personal life
Born in Shaker Heights, Ohio to Kaysonia (1936-2011) and William Whitley, she has two older brothers. She attended Shaker Heights High School (graduating in 1979) and Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.
In January 2011, Whitley adopted a son named Joshua Kaleb Whitley.
Career
In 1989, Whitley got her big break starring in Shelly Garrett's popular play Beauty Shop which started in Los Angeles then later traveled across the U.S. Whitley's major acting roles include My Brother and Me and Sparks. She made guest appearances in several television sitcoms, including The Parent 'Hood, Married... with Children, Moesha, That's So Raven, The Parkers and Curb Your Enthusiasm. She also hosted the short-lived BET show, Oh Drama (2000). She also had a small role in Next Friday as Craig's aunt Suga. She was one of "The Adults" in the earlier seasons of All That. "The Adults", as they were called, were grown-up featuring cast members that appeared in sketches with the regular cast. In the early spring of 2010, Whitley was a co-host with R&B musician, Brian McKnight on the short-lived talk show, The Brian McKnight Show. From 2012 to 2013, Whitley had a recurring role on the BET comedy Let's Stay Together as Charmaine Wax.
Kym's docu-series entitled Raising Whitley on the Oprah Winfrey network (OWN) premiered on April 20, 2013 with a total of 1.2 million viewers making it the fifth biggest premiere in the history of the network. Due to the success of the first season, OWN ordered a second season, which premiered on January 4, 2014.
Kym created the "Don't Feed Me" T-shirt with her friend, Rodney Van Johnson. The T-shirts alert caregivers to the allergies of the children wearing them.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Beverly Hood | Nola Washington | |
| 2000 | Next Friday | Suga | |
| 2000 | Nutty Professor II: The Klumps | Party Guest | |
| 2001 | House Party 4: Down to the Last Minute | Judy Harris – Jon Jon's Mom | |
| 2001 | Baby Boy | Host | |
| 2003 | Deliver Us from Eva | Ormandy | |
| 2003 | Love Chronicles | Renee | |
| 2003 | Malibooty! | Donna | |
| 2004 | Up Against the 8 Ball | Mrs. Thompson | |
| 2004 | Along Came Polly | Gladys | |
| 2005 | The Perfect Man | Dolores | |
| 2005 | L.A. Dicks | Madame Opal | |
| 2005 | Fun with Dick and Jane | KostMart Training Leader | |
| 2005 | The Salon | Lashaunna | |
| 2005 | The Golden Blaze | Mother Johnson | voice |
| 2008 | Cuttin' da Mustard | ||
| 2008 | College Road Trip | Michelle Porter | |
| 2008 | The Hustle | Miss Tanya | |
| 2009 | Black Dynamite | Honeybee | |
| 2009 | I Love You, Man | Female Co-Worker #1 | |
| 2009 | Donation | Cashier Keisha | |
| 2010 | Something Like a Business | Sasha | |
| 2010 | Sebastian | Roxanne | |
| 2010 | Group Sex | Tiffany | |
| 2011 | 35 and Ticking | Shavelle | |
| 2011 | Rango | Melonee | |
| 2011 | Transformers: Dark of the Moon | Jessica Morgan | |
| 2011 | We Bought a Zoo | Store Clerk | |
| 2013 | Ticket to Vegas | Monik | |
| 2013 | Anything is Possible | Ms. Kim | |
| 2014 | A Haunted House 2 | Church Lady | |
| 2016 | Fist Fight | Filming |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Vinnie & Bobby | 1 episode | |
| 1994 | My Brother and Me | Mrs. Pinckney | 5 episodes |
| 1995 | The Parent Hood | Muriel | 1 episode |
| 1995 | Martin | Louisa | 1 episode |
| 1996 | Married... with Children | Danielle | 1 episode |
| 1996–98 | Sparks | Darice Mayberry | Main role |
| 1998 | The Wayans Bros | Phyllis | 1 episode |
| 1999 | Arli$$ | Susan Caldwell | 1 episode |
| 1999 | Silk Hope | Grace | |
| 2000 | Grown Ups | Kim | 1 episode |
| 2000 | A Private Affair | 2000 | "Oh Drama" |
| 2000 | Moesha | Gertrude ("Gertie") | 1 episode |
| 2002 | My Wife and Kids | Wanda | 3 episodes |
| 2002 | What About Your Friends: Weekend Getaway | Ms. Wells | |
| 2003 | The Proud Family | Caramel Jones | 1 episode |
| 2004 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Monena | 1 episode |
| 2001–04 | The Parkers | Gertrude ("Gertie") | Recurring role |
| 2004 | 1-800-Missing | DEA Agent Dominique Shaw | 1 episode |
| 2004 | One on One | Liza | 1 episode |
| 2005 | The Catch | Honey Commons | |
| 2005 | That's So Raven | Cousin Vicky | 2 episodes |
| 2005 | Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law | Norlisa | 2 episodes |
| 2005 | Grey's Anatomy | Yvonne | 1 episode |
| 2006 | Love, Inc | Arsenetta | 1 episode |
| 2006 | Reno 911! | Kay Kay | 1 episode |
| 2006 | Thugaboo: Sneaker Madness | Ms. Attitude | |
| 2006 | Standoff | Angela Worthington | 1 episode |
| 2006 | Thugaboo: A Miracle on D-Roc's Street | Ms. Attitude | |
| 2007 | Making It Legal | Theresa | |
| 2008 | Crusin for Love with Kym Whitley | Herself | |
| 2009 | The Cleveland Show | Auntie Momma | 4 episodes |
| 2008-09 | 'Til Death | Tina | 4 episodes |
| 2005–10 | The Boondocks | Various characters | Recurring role |
| 2010 | Jonas | Officer Evie | 1 episode |
| 2010–2011 | Meet the Browns | Yvonne | 2 episodes |
| 2010 | School Pride | Host | |
| 2011 | 2 Broke Girls | Shirley | 1 Episode |
| 2011–2015 | Black Dynamite | Honeybee | Main Role |
| 2011-2012 | Let's Stay Together | Charmaine Wax | Recurring Role |
| 2012 | Animal Practice | Juanita | Main Role |
| 2013–present | Raising Whitley | Herself | Reality Series |
| 2013–2014 | Baby Daddy | Margaret Jenson | "Whatever Lola Wants" & "An Affair Not To Remember" |
| 2014–present | Young & Hungry | Yolanda | Main Role |
| 2015 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Aunt Cudi | 1 episode |
| 2016 | Kocktails with Khloé | Herself | 1 episode |
Awards and nominations
BET Comedy Awards
- 2004, Outstanding Supporting actress in a Box Office movie: Deliver Us from Eva (nominated)