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Liza Koshy

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Koshy in 2017

Elizabeth Koshy (born March 31, 1996)[1] is an American actress, YouTube personality, comedian and television host.[2] She began her career on Vine in 2013, before starting a YouTube channel.

Among her acting roles have been Aday Walker in Tyler Perry's horror comedy film Boo! A Madea Halloween (2016) and The Explorer in the YouTube Premium series Escape the Night (2017). She starred as Violet Adams in the Hulu drama television series Freakish (2016–2017), and she both produces and stars as the title character in the YouTube Premium comedy series Liza on Demand, which was released in June 2018. Koshy also co-hosts the MTV television series Total Request Live (2017–present) and the Nickelodeon game show revival Double Dare, which premiered in June 2018.

Koshy's main YouTube channel has amassed more than 16 million subscribers, and her two channels have a total of more than two billion combined views.[3][4] She has received two Streamy Awards, four Teen Choice Awards, and a Kids' Choice Award.

Career

Social media

Koshy began posting comic videos on the Vine platform, in 2013, under the pseudonym "Lizzza", where she posted short comedic videos.[5] When Vine closed in 2017, Koshy had over 5 million followers.[6] By 2016, Koshy was also becoming noted on the YouTube platform.[7] In November 2016, just before the 2016 election, Koshy interviewed president Barack Obama on her YouTube channel to encourage voter registration.[8][9] Koshy's videos feature "her loud facial expressions, quick pace, and her commitment to looking as ridiculous as possible as the joke demands. [Some of her videos] take serious issues – like anxiety, the pressure to fit in and internet trolls – and make them accessible and engaging for her viewers."[10]

In 2017, Koshy became "the fastest YouTube personality to reach 10 million subscribers".[11] As of September 2018, her main YouTube channel had over 16 million subscribers and more than 1.8 billion views.[3] Videos on her main channel receive an average of nearly 10 million views.[12] As of September 2018, her second YouTube channel had more than 7 million subscribers,[4] and her two channels had a combined total of more than 2 billion views.[3][4] She also had more than 16 million followers on Instagram,[13] more than 11 million on Musical.ly,[14] more than 2.8 million on Facebook[15] and more than 2 million on Twitter.[16] By August 2017, her total social media penetration was approximately 45 million followers.[8][17]

Acting

In 2016, Koshy starred in the Hulu original horror series Freakish as Violet Adams.[18] She reprised the role in the show's second season in 2017.[19] Also in 2016, she played the role of Aday Walker in the horror-comedy feature film, Boo! A Madea Halloween,[8] and starred as herself in the YouTube Premium series, Jingle Ballin'.[6][20] Koshy starred as Princess Aubrey in the 2016 comedy film FML.[21][22] In 2017, she played a recurring character, The Explorer, in the YouTube Premium mystery-reality series Escape the Night.[23][24] Koshy stars in and co-produces a YouTube Premium situation comedy series, Liza on Demand, which was released in June 2018, "following the chaotic misadventures of the eponymous character" as she works to become an "elite tasker"[25] doing odd jobs for pay.[26] A reviewer for the Los Angeles Times wrote: "The first episode ... is not bad. Yet it's also ordinary and a little stiff. … But the second ... is better ... and shows off Koshy to good effect, some effective physical comedy included. It made me laugh, anyway."[27] Also in 2018 Koshy is set to voice the character Owl in Crow: The Legend, an animated virtual-reality short film written by Eric Darnell, starring John Legend.[28]

Other activities

Koshy hosted the live preshow at the 2017 Golden Globes Awards,[11] which received 2.7 million live viewers on Twitter – a record for the medium.[8] She also hosted Nigel Lythgoe's series Every Single Step and was "the only social entertainer chosen to promote the 2016 MTV Movie Awards."[22] She is one of the hosts on Total Request Live on MTV, which began a series of daily live broadcasts in October 2017.[11][29] She also serves as a producer and developer of content for MTV.[30] Koshy was the first "digital star" interviewed for Vogue magazine's "73 Questions" web series.[31] Koshy conducted interviews of the celebrities attending the 2018 Met Gala on behalf of Vogue.[32]

Koshy collaborates with The Giving Keys, a jewelry company that employs and supports the formerly homeless population, on a necklace collection.[33] Her online advertisements for Beats Electronics draw four times more viewers than those of other celebrities.[34]

She has hosted the reboot of the Nickelodeon game show Double Dare since June 2018.[35]

Personal life

Koshy was born and raised in Houston, Texas.[36] She is of half-Indian and half-white descent; her parents are Jose Koshy, a petroleum executive, and Jean Carol née Hertzler, a yoga instructor.[37] She has two older sisters.[38][26] From kindergarten until 5th grade, she was placed in a dual language educational and cultural program, where she learned to speak Spanish.[39] In 2014, after attending Lamar High School,[40] Koshy enrolled in the University of Houston and began to study business marketing.[41]

In 2015, Koshy left college and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career.[26] She dated fellow YouTube personality David Dobrik from late 2015 to late 2017, revealing their break-up in June 2018.[42][43]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2016 FML Princess Aubrey Supporting role[21]
Boo! A Madea Halloween Aday Supporting role
Jingle Ballin' Liza Main role[44][20]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2016 Making a Scene with James Franco Herself Season 3[45]
2016–2017 Freakish Violet Adams Main role
2017 Escape the Night The Explorer Season 2 (5 episodes), Season 3 (1 episode)
Total Request Live Herself Co-host[11]
Ellen's Show Me More Show Herself Guest (1 episode)
2018 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Herself Guest (1 episode)[46]
Liza on Demand Liza Main role; also co-creator and executive producer
Double Dare Host

Reception and awards

Koshy has won two Streamy Awards and four Teen Choice Awards. She also received one nomination each for a 2017 Shorty Award and a 2018 Shorty, one for a People's Choice Award, two other Teen Choice Awards and two other Streamy Awards. Teen Vogue named Koshy to its 2016 list of "The 7 Female Comedians You Need to Know".[47] The Hollywood Reporter included Koshy in its 2017 list of "15 Rising Crossover Stars".[36] The Washington Post cited Koshy as one of the "funny women...at the top of their game today [who] girls get to study" as models for comedy and empowerment.[48]

John Jurgensen of The Wall Street Journal described Koshy's appeal as follows: "Her comedy is heavy on self-deprecation, slapstick and wordplay, more goofy than snarky. ... One reason her sketches work for advertisers is the replay factor, [squeezing] in dozens of puns and double meanings, in part to encourage easily distracted viewers to re-watch. ... Koshy has proven to be safe territory for established entertainment companies and advertisers who have fled from edgier online content".[26]

Year Award Show Category Result Ref.
2016 Streamy Awards Breakout Creator Won [49]
2017 People's Choice Awards Favorite Social Media Star Nominated [50]
Teen Choice Awards Choice Female Web Star Won [51]
Choice Comedy Web Star Nominated
Choice YouTuber Nominated
Shorty Awards YouTuber of the Year Nominated [52]
Streamy Awards Creator of the Year Nominated [53]
Comedy Won [54]
Editing Nominated [53]
2018 Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Funny YouTube Creator Won [55]
10th Shorty Awards Creator of the Decade Nominated [56]
Teen Choice Awards Choice Female Web Star Won [57]
Choice Comedy Web Star Won
Choice YouTuber Won
Streamy Awards Creator of the Year Pending [58]
Comedy Series: Liza on Demand Pending
Acting in a Comedy: Liza on Demand Pending

References

  1. ^ Carter, Brooke (July 26, 2017). "Liza Koshy Net Worth 2017 – How Wealthy is the Social Media Star Now?". GazetteReview.com. Retrieved September 14, 2017.; and "Liza Koshy – Instagram".
  2. ^ Spangler, Todd. "Above Average Steers Focus to Original Comedy Series for TV, Digital Services", Variety, January 18, 2018, accessed April 12, 2018
  3. ^ a b c "Liza Koshy". YouTube. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c "Liza Koshy Too". YouTube. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
  5. ^ Spangler, Todd (October 13, 2016). "Liza Koshy Signs With AwesomenessTV Network". Variety. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  6. ^ a b Carter, Brooke. "Liza Koshy Snapchat Username & Snapcode", Gazette Review, January 23, 2018
  7. ^ Matta, Madonna (January 20, 2016). "Teen Vogue's Top 10 YouTubers to Watch in 2016". Teen Vogue. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  8. ^ a b c d "Social Media Superstar Liza Koshy Signs First-Look Development Deal with MTV". Broadway.com. August 2, 2017. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  9. ^ Liza Koshy Too (November 5, 2016), Barack Obama Interviews Liza Koshy, retrieved September 13, 2017
  10. ^ Breakey, Julia. "Your pocket guide to the 2017 Streamy Award winners", Memeburn, September 27, 2017
  11. ^ a b c d "MTV's 'TRL' Enlists Social Media Star Liza Koshy as Host (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. August 2, 2017. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  12. ^ "Liza Koshy YouTube Channel Analytics / Stats". www.videoamigo.com. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
  13. ^ "Liza Koshy (@lizakoshy)". www.instagram.com. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  14. ^ "Top 10 des plus gros comptes Musical.ly du monde, l’appli préférée des collégiens", Topito.com, December 23, 2017
  15. ^ "Liza Koshy". www.facebook.com. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  16. ^ "Liza Koshy (@lizakoshy)". twitter.com. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  17. ^ Rodriguez, Ashley (August 3, 2017). "The biggest star on the new Total Request Live might just be its host from YouTube". Quartz. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  18. ^ Saraiya, Sonia (October 7, 2016). "TV Review: Freakish". Variety. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  19. ^ Petski, Denise (May 1, 2017). "Hulu's Freakish Among Renewals Announced By Awesomeness At Newfronts". Deadline. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  20. ^ a b Littleton, Cynthia (January 17, 2017). "Susanne Daniels Throws Out the TV Rulebook to Lead YouTube Red". Variety. Variety Media, LLC. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  21. ^ a b Masters, Linita. "FML Out Next Week: First-Ever Film by Vine Stars (Written, Directed and Starring Vine Stars)", TheHollywood306.com, October 5, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2017
  22. ^ a b Sorokach, Josh. "Who Is Liza Koshy? Here’s Everything You Need To Know About Freakish's Resident Badass", Decider.com, October 9, 2017
  23. ^ Spangler, Todd (May 25, 2017). "YouTube Red's Escape the Night With Joey Graceffa Season 2 Adds Tyler Oakley, Liza Koshy, Other Digital Stars to Cast". Variety. Variety Media, LLC. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  24. ^ Lawrence, Derek (May 24, 2017). "Joey Graceffa, Tyler Oakley lead all-star cast of YouTube's Escape the Night season 2". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 14, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  25. ^ Spangler, Todd. "Liza Koshy to Star in YouTube Red Comedy Series Liza on Demand Premiering in 2018", Variety, November 17, 2017
  26. ^ a b c d Jurgensen, John. "A Self-Made Star Shows One Way to Crack the Gen Z Code", The Wall Street Journal, November 26, 2017 (subscription required)
  27. ^ Lloyd, Robert. "Liza On Demand review: A tough job, but some YouTube star has to do it", Los Angeles Times, June 27, 2018
  28. ^ "Tye Sheridan, YouTube Star Liza Koshy to Lend Voices to VR Short Crow: The Legend", The Hollywood Reporter, April 18, 2018
  29. ^ Aran, Isha (October 2, 2017). "They Didn't Even Play Any Videos on the New TRL". SplinterNews.com.; and Gore, Sydney. "Josh Gad Showed TRL How to Bust a Move", MTV, November 6, 2017
  30. ^ Pedersen, Erik (August 2, 2017). "MTV Sets YouTube Star Liza Koshy to Co-Host TRL Revival Under First-Look Overall Deal". Deadline. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  31. ^ Weiss, Geoff. "Liza Koshy Becomes First Digital Star to Appear In Vogue's '73 Questions' Series", Tubefilter.com, November 16, 2017
  32. ^ "Met Gala – Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination at the Met 2018", Vogue, accessed May 8, 2018
  33. ^ Hamanaka, Kari (August 22, 2017). "L.A.-based company Giving Keys taps YouTube personality Liza Koshy for limited-edition collaboration". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  34. ^ Corry, Angela. "Liza Koshy’s #BeatsForBosses ad is more popular than other celebrities'", The Celebrity Cafe, December 19, 2017; and Gutelle, Sam. "Apple Says Liza Koshy’s Digital Beats Ads Get Four Times as Many Clicks as Ads Featuring Other Celebs", Tubefilter, December 18, 2017
  35. ^ Moss, Kyle. "Double Dare is back and slimier than ever", Yahoo.com, June 25, 2018; and Keller, Joel. "Stream It or Skip It: Double Dare, Your Favorite Sloppy Game Show from the '80s, Is Back on Nickelodeon", New York Post, June 26, 2018
  36. ^ a b "Hollywood's New Digital Disrupters: 15 Rising Crossover Stars". The Hollywood Reporter. August 24, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  37. ^ Haylock, Zoë Alliyah. "Family Tree: Who Are Liza Koshy's Parents? Meet Jose and Jean Carol", J-14.com, November 20, 2017
  38. ^ "Liza Koshy: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. August 2017. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  39. ^ DeSimone, Evan (September 22, 2015). "CAA Signs Vine Star Liza Koshy". TheVideoInk.com. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  40. ^ "Lamar drill team reigns at dance event". The Houston Chronicle. February 28, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  41. ^ Rojas, Paulina (November 5, 2014). "Meet @lizzza: Average teenager and online sensation". The Daily Cougar. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  42. ^ Haylock, Zoë Alliyah. "Too Cute: All the Adorable Moments in Liza Koshy and David Dobrik's Relationship", J-14.com, November 22, 2017
  43. ^ "David Dobrik and Liza Koshy announce split in emotional video". BBC News. June 5, 2018.
  44. ^ "Jingle Ballin, Starring Liza Koshy, Will Be YouTube Red's First Christmas Special". Tubefilter. November 30, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  45. ^ ""Making A Scene With James Franco" Is Back For A 3rd Season". CelebMix. June 28, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  46. ^ "Video: Liza Koshy Talks Being a YouTube Star, and Gets Breakup Advice From Stephen Colbert", BroadwayWorld.com, June 21, 2018
  47. ^ "The 7 Female Comedians You Need to Know". Teen Vogue. September 22, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  48. ^ McCarthy, Ellen. "Want to raise an empowered girl? Then let her be funny.", The Washington Post, October 17, 2017
  49. ^ "6th Annual Winners & Nominees". streamys.org. Streamys. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  50. ^ "People's Choice Awards 2017: Full List of Nominees". peoplechoice.com. One Three Digital, LLC. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  51. ^ Heldman, Breanne L. "Teen Choice Awards 2017: Riverdale, Wonder Woman among big winners". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved September 8, 2017.; and Rubin, Rebecca; Knapp, JD (August 13, 2017). "Teen Choice Awards 2017: Riverdale, Fifth Harmony Shut Out Competition". Variety. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  52. ^ Spangler, Todd. "Shorty Awards 2017: Finalists", Variety, accessed March 2, 2017
  53. ^ a b Jarvey, Natalie (August 22, 2017). "The 7th Annual Streamy Awards: Rihanna, The Rock and Ryan Reynolds Among the Nominees". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
  54. ^ Haring, Bruce. "Sugar Pine 7, Dolan Twins Top 2017 Streamy Awards – Complete Winners List", Deadline.com, September 26, 2017
  55. ^ "Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2018 Winners – the Complete List", yahoo.com, March 24, 2018
  56. ^ Lee, Josh. "These Are All the YouTubers Nominated for the 2018 Shorty Awards", We the Unicorns, January 16, 2018, accessed April 17, 2018
  57. ^ France, Lisa Respers. "Teen Choice Awards 2018: The winners list", CNN, August 13, 2018
  58. ^ "David Dobrik leads the pack of nominees with six nods", The Hollywood Reporter, September 25, 2018