Liza Koshy
Elizabeth Shaila Koshy (born March 31, 1996)[1] is an American actress, television host, comedian and YouTuber.[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). From 2017 to 2018, she was a contributor to the MTV television series Total Request Live. Since 2018, Koshy has produced and starred as the title character in the YouTube Premium comedy series Liza on Demand. She also hosted the Nickelodeon game show revival Double Dare, from 2018 to 2019.
Koshy's main YouTube channel has amassed more than 17 million subscribers, and her two channels have a total of more than 2.5 billion combined views.[3][4] She has received four Streamy Awards, four Teen Choice Awards, and a Kids' Choice Award. She was included in the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 Hollywood & Entertainment list and the Time 2019 list of the 25 Most Influential People on the Internet[5] and its 2019 100 Next list.[6]
Early life and education
Koshy was born and raised in Houston, Texas.[7] Her father is Indian and her mother is of German descent; her parents are Jose Koshy, a petroleum executive, and Jean Carol (née Hertzler), a yoga instructor.[8] She has two older sisters.[9][10] From kindergarten until 5th grade, she was placed in a dual language educational and cultural program, where she learned to speak Spanish.[11] In 2014, after attending Lamar High School,[12] Koshy enrolled in the University of Houston and began to study business marketing.[13] In 2015, Koshy left college and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career.[10][14]
Career
Social media
Koshy began posting comic videos on the Vine platform, in 2013, under the pseudonym "Lizzza", where she posted short comedic videos.[15][16] When Vine closed in 2017, Koshy had 7 million followers.[17] By 2016, Koshy was also becoming noted on the YouTube platform.[18] In November 2016, just before the 2016 election, Koshy interviewed President Barack Obama on her YouTube channel to encourage voter registration.[17][19] 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."[20] She suspended adding new videos to her main YouTube account in early 2018 as she turned to full-time acting and hosting work.[21] She resumed posting new videos in 2019.[22]
In 2017, Koshy became "the fastest YouTube personality to reach 10 million subscribers".[23] As of October 2019, her main YouTube channel had over 17 million subscribers and more than 2 billion views.[3] Videos on her main channel average nearly 15 million views.[24] Her second YouTube channel had more than 8 million subscribers,[4] and her two channels had a combined total of more than 2.5 billion views.[3][4] She also had more than 17 million followers on Instagram,[25] more than 11 million on TikTok (formerly Musical.ly),[26] more than 2.9 million on Facebook[27] and more than 2.8 million on Twitter.[28] By 2017, her total social media penetration was approximately 45 million followers.[29][30] Time named Koshy to its 2019 list of the 25 Most Influential People on the Internet[5] and its 2019 100 Next list.[6]
Acting
In 2016, Koshy starred in the Hulu original horror series Freakish as Violet Adams.[31] She reprised the role in the show's second season in 2017.[32] Also in 2016, she played the role of Aday Walker in the horror-comedy feature film, Boo! A Madea Halloween,[29] and starred as herself in the YouTube Premium series, Jingle Ballin'.[16][33] Koshy starred as Princess Aubrey in the 2016 comedy film FML.[34][35] In 2017, she played a recurring character, The Explorer, in the YouTube Premium mystery-reality series Escape the Night.[36][37]
Koshy stars in and co-produces a YouTube Premium situation comedy series, Liza on Demand, which premiered in June 2018, "following the chaotic misadventures of the eponymous character" as she works to become an "elite tasker"[38] doing odd jobs for pay.[10] 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."[39] Season 2 premiered in September 2019.[40] Alexis Gunderson of Paste wrote in 2019: "Liza on Demand a truly excellent comedy."[41] In November 2018, Koshy voiced the character Owl in Crow: The Legend, an animated virtual-reality short film written and directed by Eric Darnell, starring John Legend.[42] The film premiered on the Liza Koshy Too YouTube channel and Oculus VR on November 15, 2018.[21][43] She returned to Escape the Night in 2019.[44] She is set to appear in the Netflix dance-comedy film Work It, alongside Sabrina Carpenter, which is scheduled to be released in August 2020.[45][46]
Other ventures
Koshy hosted the live preshow at the 2017 Golden Globes Awards,[23] which received 2.7 million live viewers on Twitter – a record for the medium.[29] She also hosted Nigel Lythgoe's series Every Single Step and was "the only social entertainer chosen to promote the 2016 MTV Movie Awards."[35] She was one of the hosts on Total Request Live on MTV from 2017 to 2019[23][47] and served as a producer and developer of content for MTV.[48] Koshy was the first "digital star" interviewed for Vogue magazine's "73 Questions" web series.[49] Koshy conducted interviews of the celebrities attending the 2018 and 2019 Met Galas on behalf of Vogue.[50][51] She hosted the revival of the Nickelodeon game show Double Dare from June 2018 to December 2019.[52] In 2020, Koshy hosts the Quibi dance competition show Floored.[53]
Her online advertisements for Beats Electronics draw four times more viewers than those of other celebrities.[54] Koshy collaborates with The Giving Keys, a jewelry company that employs and supports the formerly homeless population, on a necklace collection.[55] She is a co-chair of "When We All Vote", a nonpartisan, nonprofit group dedicated to increasing voter participation.[56] She also advertises Beyond Meat.[57]
Personal life
Koshy dated fellow YouTube personality David Dobrik from late 2015 to late 2017, revealing their break-up in June 2018.[58][59]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | FML | Princess Aubrey | [34] |
2016 | Boo! A Madea Halloween | Aday | |
2016 | Jingle Ballin' | Liza | [60][33] |
2017 | Crow: The Legend | Owl | |
2020 | Work It | TBA | Completed[61] |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Making a Scene with James Franco | Herself | Season 3[62] |
2016–2017 | Freakish | Violet Adams | Main role |
2017 | Escape the Night | The Explorer | 6 episodes |
2017 | Total Request Live | Herself | Co-host[23] |
2017 | Ellen's Show Me More Show | Herself | Guest (1 episode) |
2018–present | Liza on Demand | Liza Hertzler | Main role; also co-creator and executive producer |
2018–2019 | Double Dare | Host | Also executive producer[52] |
2019 | To Tell the Truth | Herself | Contestant (1 episode) |
2020 | All That | Herself | Season 11, guest |
2020 | Nickelodeon's Unfiltered | Herself | Episode: "Corgi Rock Party!" |
Music videos
Year | Title | Artist | Director |
---|---|---|---|
2019 | "Woke Up Late" | Drax Project | Jonathon Singer-Vine[63] |
Reception
Teen Vogue named Koshy to its 2016 list of "The 7 Female Comedians You Need to Know".[64] The Hollywood Reporter included Koshy in its 2017 list of "15 Rising Crossover Stars".[7] 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.[65] She is a member of the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 Hollywood & Entertainment list.[66]
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".[10] Alexis Gunderson of Paste compared Koshy to Lucille Ball and calls her a "physical comedy wunderkind" and "a tiny magnetic goofball".[41]
Awards and nominations
Koshy has won four Streamy Awards and Teen Choice Awards, and a Kids' Choice Award.
Year | Award Show | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Streamy Awards | Breakout Creator | Won | [67] |
2017 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite Social Media Star | Nominated | [68] |
Teen Choice Awards | Choice Female Web Star | Won | [69] | |
Choice Comedy Web Star | Nominated | |||
Choice YouTuber | Nominated | |||
Shorty Awards | YouTuber of the Year | Nominated | [70] | |
Streamy Awards | Creator of the Year | Nominated | [71] | |
Comedy | Won | [72] | ||
Editing | Nominated | [71] | ||
2018 | Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite Funny YouTube Creator | Won | [73] |
Shorty Awards | Creator of the Decade | Nominated | [74] | |
Teen Choice Awards | Choice Female Web Star | Won | [75] | |
Choice Comedy Web Star | Won | |||
Choice YouTuber | Won | |||
Streamy Awards | Creator of the Year | Nominated | [76] | |
Comedy Series: Liza on Demand | Won[77] | |||
Acting in a Comedy: Liza on Demand | Won[77] | |||
2019 | Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite TV Host (with Marc Summers for Double Dare) | Nominated | [78] |
People's Choice Awards | Social Star | Nominated | [79] | |
2020 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Game Show: Double Dare (as executive producer) | Nominated | [80] |
References
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- ^ Spangler, Todd. "Above Average Steers Focus to Original Comedy Series for TV, Digital Services", Variety, January 18, 2018, accessed April 12, 2018
- ^ a b c "Liza Koshy". YouTube. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Liza Koshy Too". YouTube. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
- ^ a b "The 25 Most Influential People on the Internet", Time, July 16, 2019
- ^ a b Keys, Alicia. "Liza Koshy", Time, November 13, 2019
- ^ a b "Hollywood's New Digital Disrupters: 15 Rising Crossover Stars". The Hollywood Reporter. August 24, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
- ^ Haylock, Zoë Alliyah. "Family Tree: Who Are Liza Koshy's Parents? Meet Jose and Jean Carol", J-14.com, November 20, 2017; Rubottom, Cicely. "Liza Koshy's Life in Houston Before She Got Famous Is Actually Super Relatable", Narcity Media, July 30, 2019; and Gupta Nidhi. "A peek into the life of actor, comedian and host Liza Koshy, an internet star ready to make it big", GQ India, October 20, 2019
- ^ "Liza Koshy: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. August 2017. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
- ^ 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)
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- ^ Acevedo, Angelica."Liza Koshy Returns from Yearlong YouTube Hiatus With an Ode to the 'Dollar Store' in Parody Music Video", Billboard, March 28, 2019
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- ^ "Top 10 des plus gros comptes Musical.ly du monde, l’appli préférée des collégiens", Topito.com, December 23, 2017
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- ^ Petski, Denise (May 1, 2017). "Hulu's Freakish Among Renewals Announced By Awesomeness At Newfronts". Deadline. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
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- ^ 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
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Spangler, Todd. "Liza Koshy to Star in YouTube Red Comedy Series Liza on Demand Premiering in 2018", Variety, November 17, 2017
- ^ Lloyd, Robert. "Liza On Demand review: A tough job, but some YouTube star has to do it", Los Angeles Times, June 27, 2018
- ^ Spangler, Todd. "Liza on Demand Season 2 Has YouTube’s Most-Watched Original Debut to Date", Variety, October 11, 2019
- ^ a b Gunderson, Alexis. "YouTube Original Comedy Liza on Demand Grows Up and Balls Out in an Extremely Funny (and Cameo-Filled) Season Two", Paste, October 9, 2019
- ^ Russian, Ale. "John Legend Ventures in VR with Oprah Winfrey and More in Crow: The Legend – Watch Here!", People, November 29, 2018
- ^ Takahashi, Dean. "Baobab's Crow: The Legend debuts as a free short film on Oculus and YouTube", VentureBeat, November 15, 2018, accessed November 19, 2018
- ^ Hale, James Loke. "Joey Graceffa’s Escape The Night Season 4 Trailer Teases Return of Axed Cast Members", Tubefilter.com, June 26, 2019
- ^ McNary, Dave. "Sabrina Carpenter to Star in Work It Dance Comedy",Variety, May 3, 2019, accessed July 5, 2019
- ^ Martin, Annie (July 9, 2020). "'Work It': Sabrina Carpenter dances in teaser for Netflix film". UPI. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
- ^ 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
- ^ 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.
- ^ Weiss, Geoff. "Liza Koshy Becomes First Digital Star to Appear In Vogue's '73 Questions' Series", Tubefilter.com, November 16, 2017
- ^ Allaire, Christian. "Liza Koshy Remembers Her Favorite Met Gala Moments". Vogue. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
- ^ "Met Gala – Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination at the Met 2018", Vogue, accessed May 8, 2018; and "Watch Liza Koshy Chat With All the Stars at the Top of the Met Gala Steps", Vogue, May 7, 2019
- ^ a b Moss, Kyle. "Double Dare is back and slimier than ever", Yahoo.com, June 25, 2018; 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; and Lagatta, Eric. " Nickelodeon’s Double Dare still tons of messy fun for longtime host Marc Summers", The Indiana Gazette, December 18, 2019
- ^ Neenan, Cadence. "Liza Koshy is Hosting a New Dance Show That Will Leave You Floored", Dance Spirit, April 27, 2020
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- ^ McCarthy, Ellen. "Want to raise an empowered girl? Then let her be funny.", The Washington Post, October 17, 2017
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- ^ "TAYLOR SWIFT, ARIANA GRANDE, ELLEN DEGENERES, ROBERT DOWNEY JR., SHAWN MENDES, ZENDAYA, NOAH CENTINEO, SELENA GOMEZ, JOEY KING, JACE NORMAN, JOJO SIWA, AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, RIVERDALE AND MORE WIN BIG AT NICKELODEON'S KIDS' CHOICE AWARDS 2019" (Press release). Nickelodeon. March 23, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
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External links
- Liza Koshy at IMDb
- Trailer for Liza on Demand (2018)
- 1996 births
- 21st-century American actresses
- 21st-century American comedians
- Actresses from Houston
- American actresses of Indian descent
- American game show hosts
- American television actresses
- American TikTokers
- American web series actresses
- American women comedians
- American YouTubers
- Comedy YouTubers
- Female TikTokers
- Female YouTubers
- Living people
- Streamy Award winners
- University of Houston alumni
- YouTube Diamond Play Button recipients
- YouTube Gold Play Button recipients
- American people of German descent
- YouTube Silver Play Button recipients
- YouTube vloggers
- Entertainment-related YouTube channels