Jayma Mays
Jamia Suzette "Jayma" Mays (born July 16, 1979)[1] is an American actress. She is known for playing Emma Pillsbury in the Fox musical series Glee (2009–2015) and for her starring roles in the films Red Eye (2005), Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009) and The Smurfs (2011). She is also known for portraying Debbie in the sitcom The Millers (2013–2014) and her recurring role as Charlie Andrews on the NBC sci-fi series Heroes (2006–2010). Mays starred as prosecutor Carol Anne Keane in the NBC sitcom Trial & Error (2017–2018).
Jayma Mays | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) Mays in 2010 at the 67th Golden Globe Awards | |
| Born | Jamia Suzette Mays July 16, 1979 Bristol, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Radford University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 1 |
Early life
Mays was born in Bristol, Tennessee,[1] and raised in Grundy, Virginia, the daughter of Susan Paulette (née Norris) and James Edwin Mays, a high school teacher who also worked in the coal mining industry.[1][2] At age 15, she was offered a job working on the local radio station reading the obituaries. After graduating from Grundy High School, she earned an associate degree from Southwest Virginia Community College. Mays then attended Virginia Tech for a year before transferring to Radford University.[1]
Career
In 2004, Mays made her first television appearance on Joey. The following year, she made her feature film debut with a supporting role in Red Eye. Mays' other credits include Six Feet Under, Stacked, How I Met Your Mother, Heroes, Pushing Daisies, The Comeback, Entourage, Ghost Whisperer, and Ugly Betty.[3]
Mays appeared in other movies, such as Bar Starz, Flags of Our Fathers and Blind Guy Driving. She starred in the spoof film Epic Movie and as Amy in Paul Blart: Mall Cop. She was a patient on House in the episode "Sleeping Dogs Lie" in 2006.[3]
Mays has played the love interest of a character played by Masi Oka in two different roles: Charlie Andrews on Heroes and Nina in the direct-to-DVD film Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd: Out of Control. She has also been cast as a love interest twice for Glee co-star Matthew Morrison; in an unaired TV show called Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office, and as mysophobic guidance counsellor Emma Pillsbury on the Fox show Glee, which premiered on May 19, 2009. She was part of the main cast of Glee for the first three seasons, then was made a guest star in seasons four, five, and six. She has also performed musical numbers on Glee including her solo performance of "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a Touch Me" from The Rocky Horror Show during the themed episode "The Rocky Horror Glee Show"; which was also the song she had sung for her audition for the role. In March 2010, Mays played Grace Winslow, the female lead in the live-action/animated film adaptation of The Smurfs.[3][4] She also played the role of Charlotte, Henry Grubstick's ex-girlfriend on Ugly Betty.[3] In August 2014, Mays helped to raise awareness of the disease ALS by participating in the Ice Bucket Challenge.[5] She also appeared in the music video for Switchfoot's single "Awakening".
From 2017–2018, Mays starred in the NBC crime anthology comedy Trial & Error as prosecutor Carol Anne Keane. She also appeared in a 2018 episode of Great News as Cat, the girlfriend of Greg, played by Mays's husband Adam Campbell.
Personal life
Mays met her husband Adam Campbell on the set of Epic Movie in 2006. She gave birth to their son, Jude Jones, in August 2016.[6]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Red Eye | Cynthia | |
| 2006 | Blind Dating | Mandy | |
| Flags of Our Fathers | Nurse in Hawaii | ||
| 2007 | Smiley Face | Actress in Waiting Room | |
| Epic Movie | Lucy Pervertski | ||
| Bar Starz | Tiffany | ||
| 2008 | Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd: Out of Control | Nina | |
| Night Hikers | Skellen | Short film | |
| 2009 | Paul Blart: Mall Cop | Amy Anderson | |
| 2011 | The Smurfs | Grace Winslow | |
| 2013 | Bananas | Narrator | Short film |
| The Smurfs 2 | Grace Winslow | Nominated – Kids' Choice Awards – Favorite Movie Actress (2014) | |
| 2014 | Awkward Expressions of Love | Liz | Short film |
| Last Weekend | Blake Curtis | ||
| 2015 | Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attendant | April Farnekowski | |
| Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 | Amy Blart-Anderson | Cameo | |
| 2017 | American Made | Dana Sibota | |
| 2020 | Little Willy | Mrs. Caruthers | Short film |
| Bill & Ted Face the Music | Princess Joanna |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Joey | Molly | Episode: "Joey and the Party" |
| 2005 | The Comeback | Sales Girl | Episode: "Valerie Demands Dignity" |
| Six Feet Under | Donna | Episode: "The Rainbow of Her Reasons" | |
| Stacked | Brenda | Episode: "Nobody Says I Love You" | |
| 2005, 2013 | How I Met Your Mother | Coat Check Girl | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | If You Lived Here, You'd Be Home Now | Sandra | Pilot (unaired) |
| 30 Even Scarier Movie Moments | Herself | Miniseries | |
| House | Hannah | Episode: "Sleeping Dogs Lie" | |
| Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip | Daphne | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| Entourage | Jen | Episode: "Sorry, Ari" | |
| 2006–2010 | Heroes | Charlie Andrews | Recurring role; 5 episodes |
| 2007 | Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office | Angela | Pilot (unaired) |
| 2007–2008 | Ugly Betty | Charlie | Recurring role; 8 episodes |
| 2007 | Ghost Whisperer | Jennifer Billings | Episode: "The Underneath" |
| Pushing Daisies | Elsita / Elsa | Episode: "Pigeon" | |
| 2008–2019 | Drunk History | Annabelle / Abigail Adams / Marjory Stoneman Douglas / Florence Schaffner | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 2008 | Back to You | Shelley Ken | Episode: "Date Night" |
| 2009–2015 | Glee | Emma Pillsbury | Main role (seasons 1–3); recurring (season 4–6) Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2010) Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2011–13) |
| 2012–2014 | The League | Trixie Von Stein | Recurring role; 6 episodes |
| 2013–2015 | The Millers | Debbie | Main role; 34 episodes |
| 2014–2015 | Getting On | Suzi Sasso | 4 episodes |
| 2015–2018 | The Adventures of Puss in Boots | Dulcinea | Main role; voice role |
| 2015 | Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp | Jessica | 2 episodes |
| 2017–2018 | Trial & Error | Carol Anne Keane | Main role |
| 2018 | Great News | Cat | Episode: "Catfight" |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "Awakening" | Switchfoot |
References
- Tennis, Joe (March 2, 2009). "Living A Hollywood Dream". Bristol Herald Courier, A! Magazine for the Arts. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved October 27, 2010.
- Mays' family genealogy site, accessed August 19, 2014.
- Jayma Mays at IMDb
- Kit, Borys (March 17, 2010). "Glee's Jayma Mays cast in 'Smurfs'". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
- Benign Ginger (August 20, 2014). "Jayma Mays Ice Bucket". Archived from the original on January 17, 2019. Retrieved October 6, 2018 – via YouTube.
- "Glee's Jayma Mays Welcomes a Son With Husband Adam Campbell". November 6, 2016. Archived from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
