Alia Shawkat

About Alia Shawkat

Alia Shawkat, whose name is pronounced AL-ley-uh SHOW-cot, was born Alia Martine Shawkat on April 18, 1989. She is an American artist recognized for her work in acting, directing, voice performance, and production. Her notable performances include portraying Hannah Rayburn in the Fox comedy-drama series State of Grace, Mae "Maeby" Fünke in the sitcom Arrested Development, which aired on Fox and later Netflix, and Dory Sief in the comedy series Search Party for TBS and HBO Max. She also appeared as Fiona Forster in the 2013 comedy film The To Do List and Gertie Michaels in the 2015 horror-comedy The Final Girls. Shawkat has made guest appearances on Comedy Central's Drunk History as historical figures like Frances Cleveland, Virginia Hall, and Alexander Hamilton. Her other film and television credits include Bella in Pee-wee's Big Holiday, Diana Riggs in Prom Wars, Robin in The Starter Wife, Lila in Transparent, Mad Madge in Damsels in Distress, and Tyler in Animals.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Shawkat finds fulfillment in singing, drawing, and painting. She occasionally performs jazz standards in clubs, having learned many from her grandfather. At one point, she explored welding with the ambition of creating metal sculptures. Shawkat views engagement with various art forms as crucial to her creative process, explaining that they are interconnected and essential for her acting career. She identifies as bisexual. On November 15, 2023, Alia Shawkat welcomed her first child.