American actor, comedian, screenwriter, director, and podcaster Cathryn Rose "Casey" Wilson was born on October 24, 1980. Her first significant television roles were played by Wilson while she was a cast member of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2008 to 2009. Wilson is most recognized for her work with the Upright Citizens Brigade comedy group in New York. She portrayed Penny Hartz in the ABC comedy series Happy Endings after leaving Saturday Night Live, for which she was nominated twice for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She has since appeared in comedies like Showtime's Black Monday, Apple TV's The Shrink Next Door, Hulu's The Hotwives, and NBC's Marry Me.
Other noteworthy projects include supporting parts in movies like Gone Girl, Julie & Julia, and The Meddler; guest appearances on Mrs. Fletcher on HBO; the comedy One Mississippi on Amazon; and Atypical on Netflix; as well as her 2013 Sundance film Ass Backwards, which she co-wrote and starred in with her creative partner June Diane Raphael. Wilson and Danielle Schneider co-host the Earwolf program Bitch Sesh.
Childhood And Background
Alexandria, Virginia, is where Casey Wilson was born and reared. She graduated from T. C. Williams High School in 1998 and went on to study drama at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University as well as at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, where she received the "Excellence in Acting" award before graduating in 2002.
She was raised a Baptist and has ancestry from both Ireland and Italy. Having grown up in a "blue-state/red-state, forever-clashing political household," as she put it in an interview with the Washington Flyer, she attributes her sense of humor to her politically opposed parents (her mother was a Democrat, her father a Republican). She has a younger brother named Fletcher as well.
Paul O. Wilson, her father, is a political consultant and strategist who manages the campaigns of Republicans. Her mother, Kathy Higdon, was a supporter of women's rights and oversaw the National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) in the 1980s. The NWPC supported Walter Mondale in the 1984 presidential contest under Higdon's direction.
Following her retirement from politics in the late 1980s, Kathy Higdon Wilson embarked on a career in early childhood education. In 1991, she was appointed director of childcare and development centers in Alexandria, Virginia. In Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on September 1, 2005, she passed away from heart failure at the age of 54. The Kathy Wilson Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to Casey Wilson's mother's work in aiding children with disabilities, has since been maintained by Casey Wilson and her family.
Wilson has stated that her first memorable theatrical experience occurred when her father took her to New York City to witness a performance of Cats. This experience ignited Wilson's enthusiasm for acting and gave her the idea to write her own plays.
When Wilson was nine years old, her father constructed a makeshift stage for her in the family's garden, where she performed plays alongside neighboring kids. She then started acting and singing courses as a youngster. She got active in her high school's theater program, appearing in many of the productions there, including a The Sound of Music production in which she played the title role of Maria, as well as occasionally serving as director.
Wilson initially intended to become a dramatic actress while pursuing her acting education at the Stella Adler School of Dramatic Arts; but, at the advice of an acting professor, she changed her concentration to comedy.
Wilson and June Diane Raphael began learning improv comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York City after Wilson received her degree from NYU in 2002. They later ran their two-woman sketch performance for a number of years. Their long-running stage performance provided them many writing opportunities. They were engaged by New Regency Pictures to write the screenplay for Bride Wars after presenting their show at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in 2005. They also secured a development deal with UPN to produce a sitcom pilot.
Catherine O'Hara, Diane Keaton, Madeline Kahn, Lucille Ball, Bette Davis, Molly Shannon, Cheri Oteri, Debra Winger, and Shirley MacLaine have all been named by Wilson as having the most effect on her work.
Career
With the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (UCB) in New York and later in Los Angeles, Wilson began her career in comedy writing and performing. She participated in the Harold improv teams at UCB called "Mr. and Mrs. All-Star," "Sentimental Lady," and "Hey, Uncle Gary!"
She and her comedy partner and best friend June Diane Raphael co-wrote and performed in the popular two-woman sketch show Rode Hard and Put Away Wet, which ran from 2003 to 2006 in New York and Los Angeles and was an official selection at the US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado. This work is among her best-known from her time at UCB. After first meeting in a clowning class their first year at NYU, the two females went on to win the ECNY Award for "Best Comedy Duo" in 2005.
Since then, Wilson and Raphael's humorous collaboration has expanded to include a busy writing career in cinema and television. Their debut screenplay was co-written for the comedy Bride Wars, in which they also had supporting parts. In order to produce a half-hour comedy pilot, they signed a development deal with UPN in 2005. On CBS's Americanized production of Creature Comforts in 2007, they contributed as writers and story editors.
In the film For Your Consideration's closing scene from 2006, Wilson made her acting debut while still a student. She later appeared in Julie & Julia, C.O.G., The Breakup Girl, The Guilt Trip, Killers, The Brothers Solomon, Freak Dance, The Great Buck Howard, and the short Derek & Simon: A Bee and a Cigarette directed by Bob Odenkirk. In addition, she co-starred with Susan Sarandon in the 2016 drama The Meddler, the 2019 comedy Always Be My Maybe, and the 2014 David Fincher thriller Gone Girl.
Wilson is a regular writer and performer for the prominent humor website Funny or Die. She has written and starred in several popular films for the site, including a number of political parodies in which she portrays Callista Gingrich.
Wilson and writing partner June Diane Raphael are still working on screenplays for movies and television. They have worked on a number of script revisions for upcoming movies, including ones that will likely star Anna Faris and America Ferrera. Wilson and Raphael continue to create content for themselves in their capacity as writers and performers. Ass Backwards, a comedy starring Alicia Silverstone, Jon Cryer, Vincent D'Onofrio, Paul Scheer, and Bob Odenkirk, was written and co-starred in by the two of them. The movie had its world premiere on January 21, 2013, at the Sundance Film Festival. The Gary Sanchez Productions firm, run by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, is producing a second movie that Wilson and Raphael will both star in.
In 2010, Wilson joined the revolving cast of the Off-Broadway production of Love, Loss, and What I Wore, written by Nora and Delia Ephron, at Manhattan's Westside Theatre. She also contributed short stories to the 2010 book Worst Laid Plans, which is based on the enduring theater production in which she co-starred and in which she also co-starred. Wilson and June Diane Raphael are the creators of The Realest Real Housewives, a comedy stage production in which they also star alongside Jessica St. Clair, Melissa Rauch, Danielle Schneider, and Morgan Walsh. At the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, the performance debuted in 2011.
Wilson co-starred as Penny Hartz with Eliza Coupe, Elisha Cuthbert, Zachary Knighton, Adam Pally, and Damon Wayans, Jr. in the ABC ensemble comedy series Happy Endings from April 2011 until May 2013. Happy Endings was Wilson's breakthrough role, and for it, she received two nominations for "Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series" at the Critics' Choice Television Awards. For the pandemic-themed episode And the Pandemmy goes to... in July 2020, the cast came back together on Zoom to raise money for the nonprofit organizations Color of Change and World Central Kitchen.
On the NBC sitcom Marry Me, which aired for one season from 2014 to 2015, Wilson once more worked with her husband David Caspe (they first met while working together on Caspe's Happy Endings). The relationship between Wilson and Caspe was partially based on that of the television series, which starred Wilson and Ken Marino as an engaged pair. She has appeared for two seasons in The Hotwives, an original sitcom on Hulu. The show is a satire of Bravo's The Real Housewives reality television franchise. Both seasons featured the same actors in various roles, with season one (The Hotwives of Orlando) concentrating on Orlando and season two (The Hotwives of Las Vegas) taking place in Las Vegas.
She has made guest appearances on Black-ish, How I Met Your Mother, The Mindy Project, Drunk History, Grey's Anatomy, Fresh Off the Boat, The Kroll Show, Bored to Death, Comedy Bang! Bang!, The Middle, and The League, among other shows. Wilson has also voiced characters in the animated comedies American Dad!, Animals, Archibald's Next Big Thing, Family Guy, Glenn Martin, DDS, and The Life & Times of Tim, as As Tig Notaro's ex-girlfriend Brooke, she portrays a recurrent character in the Amazon series One Mississippi. In Tina Fey's unaired comedy pilot The Sackett Sisters for NBC from 2017, Wilson co-starred with Busy Philipps. She started as Tiffany Georgina in the comedy series Black Monday on Showtime in 2019, and she also played Jane Rosen in the HBO miniseries Mrs. Fletcher.
The 2019 short film Daddio, starring Michael McKean, was written and directed by Wilson. It had its world premiere on September 6 at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Based on the well-liked Wondery podcast of the same name, Wilson starred in the 2021 Apple TV+ miniseries The Shrink Next Door starring Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, and Kathryn Hahn. Her collection of funny essays, The Wreckage of My Presence, was also released by HarperCollins on May 4, 2021, and it debuted on the New York Times bestseller list for non-fiction books.
Weekend Live on Saturday
Wilson joined the Saturday Night Live cast in January 2008 after being hired during an audition in late 2007 to replace departing cast member Maya Rudolph. She was the first new cast member in more than two years and the first SNL cast member born in the 1980s, but she did not make her on-screen debut as a cast member until the show resumed in February 2008 as a result of the Writers Guild of America strike in 2007–2008. On Saturday Night Live, Wilson did some of the most memorable celebrity impressions, including Rachael Ray, Elizabeth Dole, Elizabeth Taylor, Ginnifer Goodwin, Katy Perry, and Jennifer Aniston. He also created original characters like Dusty Velvet, "the paralyzed stripper," and Toni Ward, co-host of "The Cougar Den." Prior to the start of the 2009–2010 season, Wilson was fired from SNL after two seasons. In response to a question about how she felt about leaving SNL, Wilson stated in an interview from October 2009: "My thinking is fantastic. I did it for one and a half years. It won't, in the end, I don't think, define my career. Additionally, I wasn't the best fit for it.
Recognizable SNL Characters
Wilson has appeared on Saturday Night Live as a number of well-known characters, including
• Dusty Velvet, a strip club dancer who, after a strange Tilt-A-Whirl accident, was rendered paraplegic from the neck down but who does not intend to quit performing her act. With Ashton Kutcher's portrayal of Donnie, the manager of the strip club, she can only execute her "erotic moves" with his help.
• Nora Maharelle, a member of the musical sister group The Maharelle Sisters, who frequently perform on The Lawrence Welk Show. Because of her off-key singing and bizarre appearance, the fourth sister, Dooneese (played by Kristen Wiig), consistently ruins their otherwise immaculate performances.
Toni Ward, one of the co-hosts of The Cougar Den, is a cougar. She stands out for her deep voice and her approaches to pursuing younger men. For Valentine's Day, she says, "I'm going to down some Jello shooters and wander around USC's campus wearing a T-shirt that says: "I'll pay you and this won't get messy," as an example.
Podcasting
The Real Housewives program from the previous night, as well as other subjects pertaining to the Bravo network and reality television, are discussed in a lighthearted manner on the Earwolf podcast Bitch Sesh, which is hosted by Wilson and comedian Danielle Schneider. Along with Retta, June Diane Raphael, Andy Cohen, Adam Pally, Jerry O'Connell, Matt Besser, Vanessa Bayer, Michael Rapaport, Elisha Cuthbert, Kristen Wiig, Michelle Collins, and Andy Cohen have all appeared as guests. The show was first introduced by Paul Scheer on his podcast How Did This Get Made? He also published a special preview episode, referring to it as a "sister podcast" to his program that will analyze reality television rather than movies. Bitch Sesh was rated highly on several podcast "Best Of" lists by entertainment blogs like Vulture, Entertainment Weekly, and The A.V. Club. She served as the host of Wondery's Fed Up podcast in 2022, which focused on the F-Factor diet.
Individual Lives
Wilson, who resides in Los Angeles, is wed to comedian David Caspe. She attended his ABC series Happy Endings auditions at the beginning of 2010, where they first connected. They began dating in July 2011 after having worked together on the show for more than a year. They got married in Ojai, California, on May 25, 2014, after becoming engaged over Labor Day weekend in September 2013. Max Red Caspe and Henry Bear Caspe, their two kids, were born in May 2015 and August 24, 2017, respectively. Her son Max was identified as having celiac disease, an immunological condition that affects the small intestine, when he was four years old. Frances 'Frankie' Rose Caspe, Casey's daughter, was born via surrogate in January 2023.
Wilson shares the political interests of her family. She volunteered on Hillary Clinton's campaign and supported her throughout the 2008 presidential election. Along with the Clintons, she traveled the Midwest, speaking at and introducing Hillary and Bill Clinton at political rallies in Indiana and Iowa.
The philanthropic Kathy Wilson Foundation, which was started in 2005 and focuses on children with disabilities, is run by Wilson and her family. The foundation conducts disability screenings for three- and four-year-olds in the Alexandria neighborhood. Paul Wilson, her father, is the president; Wilson and Fletcher, her brother, are the vice presidents. Every year, the organization gives grants and donations to Virginia's neighborhood preschools and childcare facilities.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
2003 | Virgin | Girlfriend | |
2006 | Derek & Simon: A Bee and a Cigarette | Anna | Short film |
2006 | For Your Consideration | Young Actress | |
2007 | The Brothers Solomon | Fertility Clinic Worker | |
2007 | The Definition of Sex | Abigail “Abby” | Short film |
2008 | The Great Buck Howard | Charity | |
2009 | Bride Wars | Stacey Kindred | Also screenwriter |
2009 | Julie & Julia | Regina | |
2010 | Killers | Kristen | |
2011 | Freak Dance | Rich Lady | |
2012 | The Guilt Trip | Amanda | |
2013 | C.O.G. | Martha | |
2013 | Ass Backwards | Chloë West | Also screenwriter, executive producer |
2014 | Jason Nash Is Married | Rose | |
2014 | Gone Girl | Noëlle Hawthorne | |
2015 | The Breakup Girl | Catherine “Kate” Lanley | |
2015 | Bad Night | Tattoo Artist | |
2016 | Me Him Her | Cynthia | |
2016 | The Meddler | Patricia “Trish” | |
2016 | Why Him? | Missy Pederman | |
2017 | Don't Mess with Julie Whitfield | Julie Whitfield | Short film |
2017 | The Disaster Artist | Casting Director #2 | |
2018 | The Long Dumb Road | Sharon Richards | |
2019 | Always Be My Maybe | Chloë | |
2019 | Daddio | Abigail "Abby" | Short film; also director and screenwriter |
2020 | Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia | TBA | |
2021 | Long Weekend | Rachel | |
2022 | Family Squares | Katie Worth | Also J & K Camera Operator |
2022 | The Listener | (voice) |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
2002 | Ed | Student | Episode: "Memory Lane" |
2005 | Sports Central | Correspondent | Comedy Central pilot |
2007 | Creature Comforts America | Interviewer (voice) | Episode: "Working/For the Birds/Love, Animal Style" |
Human Giant | Young Mom | Episode: "Let's Go" | |
Revenge | Sarah | FOX sitcom pilot | |
The Right Now! Show | Cast Member | FOX sketch show pilot | |
The Very Funny Show | Cast Member | TBS sketch comedy web series | |
2008–09 | Saturday Night Live | Cast Member | 30 episodes (2 seasons) |
2008 | Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday | Various | 2 episodes |
2009 | Late Night with Jimmy Fallon | Neighbor Lady ("Pie Sniffer" sketch) | Episode #1.26 |
2010 | Glenn Martin, DDS | Various voices | 2 episodes |
The Life & Times of Tim | Various voices | 2 episodes | |
2011 | Bored to Death | Patti Stevenson | Episode: "Two Large Pearls and a Bar of Gold" |
NTSF:SD:SUV:: | Ghost Gabber | Episode: "One Cabeza, Two Cabeza, Three Cabeza... Dead!" | |
Retired at 35 | Amy Robbins | Episode: "Pilot" | |
2011–13 | Happy Endings | Penny Hartz | Main role, 57 episodes |
2012 | Chelsea Lately | Guest host | Episode #6.184 |
First Dates with Toby Harris | Naomi | Episode: "Drinking" | |
Happy Endings: Happy Rides | Penny Hartz | Web series | |
2012–13 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Herself / Eugenia Clemente | 2 episodes |
2013 | Burning Love | Aunt Pam (voice) | 4 episodes |
How I Met Your Mother | Krirsten | Episode: "Something New" | |
The Jeselnik Offensive | Panelist | Episode: "Adam Pally and Casey Wilson" | |
Aqua Teen Hunger Force | Freda (voice) | Episode: "Freda" | |
Filthy Sexy Teen$ | Meg Berg | Adult Swim TV special | |
The Millers | Beth | Episode: "The Talk" | |
2013–14 | Drunk History | Dolly Parton / Dolley Madison | 2 episodes |
2014 | The Middle | Reverend Tammy | Episode: "Stormy Moon" |
The Birthday Boys | Officer Jill Vickers | Episode: "Women Are Funny" | |
2014–15 | Marry Me | Annie Fletcher | Main role, 18 episodes |
The Hotwives | Tawny St. John / JenferBeudon | Main role, 14 episodes | |
2015 | Kroll Show | Genie | 2 episodes |
Turbo FAST | Ember (voice) | Episode: "Crow Pox/Faking Amends" | |
The League | Claire | Episode: "The Block" | |
2015–16 | One Mississippi | Brooke | Recurring; 3 episodes |
2015–21 | American Dad! | Trish / various voices | 9 episodes |
2016 | Grey's Anatomy | Courtney Hall | Episode: "Odd Man Out" |
Fresh Off the Boat | Helen | Episode: "Doing It Right" | |
Animals. | Queen Ant (voice) | Episode: "Squirrels Part II" | |
Hail Mary | Mary Wolf | ABC sitcom pilot | |
Littlest Pet Shop | Felina Meow (voice) | 2 episodes | |
Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ | Jen | Episode: "Victoria Awakens" | |
2017 | Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special | Herself | Variety special |
Throwing Shade | Sally Baker | Episode #1.1 | |
Drive Share | Paisley | Episode: "New Parents" | |
Black-ish | Patrice | Episode: "ToysRn'tUs" | |
The Mindy Project | Elena | Episode: "Mindy's Best Friend" | |
The Sackett Sisters | Sutton Sackett | NBC sitcom pilot | |
Curb Your Enthusiasm | Marie Deschamps / Jenny Johnson | Episode: "Fatwa!" | |
2018–19 | Family Guy | Jess Schlotz / Dottie / various voices | 4 episodes |
2018 | Heathers | Lexi Anne | 2 episodes |
Atypical | Ms. Whitaker | 6 episodes | |
Champaign ILL | Jen | Episode: "Loop De Loop Fastballs" | |
2019 | Mrs. Fletcher | Jane Rosen | Recurring role |
2019–present | Archibald's Next Big Thing | Wendi Powers (voice) | 11 episodes |
2019–21 | Black Monday | Tiffany Georgina | Main role, 24 episodes |
2020 | Delilah | Margaret Childs-Austin | HBO Max pilot |
Katy Keene | Casey Wilson | Episode: "Chapter Eleven: Who Can I Turn To?" | |
2020–22 | Grace and Frankie | TanethFairlight | 2 episodes |
2021 | Solar Opposites | Jen, Stacey Grabowski (voice) | Episode: "The Rad Awesome Terrific Ray" |
The Shrink Next Door | Bonnie Herschkopf | Main role, 8 episodes | |
2022 | Human Resources | Empathy Mulholland (voice) | Episode: "Training Day" |
Better Things | Yancey | Episode: "Jesus Saves" | |
Home Economics | Harmony | 2 episodes | |
The Santa Clauses | Adult Sara | Episode: "Chapter One: Good to Ho" | |
2023 | Harley Quinn | Betty (voice) | Episode: "A Very Problematic Valentine's Day Special" |
2023 | History of the World, Part II | white Mother Mary | Episode 8 |
Discography
Podcast
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
2009–2018 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Herself | 8 episodes |
2010–2019 | How Did This Get Made? | Herself | 4 episodes |
2015–present | Bitch Sesh | Co-host | |
2017 | With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus | Tracy | 1 episode |
2017–2018 | Womp It Up! | Marissa Willard | 2 episodes |
2022 | Fed Up | Host | 6 episodes |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
2005 | ECNY Award | Best Comedy Duo (with June Diane Raphael) | Rode Hard and Put Away Wet | Won |
2012 | Critics' Choice Television Award | Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Happy Endings | Nominated |
Teen Choice Award | Choice TV Award for TV Female Scene Stealer | Happy Endings | Nominated | |
2013 | Critics' Choice Television Award | Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Happy Endings | Nominated |
Quick Bio
Gender | Female |
Age | 42 years old (in 2023) |
Date of Birth | October 24, 1980 |
Full Name | Casey Wilson |
Profession | Actress |
Nationality | American |
Birthplace | Alexandria, Virginia, United States |
Religion | Baptist |
Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
Qualification | High School Graduated |
Profession | Actress |
Net Worth | USD $2 Million approx |
Height, Weight & Physical Stats
Body Measurements | 34-28-36 inches |
Bodytype | Slim |
Height | 5 feet 8 inches (1.72 m) |
Weight | 62 kg (136 lbs) |
Waist | 28 inches |
Hair Color | Dark Brown |
Eye Color | Blue |
Shoe Size | 8 (US) |
Dress Size | 6 (US) |
Family & Relatives
Father | Paul O. Wilson |
Mother | Kathleen Anne Wilson |
Brother | Fletcher Todd Wilson |
Marital Status | Married |
Husband | David Caspe (m. 2014) |
No. of Children | 2 |
Son | Henry Bear Caspe, Max Red Caspe |
Facts