| Anjelah Johnson-Reyes | |
| Birth Place: | San Jose, California, U.S. |
| Medium: | Stand-up, television, film |
| Genre: | Observational comedy, surreal humor, satire |
| Subject: | Latin American culture, everyday life, sports, gender differences |
| Active: | 2006–present |
| Children: | 1 |
Anjelah Johnson-Reyes is an American actress, stand-up comedian, and former NFL cheerleader. Johnson was a cast member on the series MADtv during its 13th season. Her characters included a Vietnamese nail salon employee named Mỹ Linh/Tammy and a rude fast food employee turned music star named Bon Qui Qui (the latter of which has become popular outside of Johnson's short stint on MADtv).
She became a cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders after being inducted in 2002. As a member of the Oakland Raiderettes, she was named Rookie of the Year and performed at Super Bowl XXXVII. Johnson subsequently moved to Los Angeles in 2005 to pursue a career in comedy after a friend suggested that she join a joke-writing class.[1] She took improv classes,[1] and quickly began to headline her own shows. Her stand-up routine, comprising her impression of a Vietnamese nail salon employee, received a lot of attention on YouTube.[1]
In 2007, Johnson joined the cast of sketch comedy show MADtv as a featured performer. Due to the impending writers strike, Johnson was often given only a few lines in the scripts during her tenure, as the writers had to produce more scripts at a faster pace.[1] However, her self-scripted character Bon Qui Qui, a fast-food employee who treats customers rudely, was received well and gained a similarly large YouTube following.[1] In 2008, Johnson was nominated for an ALMA Award for Outstanding Female Performance in a Comedy Television Series for her work on MADtv. In 2013, Johnson reprised her role as her MADtv character Bon Qui Qui for a skit released by Alexander Wang.
Johnson was given her own one-hour Comedy Central special, Anjelah Johnson: That's How We Do It, in 2009.[2] She also appeared in the films and Our Family Wedding, and provided her voice for the live-action adaptation of Marmaduke.[3] As well, she was featured on the late night talk show Lopez Tonight, hosted by George Lopez. Johnson became the "TC Girl", a spokesperson for Mexican restaurant Taco Cabana, in 2011.[4]
Johnson's second stand-up comedy special titled Homecoming Show followed and premiered on Netflix. It was filmed in San Jose, California.[5] On October 1, 2015, Johnson's third stand-up special, titled Anjelah Johnson: Not Fancy, was released on Netflix. It was filmed in southern California.
Johnson was born and raised in San Jose, California, in a devout Christian family and remains a Christian.[6] She is of Mexican and Native American descent.[7] She was a Pop Warner cheerleader from the age of 8 and was active in soccer, softball, and track;[8] she also practiced hip hop and break dancing.[8] She began acting as a senior in high school and was especially interested in imitating different accents.[8] She later studied speech communications at De Anza College.[8] [9]
Johnson married musician Manwell Reyes of Group 1 Crew on June 11, 2011, in Half Moon Bay, California.[10] Previously, she stated the couple did not want children of their own, although they enjoy spending time with their nieces and nephews.[11] On December 29, 2022 the couple announced they were expecting a baby in 2023.[12] Johnson gave birth to the couple's daughter Rosalie Harlow Reyes on June 14, 2023.[13]
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| The Box | ||
| Julie Ortega | ||
| Our Family Wedding | Isabel | |
| That's How We Do It! | Herself | |
| Marmaduke | Afghan #2 (voice) | |
| Enough Said | Cathy | |
| Moms' Night Out | Restaurant Hostess | |
| The Book of Life | Adelita / Nina (voice) | |
| The Resurrection of Gavin Stone | Kelly Richardson | |
| The Opening Act | ||
| Candy Cane Lane | Shelly | |
| Year | Title | Role | Total episodes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Love, Inc. | Female Client | 1 | ||
| On the Up | Herself | |||
| MADtv | Various characters | 4 | ||
| Untitled Dave Caplan Pilot | Maria | |||
| The Movie Preview Awards | Herself | |||
| Comedy Central | Herself | |||
| Ugly Betty | Wendy | |||
| Lopez Tonight | Herself | |||
| Curb Your Enthusiasm | Mimi | |||
| MADtv 20th Anniversary Reunion | Bon Qui Qui | |||
| Have You Been Paying Attention? | Herself | 1 | ||
| Superstore | Robin Green | 1 | ||
| The Real Dirty Dancing (American TV series) | Herself | 4 | ||
| Hell's Kitchen | Herself | Episode: "Just Bring the DARN Fish!" |
As Bon Qui Qui:
As Bon Qui Qui:
As Bon Qui Qui:
| Title | Year | Director | |
|---|---|---|---|
| "I'm a Cut You" | 2012 | DG | |
| "No Boyfren" (featuring Tammy) | 2013 | ||
| "This Is How We Do It" (Benefit remix) | 2014 | Randal Kirk II | |
| "Shut Us Down" | 2016 | Diego Contreras |
| Year | Association | Award category | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Rookie of the Year | Won | ||
| 2008 | Outstanding Female Performance | Nominated |