| Esther Povitsky | |
| Birth Date: | 2 March 1988 |
| Birth Place: | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Alias: | Little Esther |
| Years Active: | 2008–present |
| Known For: | Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Alone Together |
| Education: | University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign |
| Children: | 1 |
Esther Povitsky (born March 2, 1988),[1] [2] for a time known by the stage name "Little Esther," is an American stand-up comedian, actress, writer, and producer. Povitsky, from Chicago, is the co-creator and star of the comedy series Alone Together (2018); she starred as Izzy in the Hulu series Dollface. Her debut comedy special, Hot for My Name, premiered on Comedy Central on July 17, 2020.
Povitsky was born in Chicago[3] to Mary and Morrie Povitsky.[4] Her father is of Russian-Jewish descent and her mother is a Christian and of Finnish descent.[5] [6] Her mother worked as an administrative assistant for the Youth Services of Glenview/Northbrook.[7] She has one older half-sister from her mother's first marriage.[8] Esther grew up in the Chicago suburb of Skokie;[9] she graduated there from Niles North High School in 2006.
After high school, Esther Povitsky attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign for three years before she dropped out to pursue a career in stand-up comedy and acting.[10] "I was really unhappy at my school," Povitsky recalled. "A lot of people were in sororities and a lot of people drank all the time, and I wasn't into either of those things, so I really did not feel like I fit in."[11]
She then studied comedy at iO Chicago and The Second City in Chicago before moving to Los Angeles, where she took classes with The Groundlings.[12] She has performed regularly at The Comedy Store, The Ice House, and The Improv which are all in southern California .[13] [14]
Povitsky had a recurring role, starring as Maya on the series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend from 2016 until 2019. Other television appearances include Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Love, and Parks and Recreation. She was in the semifinals of 2015's Last Comic Standing (season 9).[15]
Povitsky was the first female guest to appear on The Joe Rogan Experience; she began podcasting with Deathsquad.tv regularly after that. She hosted Little Esther's Piecast[16] and was the former co-host of Brode & Esther with fellow comedian Brody Stevens.[17] She was the host of Weird Adults with Little Esther[18] and along with Caroline Goldfarb, co-hosts Glowing Up, a makeup and beauty-themed podcast.[19] She often appears as a guest on Deathsquad.tv's Ice House Chronicles.[20]
In 2012, Povitsky turned down an offer from MTV to do a reality show based on her life as a comedian because she felt the series would be too invasive.[21] [22]
See main article: Alone Together (TV series). In 2015, Povitsky wrote, starred in, and produced the short film Alone Together. Later the short was adapted into a pilot for Freeform and produced by The Lonely Island.[23] In December 2016, the pilot was picked up to series.[24] In October 2017, Freeform renewed the series for a second season ahead of its January 2018 debut,[25] however the series was canceled after its second season in 2019.[11]
On July 17, 2020, Povitsky's debut comedy special, Hot for My Name, was released through Comedy Central.[26]
Povitsky has her own fashion brand, "Sleepover by Esther"; she advertises it on Instagram.[27] She regularly advertises her brand on the Trash Tuesday podcast and often posts herself on Instagram modeling her brand's clothing.[27]
Povitsky is engaged to comedy writer Dave King;[28] they welcomed their first child, a daughter, in March 2024.[29]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Teen Model | Uncredited | |||
| 2010 | April | Val Monroe | Short film | ||
| 2011 | All in All | Nicole | Short film | ||
| 2011 | The Eater | Sandy | Short film | ||
| 2014 | My Daughter's Boyfriend | Sara Martinson | Short film | ||
| 2015 | Alone Together | Esther | Short film | ||
| 2015 | What a Nice Party | Short film | |||
| 2016 | Worst Birthday | Short film | |||
| 2018 | Dude | Alicia | |||
| 2021 | Mark, Mary & Some Other People | Esther | |||
| 2021 | Home Sweet Home Alone | Daisy Breckin | |||
| 2024 | Drugstore June | June | Also co-writer and executive producer | ||
| TBA | Lost & Found in Cleveland | Completed |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–2011 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Little sister / Bristol Palin / Jimmy's Sister | Guest role; 3 episodes | ||
| 2011 | New Girl | Krystal | Episode: "Bells" | ||
| 2012 | Daddy Knows Best | Babysitter | Episode: "The Babysitter" | ||
| 2013 | Parks and Recreation | Julie | Episode: "Swing Vote" | ||
| 2013 | Herself | Recurring role; 3 episodes | |||
| 2013 | Adam Devine's House Party | Herself | Episode: "Space Jump II" | [30] | |
| 2014 | Talking Marriage with Ryan Bailey | Herself | Episode: "Comedians in Car Ports" | ||
| 2014 | Esther With Hot Chicks | Herself | Web series (3 episode run for MTV) | ||
| 2014 | Pound House | Phone Girl | Recurring role; 2 episodes | ||
| 2014 | Hope and Randy | Hope | Television mini-series | ||
| 2014 | Key & Peele | Cassie | Episode: "Alien Impostors" | ||
| 2014 | Six Guys One Car | Pawn Shop Girl | Recurring role; 2 episodes | ||
| 2015 | Comics Unleashed | Herself | Guest appearance | ||
| 2015 | Difficult People | Cissy Donato | Episode: "The Children's Menu" | ||
| 2015 | Candidly Nicole | Herself | Episode: "Ex-Girlfriend" | ||
| 2015–2017 | Cocktales with Little Esther | Herself | Web series; host | ||
| 2015–2016 | @midnight | Herself | Guest appearance; 4 episodes | ||
| 2016 | Workaholics | Jordana | Episode: "Save the Cat" | ||
| 2016 | Lady Dynamite | Kristy Coombs | Episode: "Loaf Coach" | ||
| 2016 | The Amazing Gayl Pile | Jenny | Recurring role; 3 episodes | ||
| 2016 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Emily | Episode: "Coral Palms: Part 2" | ||
| 2016 | Not Safe with Nikki Glaser | Herself | Episode: "I'm the Boat" | ||
| 2016–2018 | Love | Alexis | Guest role; 3 episodes | ||
| 2016–2019 | Crazy Ex-Girlfriend | Maya | Recurring role; 19 episodes | ||
| 2018 | Alone Together | Esther | Main role; 20 episodes; also co-creator, writer, executive producer | ||
| 2018 | data-sort-value="Story of Our Times" | The Story of our Times | Candace | Television film | |
| 2019 | Shrill | Kayla | Episode: "Pencil" | ||
| 2019–2022 | Dollface | Izzy | Main role | ||
| 2021 | iCarly | Brooke | Episode: "iTake a Girls Trip"; also writer | ||
| 2022 | Reboot | Marcy | Episode: "What We Do in the Shadows" | ||
| Year | Title | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–2014 | Brode & Esther | Co-hosted with Brody Stevens | ||
| 2012–2017 | Weird Adults with Little Esther | Interview-style podcast | [31] [32] | |
| 2017–present | Glowing Up | Beauty and lifestyle-themed podcast; co-hosted with Caroline Goldfarb | [33] | |
| 2020–present | My Pleasure (formerly Esther Club) | Solo podcast | [34] | |
| 2021–present | Trash Tuesday (formerly Bloodbath) | Co-hosted with Annie Lederman and Khalyla Kuhn | [35] | |
| 2021 | Edith! | Plays Trudie Grayson |