Debra Wilson is an American actress and comedian. She is the longest-serving original cast member on the sketch comedy series Mad TV, having appeared on the show's first eight seasons from 1995 to 2003. As a voice actress, she has voiced various characters on television shows and video games, including Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart, Baby Shark's Big Show!, Spitting Image, Mirror's Edge Catalyst, Wolfenstein, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Halo Infinite, Diablo IV, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She also starred in the films The Summerland Project and Bodied. In 2022, Wilson started voicing Daisy Duck on Mickey Mouse Funhouse, making her the first African-American performer of the character.

Early life

Wilson was born and raised in New York City, in the neighborhood of Ozone Park, Queens, and attended the New York City High School of the Performing Arts. After graduation, she studied television and radio broadcasting at Syracuse University. She worked as a preschool teacher during the 1980s for the All Saints Church, in Sunnyside, Queens. Wilson made her television acting debut on The Apollo Comedy Hour and The Uptown Comedy Club, where she became a series regular. She co-hosted Can We Shop? with Joan Rivers. She continued her work in television working as a spokesperson for Burger King, and guest starring in New York Undercover.

Career

Mad TV

Wilson was one of the original eight cast members of Mad TV when the series aired in 1995. Wilson came to the show with a background in sketch comedy, improv, and television. Wilson was credited for creating some of the most popular recurring characters on the show. Among her characters were Latina bimbo Melina (Lida and Melina), Reality Check's Tovah McQueen, Stick Chick Autumn, Kappa Kappa Kappa sorority sister Hayden Brooks, Alexis Dubane (Prehistoric Glamazon Huntresses), blaxploitation actress Cocoa Latette (Son of Dolemite), Lowered Expectations Host and Ms. Not Nice (Jenny Jones). Perhaps her best known character was the fast talking "Black American Princess" Bunifa Latifah Halifah Sharifa Jackson. Wilson's most recognized impressions on the show were of Oprah Winfrey and Whitney Houston. She has also played Oprah or Oprah-like characters in other media, most notably Scary Movie 4 and The Proud Family. She also regularly portrayed Beyoncé Knowles, Mariah Carey, Lil' Kim, and Chris Tucker.

Television

Since her debut on MADtv, Wilson has done voice acting on episodes on numerous television shows, landing some recurring roles on such shows as Clone High, Family Guy, and did puppeteer work on The Mr. Potato Head Show. She voiced Captain Lisa Cusak in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "The Sound of Her Voice". Wilson has made numerous independent films, including Naked Angel, Jane White Is Sick and Twisted, Skin Deep, and Soulmates. She was also in an episode of Without a Trace as a doctor, and appeared three times as a working girl, Divine, in episodes of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. She and MADtv co-star Nicole Sullivan have done commercials for Pepsi's Sierra Mist. She appeared as herself on the February 15, 1999, episode of WCW Monday Nitro accompanying MADtv castmate Will Sasso in his professional wrestling match against Bret Hart. She also appeared on the UK Whose Line Is It Anyway? – Season 10, Episode 9. She was the co-host of TV Guide Channel's TV Watercooler with John Fugelsang, until she was replaced by Teresa Strasser in October 2006. She was also a co-host on GSN Live until she left in January 2010. Wilson is the announcer of the revival of the NBC game show Weakest Link hosted by Jane Lynch. In July 2022, Nickelodeon announced that Wilson would voice the character Headless Headmistress Bloodgood in the 2022 animated reboot series Monster High. As of 2022, Wilson voices Daisy Duck, replacing Tress MacNeille.

Theater

Wilson performed off-Broadway with the improvisational comedy troupe Noo Yawk Tawk directed by Richmond Shepard at The Village Gate Theater (1988–1991).

Video games

Wilson has voiced many video game characters, such as her role as Grace Walker in Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus and her role as Cere Junda in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and its sequel Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. She also appeared in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare as General Lyons. Her other video game voice work includes The Outer Worlds, Gears 5, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, Rage 2, Days Gone, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 76, and Far Cry New Dawn. She is the voice of Draka in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands. She is the voice of Savathûn in Destiny 2 and the Harbinger in Halo Infinite.

Personal life

Wilson married writer and director Cliff Skelton in April 2006. They separated in 2010 citing irreconcilable differences.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Video games

Web series

Awards and nominations