Jameela Jamil

Jameela Jamil, also known as "Jam-Jam," was a British TV presenter and actress who broke out in the United States in 2016 when she joined the cast of the NBC sitcom "The Good Place" (NBC, 2016-). Born and raised in the Hampstead region of London to an Indian father and English mother, Jamil had a relatively normal childhood. An unforeseen tragedy struck her at the age of 17, however, when a car hit her. Jamil broke nearly every bone in her body, and was subsequently laid up for nearly a year and a half. During that time, Jamil was largely bedridden while recovering. Even worse, doctors told Jamil she would never walk again, which propelled her to prove them wrong. She spent several months re-learning how to walk. Once back on her feet, Jamil took a job teaching English to foreign students. She thoroughly enjoyed the work, and had every intention on making it her long-term career. But, as luck would have it, one day she saw a newspaper advertisement calling for TV presenters for Britain's Channel 4. Jamil sent in an audition tape and, much to her astonishment, was hired. Before long she was one of Britain's most recognizable TV presenters, hosting the celebrity interview show "T4" (Channel 4, 1998-2010) from 2009 to 2012. After leaving "T4" in 2012, Jamil later dabbled in the fashion industry, launching her own clothing line, and also worked as a DJ in England. However, Jamil longed for more, and in the mid-2010s she moved to America to become a comedy writer. She was quickly picked up by a Hollywood-based management company and despite having never acted, was cast in a major NBC sitcom in 2016. The series, "The Good Place," starred Kristen Bell and Ted Danson and featured Jamil as the seemingly perfect next-door neighbor Tahani. The show premiered in the Fall of 2016 on NBC.