Introduction
Maria Lennon Parham (born October 26, 1976) is an American actress and improvisational comedian from the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. With frequent collaborator Jessica St. Clair, she created and co-starred in NBC's Best Friends Forever and USA Network's Playing House. She also co-starred in the CBS sitcom Accidentally on Purpose from 2009 to 2010.
Early life
Parham was born in Marietta, Georgia. She attended Parkview High School in Lilburn, Georgia, and graduated with a B.S. Degree in Theatre from the University of Evansville. Following college, she taught French for two years at T. L. Weston High School in Greenville, Mississippi, as part of the Teach For America program.
Career
After her stint as a French teacher, Parham began performing comedy with the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. During this time, she starred in the two-person show, The Adventures of Lock & Kay, and the one-woman show, She Tried to be Normal. In the fall of 2009, Parham began a supporting role in the comedy Accidentally on Purpose.
Parham and frequent collaborator Jessica St. Clair created and starred in the NBC comedy Best Friends Forever, which ran for one season in 2012. Their second sitcom, Playing House, premiered on USA on April 29, 2014 and lasted three seasons. In 2015, Parham and St. Clair spun-off their Comedy Bang! Bang! characters Wompler and Listler for a new Earwolf podcast called WOMP It Up!, with St. Clair as host Marissa Wompler and Parham co-hosting as Marissa's teacher Charlotte Listler. Frequent guests on the podcast include Brian Huskey as Marissa's stepdad "Seth" and Jason Mantzoukas as Marissa's former flame Eric "Gutterballs" Gutterman.
Parham has made appearances on television programs such as Veep, Parks and Recreation, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Bad Judge, Arrested Development, Review and Mad Men. Her notable work in film includes Confessions of a Shopaholic, Splinterheads, and Horrible Bosses 2.
Personal life
Parham is married to Javier Guzman. Their daughter Saraya was born on April 21, 2013. Their second child was born in October 2016.