Larry Wilmore was born in the vibrant city of Los Angeles and spent his formative years growing up in the suburban town of Pomona. He graduated from Damien High School in La Verne in 1979, marking the beginning of his educational journey. Wilmore's thirst for knowledge led him to California State Polytechnic University, where he studied theatre, but he ultimately decided to drop out to pursue his passion for stand-up comedy and obtain his Actors' Equity Association card.
Wilmore's early career in acting spanned the 1980s, with notable appearances on shows like The Facts of Life (1979) and Sledge Hammer! (1986). However, he was often miscast in these roles. Undeterred, Wilmore shifted his focus to behind-the-scenes work, starting as a writer on Into the Night (1990). He also contributed to the writing teams of In Living Color (1990) and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990).
In the late 1990s, Wilmore co-created and produced The PJs (1999),a prime-time animated series, alongside Eddie Murphy and Steve Tompkins. He also created and executive produced The Bernie Mac Show (2001),earning an Emmy for his writing work. Wilmore's impressive resume continued to grow, as he executive produced Whoopi (2003),a sitcom developed by Whoopi Goldberg, and served as a consulting producer on the first three seasons of The Office (2005).
In 2006, Wilmore joined Comedy Central's The Daily Show (1996) as the Senior Black Correspondent, a role that showcased his wit and comedic talents. He has since appeared in numerous TV shows, including Mr. Brown, a diversity consultant on The Office (2005),Dr. Roland on Accidentally on Purpose (2009),The Boss on Love Bites (2011),Mr. Forristal on Happy Endings (2011),and the voice of Principal Larry on Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero (2014). Wilmore has also appeared in several films, including I Love You, Man (2009),Dinner for Schmucks (2010),Vamps (2012),and Date and Switch (2014).
Following Stephen Colbert's departure from Comedy Central and The Colbert Report (2005),Wilmore was announced as the host of the new show, titled The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore (2015). Since the show's inception in 2015, Wilmore has served as host, executive producer, and writer. In 2016, he hosted the prestigious 2016 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. Wilmore's literary endeavors include the publication of his political humor book, "I'd Rather We Got Casinos: And Other Black Thoughts", in 2009.
