Amita Rao

Amita Rao
Born (1998-09-09) September 9, 1998
EducationVirginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts
OccupationsComedian, actress and writer
Years active2020s–present

Amita Rao (born September 9, 1998) is an American comedian, actress and writer.[1]

Early life and education

Rao grew up in Centreville, Virginia. She attended Virginia Tech and transferred to Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts (VCU).[2]

At VCU, she met Chelsea Matkins. Rao and Matkins co-founded Gag Reflex, a sketch comedy and improv group, with two other students. The group performed No Shame at the Shafer Alliance Laboratory Theatre (SALT)'s monthly variety show. Matkins brought Rao on to keep Gag Reflex going after existing members graduated and moved away. The duo participated in a slew of improv groups in addition to Gag Reflex at VCU, including Running AMok, Blue Collard Greens, and Toxic Shock. They also lived together in Richmond, Virginia, during the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]

Rao graduated in 2020 with a degree in theatre performance and English.[3][4] Between January and May 2021, she worked as a development intern at Queen City Comedy in New York.[5][6]

Career

In 2020, while living together in Richmond, Rao and Matkins started filming short-form situational comedy videos for TikTok. These videos featured various characters engaged in "relatable", everyday conversations, resulting in paid content partnerships with brands like Target and Tinder.[3]

In November 2021, while continuing to post on TikTok, the duo moved to Chicago, Illinois, and attended the Annoyance Theatre tryouts for House Improv teams. A few months later, they were booked to perform Gag Reflex as a solo act at the Annoyance; the show sold out. To their next show, Annoyance's founder-director, Mick Napier, and producer, Jennifer Estlin, invited the talent agency Grossman & Jack representatives, which later signed both Rao and Matkins. Gag Reflex became a regular fixture at the Annoyance and was performed at other Chicago venues.[3][7][8]

Rao was selected for the 2022 NBCUniversal/The Second City Bob Curry Fellowship, allowing her to train at and tour with The Second City, an improvisational theatre troupe.[9] The same year, she showcased for Saturday Night Live twice.[10][2]

In early-2024, Rao was booked for a minor appearance in The Emperor of Ocean Park.[11][2] In 2025, Rao played recurring roles in two comedy series: Nandika in Hulu's Deli Boys and Issa in FX's Adults, created by The Tonight Show writers Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw.[7][8][12][13] Time called Rao's Adults character, Issa, "loud, dramatic [and] sexually liberated"[14] and "unapologetically brash".[15]

In August 2025, Rao joined the cast of Wishful Thinking, a film starring Lewis Pullman and Maya Hawke.[16] She voiced Harper for High on Life 2 (2026).[17]

Personal life

In 2025, Rao moved from Chicago to Brooklyn Heights, New York City.[2]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2024 The Emperor of Ocean Park Receptionist Episode: "Chapter One"
2025–present Deli Boys Nandika 6 episodes
Adults Issa Main role
2026 Wishful Thinking Ella Post-production

References

  1. ↑ "Amita Rao - Actress". TV Insider. 2025-10-30. Retrieved 2026-04-09.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Amita Rao Loves Playing A Chaos Queen [Exclusive]". Elite Daily. 2025-09-16. Retrieved 2026-04-09.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Alum spotlight: Amita Rao (BA '20) & Chelsea Matkins (BFA '21)". VCUarts. 2022-11-07. Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  4. ↑ "Amita Rao: Grossman & Jack Talent" (PDF).
  5. ↑ Berenz, Ryan (2025-05-20). "Meet the Cast of FX's New Comedy 'Adults'". TV Insider. Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  6. ↑ "Interns". queen-city-comedy. Retrieved 2026-04-13.
  7. 1 2 Zornosa, Laura (2025-05-15). "Meet the 20-something 'Adults' who are still trying to figure it out". LA Times. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
  8. 1 2 Worthington, Clint (2025-03-05). "In New Hulu Comedy 'Deli Boys,' Chicago Plays Philadelphia". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  9. ↑ "Gag Reflex - Annoyance Theatre & Bar Stage Mag". stagemag.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2026-04-13.
  10. ↑ "Amita Rao as Issa | FX's Adults". FX. Archived from the original on 2026-02-11. Retrieved 2026-04-13.
  11. ↑ Seitz, Loree (2025-05-28). "'Adults' Cast and Character Guide: Who's Who in the New FX Comedy Series?". The Wrap. Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  12. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (2024-07-29). "FX Orders 20-Something Ensemble Comedy Series 'Snowflakes'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  13. ↑ Rankin, Seija (2025-05-30). ""Wait, I'm Slapping a Teenager Who's Getting An Abortion?": How the Cast of 'Adults' Pulled Off Their Boundary-Pushing Comedy". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  14. ↑ Berman, Judy (2025-05-22). "In Adults and Overcompensating, a New Generation Reinvents the Hangout Comedy". Time. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
  15. ↑ Edwards, Belen (2025-05-28). "'Adults' review: More than just Gen Z 'Friends'". Mashable. Retrieved 2026-04-14.
  16. ↑ Grobar, Matt (2025-08-14). "Randall Park, Jake Shane, Amita Rao, Eric Rahill, Kate Berlant & Kerri Kenney-Silver Join Relationship Comedy 'Wishful Thinking'". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-04-13.
  17. ↑ Shepherd, Harry (2026-02-28). "Here's the Full High on Life 2 Cast List, and Where You Know Them From". GameRant. Retrieved 2026-04-14.
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