Wanda Sykes has this way of looking at you—even through a screen—that makes you feel like she’s about to call out your most ridiculous secret. It is a mix of side-eye and pure, unadulterated confidence. If you’ve spent any time watching Wanda Sykes movies and TV shows, you know exactly what I’m talking about. She doesn't just play a character; she takes over the entire atmosphere. From her early days writing for Chris Rock to her current status as a Netflix powerhouse, Wanda has built a career on being the person who says what everyone else is thinking but is too scared to voice.
Honestly, it’s kind of wild to look at the sheer breadth of her work. She’s been a skunk. She’s been a senator. She’s been a therapist for the Simpsons. Basically, if there is a role that requires a sharp tongue and a healthy dose of skepticism, Wanda has probably done it, and she probably did it better than anyone else could have.
The Sitcom Queen of Indianapolis and Beyond
Right now, if you mention Wanda to a casual viewer, they’re going to think of The Upshaws. It’s her baby. She co-created it, she executive produces it, and as Lucretia, she is the primary source of the show's most brutal insults. The show recently wrapped up its fifth and final season on Netflix in early 2026, and the finale was a genuine tear-jerker for fans who had grown to love the chaotic Indiana family.
The chemistry between Wanda and Mike Epps is the kind of lightning in a bottle that usually takes years to develop, but they had it from episode one. It’s a "working-class" sitcom, but it feels more real than most. It’s messy. People lose jobs, kids make mistakes, and Lucretia is always there to remind Bennie (Epps) that he is, in fact, a mess.
But before she was running the show on Netflix, she was stealing scenes on The New Adventures of Old Christine. If you haven't revisited that show lately, do yourself a favor. Playing Barb Baran, the best friend to Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Christine, Wanda was the perfect foil. Where Christine was frantic and self-conscious, Barb was cool, dry, and utterly unimpressed.
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- The Chris Rock Show: This is where the magic started. She won an Emmy here in 1999 for writing.
- Curb Your Enthusiasm: Wanda playing "herself" while constantly calling out Larry David’s social faux pas is peak television.
- Black-ish: Her recurring role as Daphne Lido earned her back-to-back Emmy nods in 2017 and 2018.
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: She transformed into the legendary Moms Mabley, proving her range isn't just limited to her own persona.
Wanda Sykes Movies and TV Shows: The Animation Powerhouse
Most people don't realize that Wanda Sykes is probably in your kids' favorite movies, too. Her voice is unmistakable. It’s got that rasp, that rhythm. When she voiced Stella the skunk in Over the Hedge, she brought a level of sass to a DreamWorks character that felt surprisingly adult.
She’s also the voice of Granny in the Ice Age franchise. You know, the one who survived everything and still had time to be a menace? It’s a role that allowed her to go full-tilt into physical comedy through voice acting. Then there’s Star Wars: The Bad Batch, where she played Phee Genoa, a "liberator of ancient wonders." It was a pivot into the sci-fi world that showed she could handle world-building just as well as punchlines.
In 2024, she jumped into the SpongeBob universe with Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, playing Sue Nahmee. It's a testament to her longevity. Whether she is playing a gargoyle in Vampirina or a ghost on Big Mouth, she stays relevant because she knows how to adapt her timing to the medium.
Big Screen Energy and Scene Stealing
Let’s talk about the movies. Wanda usually isn't the lead, but she is almost always the person you remember. Think about Monster-in-Law. Most of that movie is Jane Fonda and Jennifer Lopez going at it, but Wanda’s Ruby is the one who actually keeps the plot moving with her dry observations. She does the same in Evan Almighty as Rita, the long-suffering assistant.
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Her filmography is a weird, wonderful mix:
- Pootie Tang (2001) - Biggie Shorty is a cult classic icon.
- My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006) - She plays the boss, Carla, with a very "I don't have time for your superhero drama" attitude.
- Snatched (2017) - Paired with Joan Cusack, she provided the much-needed survivalist humor in the Amy Schumer/Goldie Hawn comedy.
- Undercard (2025) - One of her more recent ventures where she plays Cheryl 'No Mercy' Stewart, showing she still has that competitive edge.
She’s got a movie called Deck the Y'Alls currently in the works for late 2026. It’s reportedly a holiday comedy, which feels like a perfect fit for her brand of "family-is-exhausting-but-I'm-here-for-the-food" humor.
The Expert Take: What Makes Her Different?
As someone who has followed the industry for years, I think the reason Wanda Sykes stays at the top is her refusal to "soften" for the audience. She came out as LGBTQ+ in 2008 at a rally in Las Vegas, and it didn't slow her down; if anything, it made her material more focused. She doesn't pander.
Experts in the comedy world, like those at the Television Academy (where she has been nominated 17 times), often point to her "economy of words." She doesn't need a five-minute setup. She needs a look and three words. That’s why she was chosen to host the Oscars in 2022 alongside Amy Schumer and Regina Hall. She can control a room with very little effort.
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Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you want to truly appreciate the range of Wanda Sykes movies and TV shows, don't just stick to the hits.
First, go to Netflix and watch her stand-up special I’m an Entertainer. It’s the best distillation of who she is right now. Second, track down her guest episodes on Broad City or The Other Two. These are smaller roles where she absolutely dominates the screen. Finally, if you have kids, pay attention to the credits of the next animated movie you see. Chances are, she’s in there somewhere, making a secondary character the funniest part of the film.
Wanda has transitioned from a writer in a room to a mogul with her own production company, Push It Productions. She’s not just in the shows; she’s making them. That’s the real legacy here. She didn't just wait for a seat at the table; she built the table, invited her friends, and then made fun of their outfits while they ate.