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W. Kamau Bell Biography

Birth Name:Walter Kamau Bell

Birth Place:Palo Alto, California, United States

Profession Producer, Director, Writer, Actor

Fast Facts

Member of the advisory board of Race Forward, a non-profit movement to end street harassment
Has been named an Ambassador of Racial Justice by the ACLU
The New York Times regarded Bell 'the most promising new talent in political comedy in many years․'
A founding member of the stand-up comedy collective Laughter Against the Machine,
Best known for his comedic discussions of social and political issues
Co-host of the podcast 'Denzel Washington is The Greatest Actor of All Time Period․'
Performed at the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Writing has appeared in VanityFair․com, Salon, MSNBC․com, Buzzfeed, and The Hollywood Reporter
Released the comedic album 'Face Full of Flour' in 2010
Salon․com listed him as one of their Sexiest Men of 2012

Awards

2016IDA Award-Best Episodic Series: nominated
2016Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program: nominated
2017Image Award-Outstanding Host in a News, Talk, Reality, or Variety (Series or Special) - Individual or Ensemble: nominated
2017OFTA Television Award-Best Individual Host or Panelist in a Reality or Non-Fiction Program: nominated
2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program: nominated
2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program: winner
2018Image Award-Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) - Individual or Ensemble: nominated
2018OFTA Television Award-Best Individual Host or Panelist in a Reality or Non-Fiction Program: nominated
2018Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program: nominated
2018Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program: winner
2019Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program: winner
2021Image Award-Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) - Individual or Ensemble: nominated
2021Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special: nominated
2022Black Reel-Outstanding Documentary: winner
2022Real TV Award-Best Limited Series: winner
2022Gotham Independent Film Award-Breakthrough Nonfiction Series: winner
2022IDA Award-Best Multi-Part Documentary: winner
2022OFTA Television Award-Best Narration: nominated
2022Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Narrator: nominated
2022Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program: nominated
2022Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series: nominated
2023Emmy-Outstanding Non-Fiction Program: winner
2023Cinema Eye Honors Award-Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Series: nominated
2023Independent Spirit Award-Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series: nominated
2023Image Award-Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture): nominated
2023Peabody Award-Documentary: winner
2023Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special: nominated