WOMEN WE LOVE: Ilana Glazer

Ilana Glazer isn’t much different from you or me. You’re probably calling bull$#!7 right now, considering she’s one of the most famous comedians in Hollywood, but it’s true. She didn’t grow up with a childhood acting career, she didn’t study theatre in college, and she definitely wasn’t handed a one-in-a-million opportunity on a gold platter. She did have one thing though: Drive.

We love Ilana because she doesn’t wait around for opportunities to fall into her lap. She sorta just, well, makes her own. That’s exactly what she did in 2009 after meeting her BFF Abbi Jacobson in one of her improv classes. Together they created and starred in their very own webseries called "Broad City", which starred the duo as fictionalized versions of themselves and it became hugely popular. It was even nominated for an ECNY Award for Best Web Series. (NSFW)

In 2011, the webseries caught the attention of cable network FX, and they purchased a script commitment for the series from Ilana and Abbi. It turned out that FX would later decide not to proceed with the development; however, this did not shake either of the girls’ confidences. Instead, the couple approached Comedy Central, who agreed to purchase the script from FX and order a pilot.

Fast-forward to 2019, and Comedy Central’s "Broad City" premiered its 5th and final season in January. The show’s wild success has lead to Ilana's double nominations for the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series.

Now that Ilana’s "Broad City" series has come to an end, the actress has started work on her new project with Amazon. Ilana will be releasing her first stand-up special, The Planet Is Burning, on Amazon Prime. The special was taped last week in Houston at the final stop of Ilana’s stand-up tour of the same name.

Look out for more Ilana Glazer to come!