Alia Martine Shawkat (born April 18, 1989) is an American actress. She is known for her performances as Maeby Fünke in the Fox/Netflix television sitcom Arrested Development (2003–2006; 2013–2019), Dory Sief in the TBS and HBO Max dark comedy series Search Party (2016–2022), and Gertie Michaels in the 2015 horror-comedy film The Final Girls, as well as her roles in State of Grace (2001–2002) and The Old Man starring Jeff Bridges (2022–2024). She has also guest starred as historical figures Frances Cleveland, Virginia Hall, and Alexander Hamilton on Comedy Central's Drunk History (2014–2016).
Early life Shawkat was born in Riverside, California, to Dina Shawkat () and strip club owner Tony Shawkat. She grew up in Palm Springs and has two brothers. Her father is from Baghdad, Iraq, and her mother is American. Her maternal grandfather was actor Paul Burke.
Career 2000–2009: Breakout and Arrested Development
From 2001 to 2002, Shawkat played Hannah in State of Grace. As Maeby Fünke, Shawkat was a regular cast member of Arrested Development for the entire run of the show from 2003 to 2019. The series received nearly universally positive reviews, with Shawkat's performance occasionally singled out for praise. Pop-culture commentator Brian M. Palmer remarked that she was "one of the brightest lights on a show populated solely by bright lights", and Scott Weinberg of eFilmCritic described her as "one funny young lady". In an interview with The A.V. Club in 2010, Shawkat remarked that many of her "formative moments" as an actress took place on the Arrested Development set: "[Show creator] Mitch Hurwitz was like a father figure to me. In a way, it was great to be around [the cast], because I feel that my understanding of comedy was able to grow really well during that time."
In 2009, Shawkat appeared in Whip It co-star Har Mar Superstar's music video for "Tall Boy", which also featured Eva Mendes and Eric Wareheim. In October 2009, it was announced that Shawkat, Har Mar, and Whip It co-star Elliot Page would produce and write a show for HBO called Stitch N' Bitch. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show "follows two painfully cool hipsters as they relocate from Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood to Los Angeles' Silver Lake enclave in hopes of becoming artists—of any kind".
2010–2015: Continued roles Shawkat, along with State of Grace and Arrested Development co-star and close friend Mae Whitman, sang guest vocals on several tracks from indie-punk band Fake Problems' 2010 album Real Ghosts Caught on Tape.
Six years after the series was canceled by Fox, filming for a revived fourth season of Arrested Development began on August 7, 2012, and Shawkat reprised her role as Maeby Fünke. The season consists of 15 new episodes, which debuted simultaneously on Netflix on May 26, 2013. Each episode focuses on one particular character, with Shawkat's Maeby, now a high school senior, featured in episode 12, "Señoritis," and appearing in several other episodes of the season. Shawkat appears briefly in Ryan Trecartin's 2013 art film, Center Jenny.
In 2015, Shawkat guest-starred on Broad City, portraying the romantic interest and look-alike of Ilana Glazer's character for one episode; the two were attracted to one another due only to their similar appearances. Leading up to the episode, many had remarked on the physical similarities Shawkat and Glazer bear to one another.
2016–present: Search Party and other work Shawkat starred in the lead role of Dory Sief on the TBS comedy Search Party, which premiered on November 21, 2016, and moved to HBO Max in 2019 before concluding with its fifth and final season in January 2022. Alongside her acting role on this project, Shawkat produced 30 episodes and directed 1 from 2016 to 2021.
In 2019, Shawkat starred in the film Animals (directed by Australian director Sophie Hyde) as Tyler, a high-living American partier in Dublin. It is a film about a friendship that changes after Laura (played by Holliday Grainger) gets engaged to her teetotalling boyfriend. Shawkat said that she had never played a character like Tyler before, and found her previous characters more relatable. She was "excited to play someone who was so fun, but so damaged". In 2026, she made her stage debut in the revival of the Clare Barron play You Got Older starring opposite Peter Friedman at the Cherry Lane Theater Off-Broadway.
Personal life When not acting, Shawkat enjoys singing, drawing, and painting. She occasionally sings in jazz bars, where she sings jazz standards; her grandfather taught her many of the songs she knows. At one point, Shawkat attempted to learn welding, hoping to make metal sculptures. She considers it essential for her to pursue different forms of art, stating, "They feed each other. If I didn't have the other ones, I don't think I could just act."
Shawkat is bisexual.
She is in a relationship with Phil Burgers. On November 15, 2023, she gave birth to their first child.
In September 2025, Shawkat signed an open pledge with Film Workers for Palestine pledging not to work with Israeli film institutions "that are implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people".
Acting credits Film +Key Denotes films that have not yet been released Year Title Role Notes 1999 Three Kings Amir's Daughter 2005 Rebound Amy 2006 Deck the Halls Madison Finch2008 Bart Got a Room Camille Prom Wars Diana Riggs2009 Amreeka Salma Halaby Whip It Pash Amini 2010 The Runaways Robin Robbins2011 The Lie Seven Cedar Rapids Bree The Oranges Vanessa Walling2012 Damsels in Distress Mad Madge That's What She Said Clementine Ruby Sparks Mabel The Brass Teapot Louise2013 May in the Summer Dalia The End of Love Alia Shawkat Cameo The To Do List Fiona Forster Night Moves Surprise The Moment Jessie Jamil2014 Life After Beth Roz Wild Canaries Jean2015 The Final Girls Gertie Michaels The Driftless Area Carrie Nasty Baby Wendy Also co-producer Adam Green's Aladdin Emily Green Room Sam Me Him Her Laura2016 The Intervention Lola Pee-wee's Big Holiday Bella Paint It Black Josie 20th Century Women Trish 2017 Izzy Gets the F*ck Across Town Agatha Benson2018 Blaze Sybil Rosen Duck Butter Naima Also writer and executive producer2019 Animals Tyler First Cow Woman with Dog I Lost My Body Gabrielle (voice) English dub 2020 The Letter Room Rosita Short film2021 Love Spreads Kelly Being the Ricardos Madelyn Pugh2022 Jackass Forever Herself Cameo The Listener Sharon (voice) 2023 Drift Callie 2024 Blink Twice Jess 2025 Atropia Fayruz Also executive producerThe TigerKatieShort film 2026 The Wrong Girls Molly Also executive producer 2027 42.6 Years Filming
Television Year Title Role Notes 1999 JAG Young Sarah MacKenzie Episode: "Second Sight" 2000 The Trial of Old Drum Dee TV film 2001–2002 State of Grace Young Hannah Rayburn Main cast; 40 episodes 2002 Presidio Med Tara Wegman Episode: "Good Question"2003 Without a Trace Siobhan Arintero Episode: "Maple Street" Boomtown Denise Stein Episode: "Home Invasion" 2003–2006; 2013;2018–2019 Arrested Development Mae "Maeby" Fünke Main cast; 79 episodes2006 Veronica Mars Stacy Wells Episode: "The Rapes of Graff" Not Like Everyone Else Brandi Blackbear TV film 2007 The Business Screenwriting Manicurist 2 episodes2008 The Bad Mother's Handbook Charlotte TV film The Starter Wife Robin 3 episodes 2010 The League April Episode: "The Expert Witness" 2013 NTSF:SD:SUV:: Gail Episode: "Burn After Killing"2014 Drunk History Frances Cleveland Episode: "First Ladies" Robot Chicken Baroness / Lucy Pevensie /Minerva McGonagall (voice) Episode: "G.I. Jogurt" Getting On Colleen Hoover 4 episodes2015 Adventure Time Betsy Poundcake (voice) Episode: "The Diary" Broad City Adele Episode: "Coat Check" Drunk History Virginia Hall Episode: "Spies"2016 Portlandia Mayor's Kid Episode: "Shville" Animals. Sharon (voice) Episode: "Rats." Drunk History Alexander Hamilton Episode: "Hamilton" 2016–2017 Adventure Time Charlie (voice) 2 episodes 2016–2022 Search Party Dory Sief Main cast; 50 episodesAlso producerDirected episode "The Imposter" 2017–2019 Transparent Lila 8 episodes 2017–2020 Big Mouth Roland (voice) 3 episodes 2018–2023 Summer Camp Island Blanche / Cinnamon Raisin Toast /Butter Goth (voice) 15 episodes 2019 Living with Yourself Maia 2 episodes2020 The Shivering Truth (voice) Episode: "Nesslessness" Moonbase 8 Alix Episode: "Visitors"2021 Cinema Toast (voice) Episode: "Warehouse Friends" Pride Madeleine Tress Episode: "1950s: People Had Parties" Ultra City Smiths Little Grace / Woman's Voice (voice) 5 episodes 2022–2024 The Old Man Angela Adams Main cast2023 Rugrats Trish (voice) Episode: "Reptar Day!/Mission to the Little" Scavengers Reign Levi (voice) 8 episodes 2024–2025 Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Kh'ymm (voice) 2 episodes2025 Severance Gwendolyn Y. 2 episodes #1 Happy Family USA Mona Hussein (voice) Main cast Poker Face Kate Forster / Amelia Peek Episode: "A New Lease on Death"Lego Marvel Avengers: Strange TailsMeryet, Train Driver (voice)Disney + Television special
Theater Year Title Role Playwright Venue Ref. 2026 You Got Older Mae Clare Barron Cherry Lane Theater, Off-Broadway
Music videos Year Title Artist 2011 "Our Deal" Best Coast 2017 "Don't Take the Money" Bleachers
Podcasts Year Title Role Notes 2018 Sandra Helen Perera (voice) Main role, 7 episodes
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result2002Young Artist AwardBest Performance in a TV Comedy Series – Leading Young ActressState of Grace2004TV Land AwardFuture ClassicArrested Development2005Young Artist AwardBest Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) – Supporting Young ActressScreen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series2006Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series2014Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series2017Gracie AwardActress in a Breakthrough RoleSearch Party Notes
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