Alia Martine Shawkat is an American actor and artist.
Known for her quirky characters, Shawkat rose to fame with the role of Maeby Fünke in the Fox (and later Netflix) show Arrested Development (2003–2019). She also starred in the TBS series Search Party (2016–2022) and currently co-stars on FX’s The Old Man (2022–) and Apple TV’s Severance (2022–). She has appeared in nearly 100 films and television shows including State of Grace (2001–2004), Deck the Halls (2006), Whip It (2009), Green Room (2015), Drunk History (2013–2019), Duck Butter (2018), and Scavengers Reign (2023). She also guest-starred in a 2015 episode of Broad City (2014–2019)in which she played Ilana’s love interest.
In addition to acting, Shawkat is an accomplished artist whose paintings have featured at galleries in LA, Mexico City, and Paris. She has also published a book of her drawings.[1]
In a 2017 interview with Out magazine, she spoke about her bisexuality:
I was a tomboy growing up, and I remember my mom asking me when I was 10, "Are you attracted to boys or girls?" I said I don’t know. Now I consider myself bisexual, and I think balancing my male and female energies has been a big part of me growing as an actor.[2]
Beyond being open about her bisexuality, Shawkat has kept her love life very private. In 2020, amid widespread rumors that she was dating Brad Pitt, which she denied, telling Vulture, “We’re just friends.” In 2023, she had her first child.
Shawkat is the granddaughter of the emmy-nominated actor Paul Burke, who appeared in more than 100 movies and television series between 1951 and 1990.