Comedian, actress, writer, director… if Casey Wilson has faults, lacking an ability to multi-task is most definitely not one of them. Her directorial debut, Daddio, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2019, adding enough sting to an already bulging bow. Her podcast, Bitch Sesh, meanwhile, just goes from strength to strength, while her acting career is on a similarly upward trajectory thanks to lead roles in HBO’s hot new comedy, Mrs. Fletcher, and 2020’s Delilah. If just thinking about all that work hasn’t left you exhausted already, read on to find out more.
1. Cats inspired her to perform
Casey’s interest in performing can be traced to when her father took her to see a production of Cats in New York City as a child. Casey was so inspired by what she saw, the youngster began putting on her own productions on a special homemade stage her dad incorporated into the backyard of their family home in Alexandria, Virginia. After seeing her obvious enthusiasm, her family encouraged her to pursue her interests further by taking singing and acting lessons. After joining her school’s theater program, Casey began to lead (and even direct) many of its shows, even taking on a starring role as Maria in a production of The Sound Of Music.
2. Her family background helped shape her comedy
Casey’s mother and father had dramatically opposing political opinions, something she’s since credited with helping to shape her sense of humor. Her father, Paul O. Wilson, is a political strategist and dye-in-the- wool Republican. Her mother, Kathy Higdon, meanwhile, was a women’s rights advocate and full-blown Democrat. As Wilson later remarked, She had “no choice but to develop a sense of humor in a blue state/ red state, forever- clashing political household.”
3. She was one half of a two-woman sketch show
After graduating from New York University’s Tisch School of The Arts (where the actress was a recipient of an “Excellence in Acting” award), Wilson and her close friend, June Diane Raphael, enrolled at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York City to study improv. While there, they regularly performed their two-woman sketch show, Rode Hard and Put Away Wet – something that eventually opened them up to wider success when they were hired by New Regency Pictures to write Bride Wars and commissioned to create a sitcom pilot for UPN.
4. Her film debut was on For Your Consideration
As a student, Wilson made her film debut in Christopher Guest’s For Your Consideration (2006). Although her appearance was only fleeting that time around, she’s since gone on to land much weightier roles on Julie & Julia, C.O.G., The Great Buck Howard, Killers, The Brothers Solomon, Freak Dance, The Breakup Girl, The Guilt Trip, Why Him?, and The Meddler.
5. She has two sons
Wilson met her partner, TV writer David Caspe, in 2010 during an audition for Penny Hartz in his ABC series Happy Endings (a part that, fortunately, Casey won without problem). In July 2011, Casey and David started dating, and after a nine-month engagement, finally married on May 25, 2014 in Ojai, CA. The couple welcomed their first son, Max Red Caspe, in May 2015. In August 2017, their second son, Henry Bear Caspe, came along.
6. She’s vice president of The Kathy Wilson Foundation
On September 1, 2005, Wilson’s mother Kathy died of heart failure at 54 years old. Prior to her death, Kathy had been active in early childhood education, and had served as director of childcare and development centers in her home town of Alexandria, Virginia, since 1991. In honor of her work with children with disabilities, her family created The Kathy Wilson Foundation, a charitable organization that helps fund free developmental screenings for 3-4-year old’s and provides grants to early childhood settings to promote inclusive practices. Wilson’s father Paul serves as president, while Casey and her brother Fletcher both serve as vice presidents.
7. She’s an award-winner
Casey earned her first trophy back in 2005, scooping a prestigious ECNY Award for Best Comedy Duo (with June Diane Raphael) for her two women show Rode Hard and Put Away Wet. Since then, her work has been recognized with nominations for a Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (for Happy Endings), a Choice TV Award for TV Female Scene Stealer (again for Happy Endings), and a Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (for, you guessed it, Happy Endings).
8. She was fired from SNL
In January 2008, Casey was hired as Maya Rudolph’s replacement on Saturday Night Live. As SNL’s first new addition for over two years, fans were keen to check her out — unfortunately, her first appearance was delayed by over a month due to ongoing Writers Guild of America strikes. Wilson was eventually let go before SNL’s 2009-2010 season kicked off, but bore no animosity towards producers for her departure. “My mindset is good. I did it for 1.5 years,” Casey said. “It won’t ultimately define my career. It wasn’t a good fit for me.”
9. Her podcast was voted one of 2016’s hottest podcasts
In 2015, Casey and improv comedian Danielle Schneider created Bitch Sesh, a Earwolf podcast that invites celebrity guests such as June Diane Raphael, Matt Besser, Vanessa Bayer, Andy Cohen, Adam Pally, Jerry O’Connell, Elisha Cuthbert, Michael Rapaport, and Retta to air their views on last night’s edition of The Real Housewife’s, along with other Bravo related topics. The podcast was an immediate smash, with several entertainment websites (including Vulture, Entertainment Weekly, and The A.V. Club) calling it one of 2016’s greatest comedy podcasts.
10. She’s a millionaire
While some actors are forced to make ends meet by waiting tables in between gigs, Casey clearly has no such worries. As of 2019, Celebrity Net Worth estimates our talented star to be worth a very handsome $2 million.
