Jameela Alia Jamil was born on February 25, 1986, in London, England. She is of Indian and Pakistani descent and grew up in various locations due to her family's financial struggles. As a child, she faced numerous health challenges, including congenital hearing loss, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, coeliac disease, and mercury poisoning. At age 17, she was involved in a serious car accident, which led to a long recovery process.

     Jamil began her career as a television presenter on Channel 4’s T4 before becoming the first solo female host of The Official Chart on BBC Radio 1. In 2016, she moved to the United States and landed her breakthrough acting role as Tahani Al-Jamil in The Good Place (2016–2020). She later hosted The Misery Index and served as a judge on Legendary.

     In 2022, Jamil entered the superhero genre, voicing Wonder Woman in DC League of Super-Pets and playing Titania in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. She also joined Star Trek: Prodigy as the voice of Asencia.

     Beyond acting, Jamil is an activist, advocating for body positivity, mental health awareness, and feminism. She founded the I Weigh movement, which promotes self-worth beyond physical appearance. She has been in a relationship with musician James Blake since 2015.