Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Aug 12, 2026

Alice Mathias

Alice Mathias is an American television director and producer from Chicago.

Last revised
Aug 12, 2026
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Alice Mathias
Born1985 (age 40–41)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
EducationDartmouth College
USC School of Cinematic Arts (MFA)
Occupations
  • Television director
  • television producer
Years active2011–present
Notable work

Alice Mathias is an American television director and producer from Chicago.1

Early life and education

Mathias grew up in the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago.1 In high school, she performed in musicals and dabbled in improv.1 She attended Dartmouth College, where she wrote a humor column called "Alice Unchained" for The Dartmouth.1 She later earned an MFA from the USC School of Cinematic Arts.2

Career

Television

Mathias joined the IFC sketch comedy series Portlandia as an intern during its first season and rose to become the show's executive producer and director.1 As a producer on Portlandia, she received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series.3456

She also served as a producer on Documentary Now!, receiving two additional Emmy nominations for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series.75

Mathias is an executive producer and director of the Netflix sketch comedy series I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, which she has described as "absurdist and unhinged".1 The show was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series in 20228 and won the award in 2023.910 An episode she directed, "Has This Ever Happened to You?", was named one of the best TV episodes of 2019 by IndieWire.11

Mathias was an executive producer on the HBO Spanish-language comedy Los Espookys, which ran for two seasons (2019–2022).12 The series won a Peabody Award in 2023.13

Her other directing credits include History of the World, Part II,14 Schmigadoon!,15 and That Damn Michael Che.2

Commercial work

Mathias has directed commercials for brands including Apple, Nike, Little Caesars, and Toyota.2 She is represented for commercial work by Gifted Youth, a production company formerly under Funny or Die.16 In 2025, she directed Totino's' first Super Bowl commercial, featuring Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson.1718

References

References

  1. Burdick, Lisa Furlong. "Funny Business", Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, November/December 2023
  2. "Alice Mathias". Gifted Youth. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  3. "IFC's Portlandia Scores Two Emmy Award Nominations", AMCNetworks.com, July 16, 2015
  4. "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  5. "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  6. "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  7. "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  8. Spear, Madeline. "Full list: 2022 Emmy nominations", CBS News, July 12, 2022
  9. "'I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson' Overtakes James Corden's 'Carpool Karaoke' To Win Short-Form Emmy". Deadline Hollywood. January 6, 2024. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  10. "2023 Creative Arts Emmy Awards Winners List". Variety. January 7, 2024. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  11. Hill, Libby. "The Best TV Episodes of 2019: I Think You Should Leave – 'Has This Ever Happened to You?'", IndieWire, December 12, 2019
  12. "'Los Espookys' Not Returning To HBO For Season 3". Deadline Hollywood. December 2, 2022. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  13. "Los Espookys". Peabody Awards. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  14. Boccella, Maggie. "David Stassen & Alice Mathias on History of the World, Part II and Their First Mel Brooks Films", Collider, March 16, 2023; and Anderton, Ethan. "History of The World Part II Showrunner and Director on Preserving Mel Brooks' Legacy", Slashfilm, March 7, 2023
  15. Tallerico, Brian. "Schmigadoon Season 2 Review: Sophomore Outing Builds on First with Stronger, Funnier Storytelling", The Playlist, March 28, 2023
  16. "Gifted Youth Signs Comedy Director Alice Mathias for Commercial Representation". Adland. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  17. "Inside Totino's Spacey Debut on the Big Game". Muse by Clio. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  18. "How Alice Mathias brought the Super Bowl audience to tears over Chamzo". Shots Magazine. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
External links