Shawkat was born in Riverside, California, to Dina Shawkat (née Burke) and strip club owner Tony Shawkat. She grew up in Palm Springs. She has two brothers. Her father is from Baghdad, Iraq, and her mother is American. … See more

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 ne… See more

When not acting, Shawkat enjoys singing, drawing and painting. She occasionally sings in jazz bars, though she only sings jazz standards; her grandfather taught her many of the songs she knows. At one point, Shawkat at… See more