Edi Patterson

Edi Patterson is from Texas City, Texas. Her mother was a teacher and her father was a plumber. She graduated from Southwest Texas State University, obtaining a theater Bachelor of Arts in 1997.

After graduating from college in 1997, Patterson moved to Austin and became involved in the city's developing improvisational theatre scene. She performed Theatresports and the improv format Gorilla at Hyde Park Theatre while The Hideout Theatre was being renovated, and also worked with the Austin theatre company Rude Mechanicals. Around 2000, she moved to Los Angeles, continued performing improv, and trained at The Groundlings, where she progressed from improvisation into sketch writing.

Her early screen work included performing and writing for The Underground in 2006 and playing Veronica opposite Kelsey Grammer in Partners in 2014. Patterson later described her role as Jen Abbott in the HBO series Vice Principals as her breakout. The part was initially planned for four episodes, but was expanded during the series after she developed a strong comic rapport with co-creator and co-star Danny McBride.

In 2019, Patterson began playing Judy Gemstone in the HBO series The Righteous Gemstones. McBride developed the character with Patterson in mind after the two had worked together on Vice Principals and subsequently collaborated as writers. Patterson also joined the ensemble cast of the mystery film Knives Out, which premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival.

Patterson is married to actor and improviser Dan O'Connor.