Jayma Mays

Jamia Suzette "Jayma" Mays (born July 16, 1979) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for playing Emma Pillsbury on the Fox musical series Glee. She also played roles in the films Paul Blart: Mall Cop and The Smurfs. --- Mays was born and raised in Grundy, Virginia, the daughter of Paulette (née Norris) and James Mays, a high school teacher who also worked in the coal mining industry. Mays' interests as a child ranged from singing to mathematics. At the age of 15, Mays was offered a job working on the local radio station reading the obituaries. After graduating from Grundy High School, she earned an associate's degree from Southwest Virginia Community College. Mays then attended Virginia Tech for a year before transferring to Radford University, graduating in 2001 with a degree in theatre. In 2004, she made her first television appearance on Joey. The following year, she made her feature film debut with a supporting role in Red Eye. Mays's other credits include Six Feet Under, The Comeback, Entourage, Stacked, How I Met Your Mother, Heroes, Pushing Daisies where she played both Elsita and her mother Elsa in episode four, Ghost Whisperer, and Ugly Betty. Mays was in other movies, such as Bar Starz, Flags of Our Fathers and Blind Guy Driving. She starred in the spoof film Epic Movie and as Amy in Paul Blart: Mall Cop. --- Mays married actor Adam Campbell on October 28, 2007.