James Mackey grew up in Geneva, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago. At the age of eighteen, he moved to New York to study drama at NYU’s Tisch School for the Arts. While pursuing his BFA, he studied at the Stella Adler Studio and spent a semester in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. With a strong background in improvisation and comedy, he has performed with sketch troupes in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles. He has begun to transition into directing and recently completed his first short film, ZOMBS.
He currently lives in Brooklyn with his tiny record collection.