Chicago may be known for thick crust pizza and hot dogs with far too many toppings, but the city’s number one export is legendary comedians. Chris Farley, Amy Poehler, Dan Akyroyd, Aidy Bryant, Tim Robinson, Stephen Colbert, and countless others made their bones in the Windy City. Massively popular TikTok content creator Zoe Roe is yet another hilarious Chicagoland comedian.
Zoe sat down with us to discuss her love of the city that raised her, the comedians who inspire her, and the talent she will one day hone to make her unstoppable.
Playboy: To start us off, where were you born?
Zoe Roe: I was born in Illinois. I’ve lived here my whole life. I grew up in Joliet, so the suburbs of Chicago, and then I moved to the city about three years ago. But yeah, I love it because my whole family’s here, so that’s my that’s why I’m staying. They’re my everything
Playboy: Since you’re Chicago based, I’ve got to ask…what’s your go-to Portillo’s order?
Zoe: My gosh. I love the breaded chicken sandwich, cheese fries, the Chicago dog, onion rings…I always get everything when I go there, because you have to! You have to get everything. But their Chicago style hot dogs are amazing, and the cheese fries you have to get those.
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Playboy: What was the first thing you ever dreamed of achieving?
Zoe: Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always wanted to do acting. I’ve wanted to be on TV, in movies or on stage. So I I grew up doing musical theater and taking acting classes. So yes, I’ve always wanted to be an actress.
Nicole Kidman is my favorite actress, but I’m also obsessed with Saturday Night Live. I love Kristen Wiig, Molly Shannon, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph…all of those comedians. Oh, Melissa McCarthy! She’s another favorite.
Playboy: What are you passionate about?
Zoe: I’m most passionate about creating content now. That’s one of my favorite things to do, because it is such a creative outlet for me. And I love making a positive difference in people’s lives. I love making people laugh. I love making people feel seen, heard and understood. And so now that I have this platform, I love being able to just be myself and see that it makes a difference in people’s lives.
Playboy: Describe your perfect day.
Zoe: Honestly, when I think of when I’m happiest, I would say it’s with my family and probably going to Disney World with them. That’s my favorite…when we’re in Disney World together. I love going on vacation. I love being somewhere warm, but especially if I’m surrounded by my family, that’s when I’m happiest.
Playboy: Aside from Portillo’s, what food do you reach for when you’re feeling blue.
Zoe: Deep dish pizza…I’m always down for pizza. P.F. Changs. I love all Asian cuisine. Everything from teriyaki chicken to pad thai noodles. Always down for that. Sushi. Yeah, I’m a big foodie.
Playboy: What quality do you think is most desirable in a person?
Zoe: Trust. Someone who’s good at communicating. Someone that makes me laugh.
Playboy: Who was the first fictional character you fell in love with?
Zoe: Samantha Jones from Sex in the City. She’s my favorite. Her confidence, the way she just embraces her sexuality. As a woman, I love that she stands in her power and just—you know—she’s the baddest bitch, honestly [laughs]. Like, that’s who I try to be.
Playboy: What’s your superpower?
Zoe: In a weird way, I would say, is probably the things that I’ve struggled with most in my life have now become my superpower. Like, my mental health, my struggles with depression, anxiety, my eating disorders, my sexuality.
But now that I have fully accepted myself and embraced who I am, I’ve been able to make a living out of helping people with those sam struggles. And I have this platform where I can show people that just because you struggle with those things, if you keep going, it does get better.
Playboy: What meme, tweet or viral video speaks to you?
Zoe: When I’m like, really sad, I will go on YouTube and watch viral Saturday Night Live clips. Anything that Kristen Wiig used to do. Her Surprise Sue videos, or her Gilly videos. And then also Molly Shannon. She has this character Helen Madden, where she does a high kick…I love it. When I’m feeling sad, those are the videos I will go watch. Molly Shannon is my all time favorite comedian. She’s helped me through so much.
Playboy: What’s the talent you wish you had?
Zoe: I wish I could sing better and dance better. I grew up doing musical theater, and I always felt like I was really strong in the acting part, but not the greatest dancer or singer. Also, if I could do backflips, it would be over for everyone, because I would be so annoying with it!
I would be doing my high kick, and I would be doing backflips whenever I could. I really wish I could, but honestly, it’s not too late to learn. I could sign up for classes and I could learn how to do a backflip, and I kind of want to.
