Lisa Ann Walter was born on August 3, 1963, in Silver Spring, Maryland, to a geophysicist British father of Alsatian descent and a substitute-teacher mother of Sicilian descent. She and her older sister, Laura, spent their childhood in various places, including Germany and the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Walter graduated with a theater degree from Catholic University of America in 1983.

She began her career as a standup comedian before transitioning to television and film.

Her television career took off with her own Fox Network comedy series, "My Wildest Dreams," in 1995. She followed this with the ABC sitcom "Life's Work," which she created and starred in from 1996 to 1997.

Her film career includes roles in "The Parent Trap" (1998), "Bruce Almighty" (2003), and "Shall We Dance?" (2004). She also appeared in reality television, serving as a judge on shows like "The Next Best Thing" and "Dance Your Ass Off."

In her personal life, Lisa Ann Walter was married to Sam Baum from 1983 until their divorce in 1999. They have two children together, Jordan and Delia.

Her versatility extends beyond acting and comedy; she is also a writer and producer. Her comic memoir, "The Best Thing About My Ass Is That It's Behind Me," was published in 2011.

She continues to be active in the entertainment industry, most notably for her role as Melissa Schemmenti on the ABC mockumentary sitcom "Abbott Elementary," for which she received a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series.