English Teacher

Stephanie Koenig stars as “Gwen Sanders,” Evan’s closest confidante and a history teacher at Morrison-Hensley. Peppy and upbeat, Gwen usually sees the good in students, even when her fellow teachers do not. This season finds Gwen beginning to reach the limits of her support for her boyfriend Nick, who is now converting his failed pool project into a rentable pickleball court in their backyard.

Career Highlights

Award-nominated actor, writer and director Stephanie Koenig (kay-nig) is quickly making a name for herself in the entertainment industry through the dynamic characters she brings to life on screen.Koenig has garnered recognition for her work on Season 1 of English Teacher. She recently won two 2025 Gracie Awards for her acting and writing work on the series and landed her first Critics Choice Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series and her first Writers Guild of America Award nomination for New Series.In film, Koenig recently wrapped a role in Jody Hill's thriller Famous alongside Nicholas Braun, Zac Efron and Phoebe Dynevor, with A24 set to release the film.Koenig's previous credits include her starring role in the Emmy®-nominated Apple TV+ limited series Lessons in Chemistry, opposite Brie Larson. The series received nominations at the 2024 Golden Globes®, Critics Choice Awards and Emmy Awards. Additional notable roles for Koenig include appearing in the Paramount+ limited series The Offer opposite Miles Teller, in which she portrayed real-life casting executive Andrea Eastman as she helped assemble the iconic cast of The Godfather, HBO Max's award-nominated series The Flight Attendant and Hulu's Mid-Century Modern.Behind the camera, Koenig wrote, starred in, directed, produced and edited the action-comedy parody A Spy Movie. She is also responsible for the hit short-form series Stupid Idiots, a television adaptation that was in development at Paramount Television with Michael Sugar and Jonathan Krisel attached to produce.Born and raised in Michigan, Koenig got her start as a performer at a young age in dance competitions and earned an acting degree from Michigan State University. She is an Upright Citizens Brigade and Groundlings alumna, where she honed her craft in comedy and frequently collaborates with various stalwarts from both. When she isn't on set, behind the camera or working in the writer's room, Koenig can be found spending time with her husband and their two dogs. She currently resides in the Los Angeles area.

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Gwen is Evan’s closest confidante and a history teacher at Morrison-Hensley.

Stephanie Koenig as Gwen Sanders for FX's English Teacher wearing a bright red shirt facing the side, smiling.

Stephanie Koenig as Gwen Sanders | FX's English Teacher

English Teacher