Carden was born Darcy Beth Erokan in Danville, California,[1] on January 4, 1980,[2][3][4] the daughter of an American mother and Turkish father.

[10] The following year, she directed, produced, and starred in a holiday show in which the main character is upset that her family is obsessed with her selfish sister's wedding rather than keeping up their Christmas spirit.

[12][13] A friend invited Carden to an improvisational sketch comedy show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (UCB),[6][14] which she enjoyed so much that she signed on for classes and kept progressing with the group.

[15] By 2010, she was using her married surname Carden professionally when she was a cast member for The Ride, an interactive show performed on New York City tour buses.

[25] Carden made her Broadway debut on April 20, 2023, as Alicia in The Thanksgiving Play, written by Larissa FastHorse and directed by Rachel Chavkin.

[26] In 2024, SmartLess Media debuted WikiHole, a podcast fronted by Carden and featuring "a panel of comedians who fall down a Wikipedia rabbit hole of bizarre and intriguing connections.

[30][31] Before finding success in the entertainment industry, Carden worked as a full-time nanny for her future Barry co-star Bill Hader and his then-wife Maggie Carey; she maintains a close relationship with their three daughters.