Kenan Thompson

Kenan Thompson
Kenan Thompson
	Thompson in November 2007
Born	May 10, 1978 (age 46); Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Occupation	Actor/Comedian
Years active	1994–present

Kenan Thompson (born May 10, 1978) is an American actor and comedian who is currently a cast member of Saturday Night Live. He is also known for his title role in Fat Albert, for starring as Kenan Rockmore in the sitcom Kenan & Kel, as a former cast member of All That and in the movie Good Burger based on the popular sketch from All That. He resides in Los Angeles. He ranks at #88 on VH1's 100 Greatest Teen Stars. He is also a voice actor, starring in LeBron and Kobe Nike commercials with David Alan Grier and Bobb'e J. Thompson.

Early life and career

Thompson was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, the son of Fletcher and Elizabeth Ann Thompson. He has two siblings, Kerwin and Feleecia Thompson. He began acting at age 5, appearing in the school play The Gingerbread Man.^[1] One of his earliest roles was as an entertainment reporter for CNN's "Real News for Kids."^[2], and he would go on to star in All That, and Kenan & Kel.^[3] While Kenan attended Tri-Cities High School, a Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School in East Point, Georgia, he began filming his first movie, D2: The Mighty Ducks.

Film and TV career

Kenan has starred in several films including Good Burger, based on the All That sketch of the same name, and Fat Albert, in which he played the title character. He has also had supporting roles in the movies Heavyweights, D3: The Mighty Ducks, Love Don't Cost a Thing, Barbershop 2: Back in Business, and Snakes on a Plane. Kenan had a recurring role on The Steve Harvey Show as Junior, with co-star Kel Mitchell. Recently, he returned to Nickelodeon for the show The Mighty B! as the voice of Rocky Rhodes.

In 2009, Thompson was a regular voice actor in the Fox cartoon series, Sit Down, Shut Up. He was voice acting principal, "Sue Sezno," who, as evidenced by her last name, always says no.^[4] The series premiered on April 19, 2009,^[4] but was cancelled after only four episodes due to low ratings. Thompson provided the voice for the LeBron James puppet in Nike's MVP "Most Valuable Puppets" commercials, which were produced to be shown throughout the 2009 NBA Playoffs. Thompson also guest starred on the USA Network TV show Psych, Season 4's "High Top Fade Out" (episode 7). He played an estranged college singing buddy of the character Gus.

Saturday Night Live

Kenan Thompson returned to sketch comedy when he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2003, becoming the first SNL cast member to be born after SNL's premiere in 1975 and the first SNL cast member to have been a cast member on children's shows (All That and Kenan and Kel). He was a feature player until 2005 (spanning the 29th and 30th seasons), and was promoted to repertory player at the beginning of season 31 (the 2005-2006 season).

Thompson's recurring characters on Saturday Night Live include: Deandre Cole (a talk-show host whose entire show, BET's "What Up With That?" is an extended musical number), Barbara Birmingham (a chain-smoking nanny with outre advice on disciplining children), DJ Dynasty Handbag from MTV4's Deep House Dish, Jake Denmont (Mrs. Denmont's son on Appalachian Emergency Room), Jean K. Jean (a French Def Comedy Jam performer), Lorenzo McIntosh (a convict hired to scare juvenile delinquents that uses movie references), Oscar Rogers (a financial analyst whose only advice for solving the current economic crisis is to "fix it!"), and Virginiaca Hastings, a sassy woman who flirts with store clerks.

Thompson's celebrity impersonations include: Al Roker, Al Sharpton, Aretha Franklin, Barry Bonds, Bernie Mac, Bill Cosby (whom Thompson also impersonated on All That), Charles Barkley, Colin Powell, Don King, Emmanuel Lewis, Flava Flav, Fred Berry, Gary Coleman, George Clinton, George Foreman, James Harrison, Jennifer Hudson, Jeremiah Wright, Lil' Kim, Leslie David Baker (as Stanley Hudson), Grady Wilson, Louis Armstrong, Maya Angelou, Michael Clark Duncan, Michael Steele, Nipsey Russell, O.J. Simpson, Patti LaBelle, Plaxico Burress, Randy Jackson, Reba McEntire, Roland Burris, Sammy Sosa, Serena Williams, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Star Jones, Steve Harvey, Wanda Sykes, Whitman Mayo, Whoopi Goldberg, will.i.am, William "The Refrigerator" Perry, Donovan McNabb's mother, Wilma, Boyd Tinsley, Stuart Scott, Tiger Woods, Kanye West (vocal impression only), Quincy Jones, Mo'Nique, Tyler Perry, and SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels.^[5]