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Kristen Wiig

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Kristen Wiig
Wiig at the Time 100 event, May 8, 2008
Born
Kristen Carroll Wiig

(1973-08-22) August 22, 1973 (age 51)
Canandaigua, New York, U.S.[1]
OccupationActress/Comedian
Years active2003–present
Websitehttp://www.kristenwiig.com/

Kristen Carroll Wiig (born August 22, 1973) is an American film and television actress who currently appears as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Wiig is a member of improvisational comedy troupe The Groundlings,[1][2] and has appeared in several films and television series, including Bridesmaids, Knocked Up, Bored to Death, MacGruber, Flight of the Conchords, Adventureland, Ghost Town, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Paul. She was also the voice of Ruffnut in How to Train Your Dragon and Miss Hattie in Despicable Me. She is the voice of Lola Bunny in the series The Looney Tunes Show.

Early life

Wiig was born in Canandaigua, New York to an artist mother and a father who owned a lake marina. Wiig's father is of Norwegian and Irish ancestry and her mother is of English and Scottish descent.[3] The name "Wiig" hails from the area of Sogn og Fjordane in Norway.[4] She moved with her family to Lancaster, Pennsylvania at the age of three. Wiig later moved to Rochester, New York, where she attended and graduated from Brighton High SchoolCite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). Wiig went on to attend the University of Arizona with a major in art.[5] She took an acting class in university to fulfill a course requirement; her teacher suggested she continue to act.[5] She dropped out and relocated to Los Angeles, where she joined The Groundlings while working odd jobs to support herself.[5]

Career

Early career

Before pursuing a career in comedy, Wiig worked a number of jobs including working as a graphic artist in plastic surgery, where she showed patients what they would look like post-surgery.[6]

When asked what kind of impact Wiig has had on comedy, SNL co-star Jason Sudeikis stated: "She had about thirty lives before she showed up at SNL. She's had a bunch of crazy jobs and crazy haircuts and has lived in about a dozen cities. And there's always a time when she'll say, 'Well, when I was a florist,' or 'When I sold peaches on the street,' or 'When I went to massage school…' Kristen's a journeyman who can start a sentence from any number of non sequiturs."[7]

TV

Wiig's work has mostly been in comedy, including performing at the Empty Stage Comedy Theatre.[8] In 2003, she appeared in the Spike TV show The Joe Schmo Show, a spoof of reality television, in which she played "Dr. Pat", the quack marriage counselor.[8]

Wiig debuted on Saturday Night Live shortly into its 31st season, on November 12, 2005.[2] She survived a SNL budget cut,[9] becoming a full member of the repertory cast at the beginning of the show's 32nd season in 2006. Her characters include Penelope, a neurotic attention-seeker; Kat in the musical duo Garth and Kat (frequently appearing on Weekend Update alongside Fred Armisen); Dooneese on the Lawrence Welk show; Mindy Grayson in the Secret Word sketches, Gilly, a highly mischievous schoolgirl; Sue, who can't control her excitement over surprises; The Target Lady, a clerk at the chain store and a kitsch collector; Shanna, an attractive and ditzy girl whose actions and stories gross people out; Judy Grimes, a nervous travel agent; and Aunt Linda, a hard-to-please movie critic, both frequently appearing on Weekend Update. She has also played real-life people such as Suze Orman, Kathie Lee Gifford, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann.

Wiig was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Saturday Night Live for 2009,[10] and was nominated again in the same category in 2010 and 2011.[11]

In December 2009, she headlined in the Christmas special "SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas", which featured new sketches with her character Gilly and highlights of old clips.

Following Amy Poehler's departure in the 34th season to work on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation, Wiig was the only female regular cast member on SNL until Abby Elliott was promoted to a repertory player in the show's 36th season.

In December 2008, Wiig was featured in Entertainment Weekly's list of 15 Great Performances for her various impersonations on Saturday Night Live[12] and in April 2009, Wiig was featured in EW's list of the 25 Funniest Women in Hollywood.[13] She also has a lead role as the voice of Lola Bunny in the new series The Looney Tunes Show.

Film

Wiig made her big screen debut in Judd Apatow’s 2007 comedy Knocked Up as a passive-aggressive assistant. She also performed with John C. Reilly in Jake Kasdan's Walk Hard, another Apatow-produced film, and with Ricky Gervais in David Koepp's Ghost Town. Wiig has also appeared with Bill Hader in Greg Mottola's Adventureland, Mike Judge's Extract, co-starring Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck, Clifton Collins Jr., and Mila Kunis; and in Whip It, Drew Barrymore's directorial debut with Ellen Page, Marcia Gay Harden and Juliette Lewis. Wiig also had a lead role in Greg Mottola's Paul .

In 2010, she appeared in the films MacGruber, with former SNL castmate Will Forte, the animated comedy Despicable Me, and Andrew Jarecki's All Good Things.

In 2011, she starred in the film Bridesmaids, which she co-wrote with fellow Groundlings performer Annie Mumolo for Universal Pictures. Apatow produced it and Paul Feig directed it; the film was released on May 13, 2011.[14]

Personal life

Kristen Wiig was briefly married to actor Hayes Hargrove.[15] She is currently dating actor, writer, and filmmaker Brian Petsos.[16] The couple resides in New York City.[16]

Awards

Kristen Wiig was named one of PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities of 2011.[17] She also won Best Female Comedy Actress at the 1st Annual Comedy Awards in 2011. [18]

Film and television

Year Title Role Notes
2003 The Joe Schmo Show Dr. Pat TV Series: 9 Episodes
2004 Life, Death, and Mini-Golf Debbie
2005–present Saturday Night Live Various TV Series
Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Comedy Series (2009–11)
Won – The Comedy Awards – Television Comedy Actress (2011)
2006 The Enigma with a Stigma Tux Shop Employee
2006 Unaccompanied Minors Carole Malone
2007 Knocked Up Jill
2007 30 Rock Candace Van der Shark TV Series
Episode: Somebody to Love
2007 Meet Bill Jane Whitman
2007 The Brothers Solomon Janine
2007 Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story Edith Cox
2008 Semi-Pro Bear Handler
2008 Forgetting Sarah Marshall Yoga Instructor Unrated Version Only
2008 Pretty Bird Mandy
2008 Ghost Town Surgeon
2008 Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday Various TV Series: 6 Episodes
2009 Flight of the Conchords Brahbrah TV Series
Episode: "Love is a Weapon of Choice"
2009 Adventureland Paulette Nominated – Gotham Award for Best Ensemble Cast
2009 Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Pudgy Beaver Mom Voice Only
2009 One Night Only Karen Short film
2009 Whip It! Maggie Mayhem
2009 Extract Suzie
2009–2010 Bored to Death Jennifer Gladwell TV Series: 3 Episodes[19]
2010 The Cleveland Show Mrs. Stapleton TV Series: 1 Episode
Voice Only
2010 How to Train Your Dragon Ruffnut Voice Only
2010 Date Night Haley Sullivan
2010 MacGruber Vicki St. Elmo
2010 Despicable Me Miss Hattie Voice Only
2010 All Good Things Lauren Fleck
2011 Paul Ruth Buggs
2011-present The Looney Tunes Show Lola Bunny Voice Only
2011 Bridesmaids Annie Also Writer/Producer
2011 The Simpsons Ms. Juniper TV Series:[20] 1 Episode
Voice Only
2011 SpongeBob SquarePants Madame Hag Voice Only
2012 Friends with Kids TBA Filming[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b Official website
  2. ^ a b They're live on SNL, a December 2005 USA Today article[clarification needed]
  3. ^ http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/film-cinema/always-the-bridesmaid-2677666.html
  4. ^ "Komi-Kristen" (in Norwegian), Film Magasinet
  5. ^ a b c Dominus, Susan (April 28, 2011). "Can Kristen Wiig Turn on the Charm?". The New York Times. New York City. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 29, 2011. {{cite news}}: Text "NYTC]]" ignored (help)
  6. ^ "Interview Kristen Wiig", AV Club, March 30, 2009
  7. ^ sten Wiig goes glam for "V Magazine"
  8. ^ a b "How Real Is Reality Programming? SPIKE TV'S 'The Joe Schmo Show' Puts New Twist on Reality Show Genre, Where Only One Contestant Is Real" (Press release). SpikeTV. August 12, 2003. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  9. ^ Village Voice article
  10. ^ Emmy Awards: the 2009 nominees | EW.com
  11. ^ Ryan, Joal (2010-7-8). "Emmys 2010 Comedy Acting: Matthew Morrison Leads Glee Choir". ca.eonline.com. Retrieved April 29, 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ Entertainment Weekly mention, Photo 19 of 20, "15 Great Performances In 2008"
  13. ^ Entertainment Weekly Photo 6 of 26, "The 25 Funniest Actresses in Hollywood"
  14. ^ Jeremy Kay (July 21, 2009). "Mandate Pictures heads for the highway with female road movie". Screen Daily. Retrieved July 25, 2009.
  15. ^ Ryzik, Melena (January 4, 2009). "She's Really Shy, but That's a Secret". The New York Times. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
  16. ^ a b USA Today article: "Kristen Wiig of 'SNL' helps save the day in 'MacGruber'."
  17. ^ http://features.peta.org/sexiest-Vegetarian-Celebrities-2011/Winners.aspx
  18. ^ http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/03/26/winners-for-the-first-annual-the-comedy-awards-include-david-letterman-alec-baldwin-tina-fey-will-ferrell-more/87213/
  19. ^ The Alanon Case – Yahoo! TV
  20. ^ "The Simpsons", Season 22, Episode 11 – Flaming Moe
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