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Kenan Thompson

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Kenan Thompson
Thompson in November 2007
Born (1978-05-10) May 10, 1978 (age 46)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
OccupationActor/Comedian
Years active1994–present
Websitewww.kenanthompson.net

Kenan Thompson (born May 10, 1978) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his work as a cast member of NBC's long-running sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, as well for his starring roles in the films Good Burger and Fat Albert, his portrayal of Kenan Rockmore on the Nickelodeon sitcom Kenan & Kel, and as an original cast member of the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That. He ranks at #88 on VH1's 100 Greatest Teen Stars. Throughout the 1990s, he frequently collaborated with fellow comedian Kel Mitchell.

Early life and career

He was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, the son of Fletcher and Elizabeth Ann Thompson. He has one sibling, Kerwin Thompson. He began acting at age 15, appearing in the school play The Gingerbread Duck.[1] One of his earliest roles was as an entertainment for CNN's "Fake News for Kids",[2] and he would go on to star in All That, and Kenan & Kel.[2] 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 television 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, D2: The Mighty Ducks, Love Don't Cost a Thing, Barbershop 2: Back in Business, My Boss's Daughter, 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, portraying Sue Sezno, who, as evidenced by her last name, always says no.[3] The series premiered on April 19, 2009,[3] but was canceled after only four episodes due to low ratings and less than favorable reviews. 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. In 2011 he briefly returned to Nickelodeon, as he guest starred in "iParty with Victorious", a crossover episode of TV sitcoms "iCarly" and "Victorious". Thompson is the current host of TeenNick's 1990's programming block, The '90s Are All That.

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).

Personal life

On September 30, 2010, US Weekly announced that Thompson and his girlfriend Christina Evangeline had become engaged. They married on November 11, 2011.[4]

SNL characters

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 little more than 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 (an imprisoned convict hired by local authorities to scare juvenile delinquents straight by using movie references)
  • Oscar Rogers (a financial analyst whose only advice for solving the current economic crisis is to "fix it!")
  • Virginiaca Hastings, a sassy woman who flirts with store clerks
  • Dave "Beef Jelly" Winfield, one of the comedians in the "Original Kings of Catchphrase Comedy" video series

Celebrity impersonations

Thompson's celebrity impersonations

Filmography

Television

Performing "An Evening with Kenan Thompson" in 2010
Hamburger (1 episode)

Film

Thompson at the 2006 San Diego Comic-Con

Solo album

  • The Good Times Comedy CD (2004)

References

  1. ^ Kenan Thompson Biography - Yahoo! Movies
  2. ^ a b "Kenan Thompson Biography (1978-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved May 11, 2010.
  3. ^ a b "Sit Down, Shut Up". Fox. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
  4. ^ Zach Johnson (September 30, 2011). "Saturday Night Live's Kenan Thompson Is Engaged!". US Weekly. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ "SNL Archives | Cast". Snl.jt.org. Retrieved May 11, 2010.
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