Kenan Thompson
Kenan Thompson | |
---|---|
![]() Thompson in 2019 | |
Born | Columbus, Ohio, U.S. | May 10, 1978
Occupation(s) | Actor, comedian |
Years active | 1994–present |
Spouse |
Christina Evangeline
(m. 2011; sep. 2021) |
Children | 2 |
Website | www |
Kenan Thompson (/ˈkiːnən/; born May 10, 1978)[1] is an American actor and comedian. He has been a cast member of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live since 2003, making him the longest-tenured cast member in the show's history.[2] He was also the first regular cast member born after the show's premiere in 1975. He currently stars on the NBC sitcom Kenan, which premiered in 2021.
Thompson began his acting career in the early 1990s, and was an original cast member of Nickelodeon's sketch comedy series All That, where he often collaborated with co-star Kel Mitchell. In 1996, they began starring in their own sitcom Kenan & Kel (1996–2000). Thompson also had roles in The Mighty Ducks franchise, Good Burger, and as the title character in the 2004 film Fat Albert.
He has been nominated four times for a Primetime Emmy Award for his work on SNL, winning once.[3] He is ranked at No. 88 on VH1's 100 Greatest Teen Stars.
Early life
Thompson was born on May 10, 1978 in Columbus, Ohio.[4] His parents are Fletcher and Elizabeth Ann Thompson. He has two siblings: an older brother and a younger sister. His family moved to Atlanta, Georgia when he was 9 months old.[5] Thompson's mother enrolled him in acting classes at age five. His first role as Toto in a church production of The Wiz had no lines.[2] He continued acting throughout his youth, appearing in school plays such as The Gingerbread Duck.[6] He auditioned for a theater company, The Youth Ensemble of Atlanta (YEA).[7] As a child he was a fan of The Price Is Right which he referred to as "my first love" and "very joyful viewing", which had an effect on his future acting style.[8]
Career
Early career
One of Thompson's earliest roles was as an entertainment reporter for CNN's "Real News for Kids".[9] He went on to star in the original run of All That (where he got replaced by Gabriel Iglesias), with such characters as Principal Pimpell, Miss Piddlin, Pierre Escargot, and Superdude. He starred as Kenan Rockmore on Nickelodeon's Kenan & Kel.[9] While attending 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.
Later career
Thompson has starred in several films including Good Burger, based on the All That sketch of the same title, and Fat Albert, in which he played the title character. He has also had supporting roles in the movies Heavyweights, D2: The Mighty Ducks, D3: The Mighty Ducks, Love Don't Cost a Thing, Barbershop 2: Back in Business, My Boss's Daughter, and Snakes on a Plane.
In 2009, Thompson was a regular voice actor in the Fox cartoon series Sit Down, Shut Up, portraying Sue Sezno who, as evinced by her last name, always says no.[10] The series premiered on April 19, 2009,[10] 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 series Psych in the fourth season episode "High Top Fade Out". He played Gus's estranged college singing buddy. In 2011, he returned to Nickelodeon, as he guest starred in "iParty with Victorious", a crossover episode of sitcoms iCarly and Victorious.
Thompson appeared as a host of sorts of TeenNick's retro programming block, The '90s Are All That, appearing in many of the block's early bumpers and hyping material. He would return to the block, eventually called NickRewind but at the time called The Splat, for All That's 22nd anniversary, with segments filmed at the 2015 New York Comic-Con.[11]
![Thompson waving](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/Capitals_All_Caps_playoff_Concert_2018_%2842727166722%29.jpg/220px-Capitals_All_Caps_playoff_Concert_2018_%2842727166722%29.jpg)
In 2015, movie ticketing website Fandango announced that Thompson would play their brand character, Miles Mouvay. Thompson would play Mouvay in 18 videos, eight 30-second commercials, and a few comedic skits.[12]
On September 23, 2015, Thompson appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon alongside former All That co-star Kel Mitchell in which they reprised their popular Good Burger roles as "Ed" and "Lester Oakes, Construction Worker". They later competed against one another in an episode of the revived Nickelodeon game show Double Dare that aired in November 2018.[13]
In 2019, Thompson served as a judge for NBC's comedy competition series Bring the Funny.[14] He also became an executive producer with Mitchell for Nickelodeon's All That revival, premiering in June.[15] In May 2019, NBC announced they had picked up Thompson's single-camera comedy The Kenan Show to series. The series, retitled Kenan, premiered in 2021 on NBC and features Thompson as a newly-widowed father determined to be a "super dad".[16] He was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series after its first season.
In 2020, he became the spokesman for Universal Parks & Resorts’ "Let Yourself Woah" campaign,[17] and was set to host the 2020 White House Correspondents' Dinner before it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[18]
2021 would also see Thompson be named host of that year's Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards[19] and People's Choice Awards.[20] He also hosted The Jonas Brothers Family Roast on Netflix.[21]
He is set to appear on the revival of The Kids in the Hall, releasing on Amazon Prime Video on May 13, 2022.[22]
Saturday Night Live
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/Kenan_Thompson_2012_%28cropped%29.jpg/150px-Kenan_Thompson_2012_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Thompson returned to sketch comedy when he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2003, becoming the show's first cast member born after its 1975 premiere.[23] According to Thompson he had previously sent an audition tape to SNL multiple times with them claiming he looked too young, with him noting "it was a couple years’ worth of that".[8] A fan of the show before joining, Thompson noted that he feared that being on the show was a "disservice" to it stating "It was weird for me for a long time".[8] Thompson was a featured 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).
In 2013, he refused to play any more black women on the show and demanded SNL hire black women instead.[24][25]
Thompson has been a cast member on SNL for 19 years, breaking the record for the longest-tenured cast member in the show's history previously held by Darrell Hammond, who was on the show for 14 years. Thompson became the most senior cast member in the second half of the 2013–14 season, following the departure of Seth Meyers. He is also the longest-serving African-American cast member, surpassing Tim Meadows, who stayed on the show for ten seasons, and is also the oldest current cast member.[26] Thompson also holds the record for most celebrity impressions performed on the show, performing 139, beating Hammond's previous record of 107.[27] Although early on he planned to stay on the show until something else came along, by 2019 he noted that SNL was his "forever plan".[28][29]
Thompson has been nominated for four Primetime Emmys for his work on SNL, winning once. He has thrice been nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, in 2018, 2020 and 2021. For co-writing the song "Last Christmas", in 2017 he was nominated for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, an award he then won in 2018 for the lyrics to Come Back Barack (along with Chris Redd and Will Stephen).[30]
In 2014, SNL head writer Brian H. Tucker noted that simply putting "KENAN REACTS" would get a script more laughs, further elaborating, "Put him in your sketch somewhere, anywhere, and your sketch will get better. Because Kenan knows how to take ordinary lines and make them funny, and take funny lines and make them special."[31] Similarly, Lorne Michaels in a 2019 article would refer to Thompson as "the person I most rely on in the cast".[29] Vulture referred to him as the "heir apparent" to Phil Hartman, both being "the glue" of their respective casts.[32]
Thompson's celebrity impressions on SNL include Al Sharpton, Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Cosby, Charles Barkley, David Ortiz, OJ Simpson, and Steve Harvey on the recurring Family Feud sketch.[33]
He has performed in over 1,500 sketches, hitting the mark during the March 5, 2022 episode hosted by Oscar Isaac.[34]
Recurring characters
- Darnell Hayes, the host of Black Jeopardy![33]
- Diondre Cole, the host of What Up with That? (What's Up with That? in some episodes), who is repeatedly distracted by the show's theme song
- Reese De'What, the host of Cinema Classics
- Willie, Michael Che's overly optimistic neighbour
- Jean K. Jean, a French comedian
- Lorenzo McIntosh, a prisoner in the Scared Straight sketches
- Steve Kane, the gym teacher in the Daniel Frye sketches
- Tre, a character in the Californians sketches
- Virginiaca Hastings, an argumentative shopper
- Elliot Pants, Host of What's Wrong with This Picture?
Personal life
Thompson married model Christina Evangeline[35] on November 11, 2011.[36] Together, they have two daughters, born in June 2014,[37][38] and August 2018.[39]
On April 7, 2022, it was announced that the two had been separated for over a year, but they remain coparenting their two daughters.[40]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1994 | D2: The Mighty Ducks | Russ Tyler | |
1995 | Heavyweights | Roy Murphy | |
1996 | D3: The Mighty Ducks | Russ Tyler | |
1997 | Good Burger | Dexter Reed | |
2000 | The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle | Lewis | |
2002 | Big Fat Liar | Party Guest | |
2002 | The Master of Disguise | Guy on Computer | |
2003 | Love Don't Cost a Thing | Walter Colley | |
2003 | My Boss's Daughter | Hans | |
2004 | Barbershop 2: Back in Business | Kenard | |
2004 | Fat Albert | Fat Albert | |
2006 | Snakes on a Plane | Troy | |
2008 | Space Chimps | Ringmaster | Voice |
2008 | Wieners | Wyatt | |
2009 | Stan Helsing | Teddy | |
2011 | The Smurfs | Greedy Smurf | Voice |
2012 | The Magic of Belle Isle | Henry | |
2013 | The Smurfs 2 | Greedy Smurf | Voice |
2014 | They Came Together | Teddy | |
2014 | The Opposite Sex | Mitch | |
2016 | Rock Dog | Riff | Voice |
2016 | Brother Nature | Miesha | |
2017 | Going in Style | Keith | |
2018 | The Grinch | Bricklebaum | Voice |
2019 | Wonder Park | Gus | |
2019 | Playmobil: The Movie | Bloodbones | |
2019 | Dads | Himself | Documentary |
2020 | Trolls World Tour | Tiny Diamond | Voice |
2020 | Hubie Halloween | Officer Blake | |
2021 | Clifford the Big Red Dog | Clifford's veterinarian | |
2021 | Home Sweet Home Alone | Gavin Washington |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1994–99 | All That | Various Roles | Main role (Seasons 1-5) |
2002 | Guest role (Season 7) | ||
2005 | Guest role (Season 10) | ||
2019–20 | Executive producer (Season 11) | ||
1996–98 | The Steve Harvey Show | Junior | 4 episodes |
1996–2000 | Kenan & Kel | Kenan Rockmore | Main role |
1997 | Sister, Sister | Trevor | Episode: "Inherit the Twin" |
1998 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Kenan Rockmore | Episode: "Sabrina's Choice" |
1999 | The Amanda Show | Himself | Episode: "Episode 1" |
1999 | Cousin Skeeter | Kenan Rockmore | Episodes: "Hoo, I'm Wild Wild West" (Parts 1 & 2) |
2000 | The Parkers | Damon | Episode: "Trading Places" |
2001 | Felicity | DeForrest Ingram | 4 episodes |
2002 | Off Centre | MC French | 2 episodes |
2003 | Clifford the Big Red Dog | Hamburger | Voice; Episode: "Food for Thought/Friends Forever" |
2003–present | Saturday Night Live | Himself/Various roles | Repertory player (Season 31-present) |
2005 | Wild 'N Out | Himself | Episode: "Kenan Thompson" |
2018 | Episode: "All That Takeover" | ||
2005 | Rugrats | Mirror | Voice; Episode: "Tales from the Crib: Snow White" |
2007 | Crank Yankers | Mark Thomas | Episode: "4.1" |
2008 | The Mighty B! | Rocky Rhodes | Voice; 5 episodes |
2009 | Psych | Joon | Episode: "High Top Fade-Out" |
2009 | Sit Down, Shut Up | Sue Sezno | Voice: 13 episodes |
2011 | iCarly | Himself | Episode: "iParty with Victorious" |
The '90s Are All That | Host | ||
2013 | Martha Speaks | Stanley | Voice; Episode: "Stanley Saves The Day/Milo Goes For Gold"[41] |
2013–15 | The Awesomes | Austin "Impresario" Sullivan | Voice |
2015 | Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja | Socko | Episode: "Rorg: A Hero of a Past" |
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | Lester Oakes | Episode: "James Spader/Andrew Rannells/Brian Regan" | |
2015–20 | Nature Cat | Ronald | Voice, Season 1 only |
2016 | Maya & Marty | Various roles | Main role |
2016, 2019 | Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | Roland | 2 episodes |
2017–19 | Match Game | Himself/Panelist | 4 episodes[42] |
2018 | Double Dare | Himself | Contestant; episode: "Team Kel vs. Team Kenan" |
2018 | Studio C | Himself, various roles | [43][44] |
2019 | The Masked Singer | Himself | Guest judge; episodes 8, 9[45] |
2019 | Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? | Voice; Episode: "Quit Clowning!"[46] | |
2019 | Bring the Funny | Judge[47] | |
2020 | America's Got Talent | Guest judge | Season 15, two episodes 1 |
2020–present | Trolls: TrollsTopia | Tiny Diamond | Voice |
2021–present | Kenan | Kenan Williams[48] | Main role and executive producer |
2021 | 2021 Kids' Choice Awards | Himself | Host |
2021 | Trolls: Holiday in Harmony | Tiny Diamond | Voice [49] |
2021 | 47th People's Choice Awards | Himself | Host |
2021 | Jonas Brothers Family Roast | Himself | Host |
2022 | Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock | Jack Hammer | Voice; Episode: "Wembley the Spokesfraggle" [50] |
2022 | The Boys Presents: Diabolical | Mo-Slo’s Dad | Voice; Episode: "An Animated Short Where Pissed-Off Supes Kill Their Parents" |
2022 | The Kids in the Hall | TBA | Episode TBA |
^1 Thompson stood in for Cowell, who was still recovering from a back injury the previous week that required him to rest under medical observation.
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2004 | Good Times | Comedy album |
References
- ^ "Kenan Thompson". TV Guide. Archived from the original on July 27, 2016.
- ^ a b Izadi, Elahe. "The quiet brilliance of Kenan Thompson, SNL's longest-tenured cast member". Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 28, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
- ^ "Kenan Thompson". emmy.com. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
- ^ "Kenan Thompson Talks New Sitcom, SNL Sports, 'Miami Vice' & More with Rich Eisen | Full Interview" – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Kenan Thompson Talks New Sitcom, SNL Sports, 'Miami Vice' & More with Rich Eisen | Full Interview" – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Kenan Thompson Biography – Yahoo! Movies".
- ^ Tuck, Angela (August 5, 2015). "For 25 years, group for young Atlanta performers has mixed art, issues". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
- ^ a b c Collings, Austin (June 13, 2019). "Kenan Thompson's 17-Year Itch". Vanity Fair. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
- ^ a b Kenan Thompson Biography (1978–), Filmreference.com
- ^ a b "Sit Down, Shut Up". Fox. Archived from the original on April 17, 2009. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
- ^ Harnick, Chris (March 23, 2016). "An All That Reunion Is Coming to The Splat—This Is Vital Information for Your Everyday Life". E! Online. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
- ^ "Fandango To Launch Brand Personality Series Starring Kenan Thompson". Tubefilter. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
- ^ Lawrence, Derek (June 25, 2018). "Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell reuniting to compete on special episode of Double Dare". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (February 1, 2019). "NBC Orders Comedy Competition Series With Jeff Foxworthy Among Judges". Variety.
- ^ Schwartz, Ryan (February 14, 2019). "All That Revival Ordered at Nick, With Kenan Thompson On Board as EP". TVLine.
- ^ White, Peter (May 12, 2019). "Kenan Thompson To Remain On 'SNL' As NBC Figures Out 'Scheduling Issues' For 'The Kenan Show'". Deadline. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
- ^ Dugan, Christina (February 14, 2020). "Kenan Thompson Returns to All That Roots (and Universal Studios) for First Time in 20 Years: 'It Holds a Place In My Heart'". People. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
- ^ Steinberg, Brian (February 18, 2020). "White House Correspondents Dinner Returns to Comedy With Kenan Thompson, Hasan Minhaj". Variety. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
- ^ Zorrilla, Monica Marie (February 2, 2021). "Kenan Thompson to Host 2021 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards". Variety. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
- ^ Petki, Denise (November 8, 2021). "Kenan Thompson To Host 2021 People's Choice Awards". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 8, 2021. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
- ^ Macke, Johnni (November 22, 2021). "Kevin! Joe! Nick! What We Know About 'Jonas Brothers Family Roast' Special". Us Weekly. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
- ^ "It's Head-Crushing Time! Prime Video Announces the Premiere Date and Trailer Release for Canadian Amazon Original Series The Kids in the Hall". newswire.ca. April 13, 2022. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- ^ Levin, Gary. "Kenan Thompson gets an NBC sitcom, but will stay on 'SNL,' too". USA Today. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
- ^ Weisman, Aly. "'SNL's' Kenan Thompson Refuses To Dress In Drag Until The Show Hires A Black Woman". Business Insider. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
- ^ "16 Times Women Changed the Game on 'Saturday Night Live'". Glamour. June 27, 2018. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
- ^ "Fred Armisen Is Leaving 'SNL' Too, Jason Sudeikis "Probably"". May 16, 2013.
- ^ "Saturday Night Live – Kenan Thompson" SNLarchives.net. Web. Retrieved January 21, 2018.
- ^ Hiatt, Brian (September 12, 2018). "How Kenan Thompson Became The Ultimate 'SNL' Survivor". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ a b Izadi, Elahe. "The quiet brilliance of Kenan Thompson". Washington Post. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ "Kenan Thompson". Television Academy. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
- ^ Tucker, Bryan (September 25, 2014). "Why Saturday Night Live Writers Lean on Kenan Thompson". Slate. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ Abriss, Erik (January 4, 2019). "Why Kenan Thompson Is the Most Underrated SNL Cast Member Ever". Vulture. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ a b "Cast | Kenan Thompson". SNL Archives. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
- ^ Rowley, Glenn (March 7, 2022). "Kenan Thompson hits 1,500 sketch milestone on Saturday Night Live". Consequence. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
- ^ "See Kenan Thompson's Adorable First Baby Pictures". June 23, 2014.
- ^ Macatee, Rebecca (November 15, 2011). "Saturday Night Live's Kenan Thompson Gets Married!". US Weekly. Retrieved November 4, 2013.
- ^ Heller, Corinne (June 22, 2014). "Here's an SNL Weekend Update: Kenan Thompson Is a Dad!". E! Online. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ^ Diaz, Evelyn (June 23, 2014). "Kenan Thompson, Wife Welcome Baby Girl - It's the first child for the SNL comedian". BET. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
- ^ "'SNL' Star Kenan Thompson and Christina Evangeline Welcome Their Second Child". August 4, 2018.
- ^ Etienne, Vanessa (April 7, 2022). "Kenan Thompson and Wife Christina Evangeline Split After 10 Years of Marriage: Report". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
- ^ "PBS KIDS Debuts New Episodes & Online Content from ARTHUR and MARTHA SPEAKS – BWWTVWorld". Broadway World TV. October 22, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
- ^ "Match Game (2016) (a Guest Stars & Air Dates Guide)". epguides.com.
- ^ "Studio C + Kenan Thompson in Season 9 Premiere!". YouTube, Studio C Channel. September 10, 2018.
- ^ "Studio C Live from NYC". BYUTV.org. September 10, 2018.
- ^ Henderson, Cydney (February 20, 2019). "'The Masked Singer' recap: Two celebrities are revealed in the semifinals". USA Today. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
- ^ "Boomerang Unveils New SCOOBY-DOO AND GUESS WHO? & YABBA-DABBA DINOSAURS! Series". Broadway World. May 23, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
- ^ Swartz, Tracy. "Meet the 3 Chicago acts performing in new NBC competition 'Bring the Funny'". chicagotribune.com.
- ^ White, Peter (January 26, 2021). "'Kenan': Kenan Thompson Prepared For Challenge Of Filming New NBC Comedy & 'SNL' – TCA". Deadline.
- ^ "Trolls Holiday in Harmony". DreamWorks. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
- ^ Kinsey, Forest (January 22, 2022). "Fraggle Rock Cast Guide: Every Cameo & Guest Star In Back To The Rock". ScreenRant. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 1978 births
- Living people
- 20th-century American comedians
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American comedians
- 21st-century American male actors
- African-American male actors
- African-American male comedians
- American impressionists (entertainers)
- American male child actors
- American male comedians
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male voice actors
- American sketch comedians
- Male actors from Atlanta
- Musicians from Atlanta
- Primetime Emmy Award winners
- Santa Monica College alumni
- 20th-century African-American people
- 21st-century African-American people