Maya Rudolph
Maya Rudolph | |
---|---|
![]() Rudolph in 2012 | |
Born | Maya Khabira Rudolph July 27, 1972 Gainesville, Florida, U.S. |
Alma mater | University of California, Santa Cruz |
Occupation(s) | Actress, Comedian |
Years active | 1996–present |
Partner | Paul Thomas Anderson (2001–present) |
Children | 4 |
Parent(s) | Richard Rudolph Minnie Riperton |
Website | twitter |
Maya Khabira Rudolph[1] (born July 27, 1972) is an American actress and comedian. She rose to prominence on the NBC television show Saturday Night Live, where she was a cast member from 2000 to 2007. She has also starred in films such as Idiocracy (2006), Away We Go (2009), Grown Ups (2010), Bridesmaids (2011), Grown Ups 2 (2013), and Sisters (2015). She starred as Ava Alexander in the NBC sitcom Up All Night from 2011 to 2013. Rudolph's self-titled variety show television pilot aired on May 19, 2014.[2] It was later announced that she would star in variety series Maya and Marty in Manhattan together with Martin Short.[3]
Early life
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Minnie_Riperton_1977.jpg/220px-Minnie_Riperton_1977.jpg)
Rudolph was born in Gainesville, Florida. She is the daughter of soul singer-songwriter Minnie Riperton and composer, songwriter, and producer Richard Rudolph. Her father is an Ashkenazi Jew, and her mother was African-American.[4][5][6] Her paternal grandfather was Sidney Rudolph, a philanthropist who once owned all of the Wendy's and Rudy's restaurants in Dade County, Florida.[7] Her great-grandfather, who was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, changed his surname from "Rudashevsky" to "Rudolph," and was one of the founding members of Congregation Beth Shalom, a Conservative Jewish synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[8]
Rudolph's parents moved to Los Angeles, California when she and her brother Marc were very young, and they grew up primarily in the Westwood neighborhood.[9]
Near the end of the "Lovin' You" track, Riperton can be heard singing "Maya, Maya, Maya, Maya, Maya, Maya, Maya, Maya". Riperton incorporated this into her performance of the song on The Midnight Special.[10] Riperton died on July 12, 1979, at age 31, from breast cancer.[9] Rudolph's godmother was R&B singer Teena Marie.[11]
In 1990, Rudolph graduated from Crossroads School in Santa Monica, California, where she became friendly with fellow students Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack Black,[12] and continued her education at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in photography from Porter College.[13]
Career
![]() | This section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (January 2015) |
Saturday Night Live
In May 2000, Rudolph joined the cast of Saturday Night Live as a featured player for the final three episodes of the 1999–2000 season, after a stint as a member of The Groundlings improv troupe, where she met future Saturday Night Live cast member Will Forte.[9] Rudolph's musical talents were frequently employed on Saturday Night Live. She sang as Beyoncé Knowles in the Prince Show sketches, as the "Space Creature" in the Gays in Space sketches, except for the one on the season 31 episode hosted by Peter Sarsgaard, because it aired around the time Rudolph was on maternity leave. Friend Will Forte substituted for her during that episode. Her ability to change her looks and her command of many accents also led to her playing an unusually wide range of ethnicities on the show, often with only a change of wigs. She has portrayed characters of Northern european (Paris Hilton, Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand, Lisa Kudrow), Asian (Lucy Liu, Lisa Ling), black (Diana Ross, Tina Turner), and Hispanic (Charo) descent. As "Nooni Schoener," Rudolph, along with Fred Armisen, created a couple from an unspecified Scandinavian country, who have unplaceable accents and bewilderingly foreign manners. Rudolph was also able to play male characters such as Scott Joplin, Justin Guarini, and Mario Vazquez.
Her final show was on November 3, 2007, with host Brian Williams and musical guest Feist, the last episode before the writers' strike. She returned on October 25, 2008, in a featured guest appearance as Michelle Obama and sang a duet with Kenan Thompson about Amy Poehler's newborn. She then also appeared in the 2008 Christmas episode, where she reprised her role in the sketch Bronx Beat, with Amy Poehler. She also appeared in two sketches in the 2008–09 season finale with Will Ferrell. She appeared in a Weekend Update Thursday sketch during the fall 2009–10 season as Oprah Winfrey speaking on behalf of Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics. She also appeared on the show in May 2010 to perform in skits including "The Manuel Ortiz Show" with Betty White. She returned to Saturday Night Live for the season 36 premiere, hosted by Amy Poehler, performing the "Bronx Beat" sketch and that same season for episode 700, hosted by Tina Fey.[14] On February 18, 2012 she returned to Saturday Night Live as a host for the first time and reprised her roles in sketches such as "Bronx Beat". She once again returned to SNL on December 19, 2015 for the Christmas episode hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler to reprise her role in the "Bronx Beat" sketch.[15]
Characters
Rudolph's characters on the show have included "Attorney Glenda Goodwin" and "Megan" from the "Wake Up, Wakefield!" sketches. Rudolph has done a number of celebrity impressions on Saturday Night Live during her tenure, including Amanda Byram, Ananda Lewis, Barbra Streisand, Bern Nadette Stanis (as Thelma Evans on Good Times), Beyoncé, Charo, Christina Aguilera, Condoleezza Rice, Darcel Wynne, Diana Ross, Donatella Versace, Donna Fargo, Emily Robison, Fredricka Whitfield, Free, Gayle King, Griselda Blanco, Halle Berry, Ivanka Trump, Ja'net Du Bois (as Willona Woods on Good Times), Jennifer Lopez, Joyce "Fenderella" Irby, Justin Guarini, Kara Saun, La Toya Jackson, Lisa Kudrow, Lisa Ling, Liza Minnelli, Lucy Liu, Lynda Lopez, Macy Gray, Mario Vasquez, Mary Roach, Maya Angelou, Melinda Doolittle, Melissa Stark, Michelle Obama, Mýa, Nelly Furtado, Omarosa Manigault, Oprah Winfrey, Paris Hilton, Patti LaBelle, Phylicia Rashad (as Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show), Rocsi, Scott Joplin, Teresa Heinz, Terra Patrick, Tina Turner, Tyra Banks, Valerie Simpson, Vanessa Hudgens (as Gabriella Montez from High School Musical 3), Wanda Sykes and Whitney Houston.
Recurring characters
- Appreciante
- Beertje Van Beers
- Britanica of Gemini's Twin
- Casey
- Charli Coffee
- Cocktail Waitress
- Donatella Versace
- Glenda Goodwin
- Jackie
- Jodi Deitz (one of the co-hosts of "Bronx Beat")
- Leilani Burke
- Megan (one of the co-hosts of "Wake Up, Wakefield!")
- Mrs. Denmont
- Nuni Schoener
- Patti Sylviac
- Rebecca
- Space Creature
Television and film
In addition to her work on Saturday Night Live, Rudolph has appeared on other television shows, including the CBS medical drama series City of Angels and Chicago Hope. She had small parts in Chuck & Buck, Gattaca, As Good as It Gets, Duplex and Duets; she was also a music supervisor for Duets. Her first prominent film role came in 2006 with A Prairie Home Companion. Earlier, she had costarred with Luke Wilson in the 2005 Mike Judge sci-fi comedy Idiocracy, although that film was shelved until September 2006 and then only given a limited release. She also guest-starred as Rapunzel in the DreamWorks animated film Shrek the Third. She guest-starred as Julia in The Simpsons episode "The Homer of Seville". Rudolph guest-starred as character Athena Scooberman in NBC's Kath & Kim, and starred in the film Away We Go with The Office star John Krasinski. In 2010, she appeared in Grown Ups starring Adam Sandler, where she played the wife of Chris Rock's character. In 2011, she appeared in Bridesmaids with Saturday Night Live colleague Kristen Wiig, and in 2013 she played a supporting role in The Way, Way Back as the girlfriend of Sam Rockwell's character. She co-starred in the NBC sitcom Up All Night, with Christina Applegate and Will Arnett.
Music
Prior to joining Saturday Night Live, Rudolph was backing singer (1995–99)[1] and briefly a keyboardist in the band The Rentals, with whom she toured for a short time.[9] She also appears in the music videos of the songs "Waiting" and "Please Let That Be You". She sang backing vocals for "Barcelona" and "My Head Is in the Sun," both from the album Seven More Minutes. In 2004, she recorded a track with The Rentals frontman Matt Sharp, including a cover of Tegan and Sara's "Not Tonight." Rudolph also performed "Together In Pooping" and "Little Roundworm" with Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (Robert Smigel) on his album Come Poop With Me. She is in a Prince cover band called Princess with her friend Gretchen Lieberum.[citation needed]
Personal life
Rudolph began dating director Paul Thomas Anderson in 2001.[16] Now married, they live together in Los Angeles and have four children: daughters Pearl Bailey (born October 2005), Lucille (born November 2009), Minnie Ida (born August 2013), and son Jack (born July 2011).[17]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | As Good As It Gets | Policewoman | |
1997 | Gattaca | Delivery Nurse | |
1998 | Rush Hour | Policewoman | |
2000 | Chuck & Buck | Jamilla | |
2000 | Duets | Karaoke Hostess | |
2003 | Duplex | Tara | |
2004 | Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie | Kanshasha X | |
2004 | 50 First Dates | Stacy | |
2006 | A Prairie Home Companion | Molly | |
2006 | Idiocracy | Rita | |
2007 | Shrek the Third | Rapunzel | Voice role |
2009 | Away We Go | Verona De Tessant | |
2010 | MacGruber | Casey Fitzpatrick | |
2010 | Grown Ups | Deanne McKenzie | |
2011 | Bridesmaids | Lillian Donovan | |
2011 | Zookeeper | Mollie | Voice role |
2011 | Friends with Kids | Leslie | |
2013 | The Way, Way Back | Caitlyn | |
2013 | Grown Ups 2 | Deanne McKenzie | |
2013 | Turbo | Burn | Voice role |
2014 | The Nut Job | Precious | Voice role |
2014 | Inherent Vice | Petunia Leeway | |
2014 | Big Hero 6 | Aunt Cass[18][19] | Voice role |
2015 | Strange Magic | Griselda | Voice role |
2015 | Maggie's Plan | Felicia | |
2015 | A Very Murray Christmas | Lounge Singer | |
2015 | Sisters | Brinda | |
2016 | Zootopia | Officer Francine | Voice role |
2016 | The Angry Birds Movie | Matilda | Voice role |
2016 | We Don't Belong Here | Joanne | In post-production |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1996–97 | Chicago Hope | Nurse Leah Martine | 5 episodes |
1997 | The Devil's Child | Holly | Movie |
2000 | Action | Phina | Episode: "Dead Man Floating" |
2000 | City of Angels | Nurse Grace Patterson | 15 episodes |
2000–07, 2012, 2015 | Saturday Night Live | Various Characters / Host | 150 episodes |
2006 | Campus Ladies | Professor Theresa Winslow Fabre | Episode: "All Nighter" |
2007 | The Simpsons | Julia (voice) | Episode: "Homer of Seville" |
2008–09 | Kath & Kim | Athena Scooberman | 5 episodes |
2009 | The Mighty B! | Cherry (voice) | Episode: "The Dragonflies" |
2011–12 | Up All Night | Ava Alexander | 35 episodes |
2014 | Portlandia | Anita | Episode: "Bahama Knights" |
2014 | The Maya Rudolph Show | Herself | Variety show |
2014 | Family Guy | Chloe (voice) | Episode: "The Book of Joe" |
2015 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Herself | Episode: "Maya Rudolph Wears a Black Skirt and Strappy Sandals" |
2015 | The Spoils Before Dying | Fresno Foxglove | 4 episodes |
2015 | Drunk History | Griselda Blanco | Episode: "Miami" |
2016 | The Grinder | Jillian | 3 episodes |
Web series
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | The Awesomes | Mrs. Malocchio | Voice, 5 episodes |
Awards and nominations
Year | Association | Category | Film | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | Broadcast Film Critics Association | Best Acting Ensemble | A Prairie Home Companion | Nominated |
2009 | Chicago Film Critics Association | Best Actress | Away We Go | Nominated |
2010 | Black Reel Awards | Best Actress | Nominated | |
2011 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Movie Actress: Comedy | Bridesmaids | Nominated |
2012 | Black Reel Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |
Broadcast Film Critics Association | Best Acting Ensemble | Nominated | ||
NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | Nominated | ||
MTV Movie Awards | Best Cast | Nominated | ||
Best Gut-Wrenching Performance | Won | |||
Screen Actors Guild | Outstanding Ensemble in a Motion Picture | Nominated |
Year | Association | Category | Series | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | Satellite Awards | Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy or Musical | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
2007 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
2011 | Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Mini Series or TV Movie | Up All Night | Nominated |
2012 | Emmy Awards | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | Saturday Night Live | Nominated |
NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Up All Night | Nominated | |
Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Mini Series or TV Movie | Nominated |
References
- ^ a b "Maya Rudolph". The Complete Marquis Who's Who (fee, via Fairfax County Public Library). Marquis Who's Who. 2010. Gale Document Number: GALE|K2014901123. Retrieved September 24, 2011. Gale Biography In Context.
- ^ Collins, Scott (May 19, 2014). "Maya Rudolph looks to spice up NBC with a variety show". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
- ^ Littleton, Cynthia (February 12, 2016). "NBC Greenlights Maya Rudolph-Martin Short Variety Show, Targets May Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Maya Rudolph Biography (1972–)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved January 2, 2011.
- ^ "The Essence of Lucinda". Ocala Star-Banner. June 6, 2001. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
- ^ "SIDNEY J. RUDOLPH, PHILANTHROPIST AND RESTAURANT OWNER". Miami Herald. December 23, 1992.
- ^ Stated by Henry Louis Gates on the Finding Your Roots episode "In Search of Freedom," January 19, 2016, PBS
- ^ a b c d Itzkoff, Dave (September 9, 2011). "Juggling a Comedy Series About Juggling Life's Tasks". The New York Times. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
- ^ Minnie Riperton (1975). Minnie Riperton - Lovin' You (Live 1975). The Midnight Special (TV series). Event occurs at 03:07. Retrieved September 25, 2011.
Maya, Maya, Maya
{{cite AV media}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|trans_title=
(help) - ^ "Top 10 little known facts about Teena Marie". CNN Entertainment. December 28, 2010. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ Morris, Alex (May 8, 2014). "The New Carol Burnett: Maya Rudolph on Fulfilling Her Variety-Show Dream". Vulture. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "Maya Rudolph Biography". TVGuide.com. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
- ^ McGlynn, Katla (May 8, 2011). "'SNL': Pregnant Tina Fey & Maya Rudolph Sing Duet About Doin' It". www.huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
- ^ http://www.people.com/article/amy-poehler-maya-rudolph-bronx-beat-snl-tina-fey
- ^ Stanhope, Kate (July 19, 2011). "It's a Boy for Maya Rudolph and Paul Thomas Anderson". TV Guide. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
- ^ "Maya Rudolph Welcomes Son Jack". People.com. Time Inc. July 19, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
- ^ http://www.thewrap.com/disneys-big-hero-6-adds-maya-rudolph-top-secret-voice-cast-exclusive/
- ^ "Cast Announcement: Six Reasons We Can't Wait to See Big Hero 6". Oh My Disney. July 13, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
{{cite web}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=
(help)
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Maya Rudolph on X
- Maya Rudolph at IMDb
- 1972 births
- 20th-century American actresses
- 21st-century American actresses
- Actresses from Gainesville, Florida
- Actresses from Los Angeles, California
- African-American actresses
- African-American Jews
- American impressionists (entertainers)
- American keyboardists
- American people of Jewish descent
- American sketch comedians
- American voice actresses
- American women comedians
- Crossroads School alumni
- Living people
- Musicians from Gainesville, Florida
- Singers from Los Angeles, California
- The Rentals members
- University of California, Santa Cruz alumni