Kenan Thompson

Kenan Thompson is an Emmy-winning actor and comedian best known for being a member of the Saturday Night Live cast. Thompson began taking acting classes at age 5 and participated in numerous theater productions as a child. He earned a handful of early on screen roles, including on the Nickelodeon comedy All That, where he remained a principal cast member for five seasons.

In 1996, he landed a titular role on the sitcom Kenan & Kel, and this role helped to establish the actor’s niche as a comedian. He went on to star in films such as D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994) and Heavyweights (1995). After sending several audition tapes to Saturday Night Live, Thompson was invited to join the cast of the show in 2003. He has remained a member of the cast for 22 seasons, marking the longest run in the show’s history.

Thompson became known for his expert delivery and celebrity impressions, and in his time with SNL, the comedian has racked up a number of accolades. He has received multiple Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, and in 2018, he brought home the Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the song “Come Back Barack.”

From 2021 to 2022, he starred on Kenan, a self-titled series on NBC, however the show was canceled after the first season. He hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards that same year.

Thompson published his memoir When I Was Your Age in 2023.

Thompson married to model Christina Evangeline in 2011, and the couple share daughters Georgia Marie (born in 2014) and Gianna Michelle (born in 2018). The actor filed for divorce in 2022.