Cecily Strong facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cecily Strong
Strong in 2018
Born	Cecily Legler Strong (1984-02-08) February 8, 1984 (age 41) Springfield, Illinois, U.S.
Education	California Institute of the Arts (BFA)
Occupation	Actress, comedian
Years active	2012–present
Known for	Saturday Night Live (2012–2022) Schmigadoon! (2021–2023)

Cecily Strong (born February 8, 1984) is a famous American actress and comedian. Many people know her from the TV show Saturday Night Live (SNL). She was a main cast member on SNL from 2012 to 2022.

Cecily Strong holds a special record on SNL. She is the longest-serving female cast member in the show's history! She also stars in the musical comedy series Schmigadoon! on Apple TV+. She helped produce that show too.

You might have also heard her voice in The Awesomes. She has acted in movies like Ghostbusters. In 2015, she even hosted the White House Correspondents' Dinner. She wrote a book called This Will All Be Over Soon in 2021.

Cecily Strong was nominated for important awards for her work on Saturday Night Live. These include the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

Growing Up and School

Cecily Legler Strong was born in Springfield, Illinois. She grew up in Oak Park, Illinois, which is near Chicago. Her mom, Penelope, is a nurse. Her dad, William "Bill" Strong, used to work for the Associated Press. He now runs his own public relations company.

As a child, Cecily loved Saturday Night Live. She would even act out sketches with her friends. She watched old SNL commercials on video tapes over and over. She said that comedian Phil Hartman inspired her a lot.

When she was young, her uncle was a Broadway producer. This meant she often got to see Broadway shows. Sometimes, she even went backstage to meet the actors!

Cecily went to a private Catholic school for most of her childhood. For her last year of high school, she moved to the Chicago Academy for the Arts. She graduated from there in 2002.

After high school, she studied acting at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). She earned her degree in theater in 2006. Then, she returned to Chicago. There, she continued to study comedy at places like The Second City Training Center and iO Theater.

Comedy Career Beginnings

Before SNL, Cecily Strong performed a lot in Chicago. She was a regular at famous comedy theaters like The Second City and iO Chicago. She even performed on a cruise ship with other Second City comedians for four months!

She also appeared at many comedy festivals. These included the Chicago Sketch Fest and Chicago Just for Laughs. She performed at the New York Sketchfest and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. She was also part of an all-female improv group called Virgin Daiquiri.

Her Time on Saturday Night Live

Cecily Strong joined Saturday Night Live as a new cast member on September 15, 2012. The next year, she became a main cast member. She even co-hosted the popular "Weekend Update" news segment. She first hosted it with Seth Meyers. Later, she hosted with Colin Jost.

In 2014, she asked to leave "Weekend Update." She wanted to focus more on acting in sketches. This allowed her to create many memorable characters.

In 2020 and 2021, Cecily was nominated for an Emmy Award. This was for her amazing work as a supporting actress on SNL. She was also nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award.

Cecily Strong returned for her last season on SNL in 2022. She became the longest-running female cast member in the show's history. She passed Kate McKinnon's record. Her final episode was on December 17, 2022.

Popular Characters on SNL

Cecily Strong created many funny characters on Saturday Night Live. Here are some of her most famous ones:

• The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation with at a Party: A not-so-smart person who tries to sound like an activist.
• Dana: A loud and unfriendly store employee who works with Niff (played by Bobby Moynihan).
• Donna Fingerneck: Co-host of "The Art of the Encounter" with Jodi Cork (played by Kate McKinnon).
• Heather: A simple female character from a comedy made mostly for guys.
• Kyra: Co-host of "The Girlfriends Talk Show" with Morgan (played by Aidy Bryant).
• Gemma: A British singer who has many different boyfriends.
• Gracelynn Chisholm: Co-host of the morning show "Right Side of the Bed" with her husband Cory (played by Taran Killam).
• Joelle LaRue: One of two French hosts of an animal video show, with Noelle LeSoup (played by Kate McKinnon).
• Lonnie: One of two not-so-smart kids in the "Science Room" sketches, with Josh (played by Mikey Day).

Famous People She Impersonated

Cecily Strong is also great at impersonating celebrities. Here are some of the famous people she played on SNL:

• Christina Aguilera
• Olivia Colman
• Fergie
• Melania Trump
• Rachel Maddow
• Alanis Morissette
• Jeanine Pirro
• Sofia Vergara

Other Projects

In 2015, Cecily Strong was the main entertainer at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. This is a big event where comedians make jokes about politicians and news reporters. She joked about many news groups, politicians, and even President Obama.

She also appeared in commercials for Old Navy and Triscuit. In 2020, she started starring in commercials for Prego Spaghetti sauce. In 2022, she was in Verizon commercials with other stars like Adam Scott.

Her first book, a memoir called This Will All Be Over Soon, came out in 2021. The book talks about starting a relationship during the pandemic. It also shares the sadness of losing family and friends. It covers important moments in her life and the importance of being thankful. The book grew from an essay she wrote about losing her cousin to brain cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, she starred in and produced Schmigadoon!. This is a musical comedy series on Apple TV+. It's about a couple, played by Strong and Keegan-Michael Key, who get stuck in a 1940s musical town. They can't leave until they find "true love."

Cecily Strong also performed on stage in New York. She starred in a play called The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe in 2022. In 2024, she co-starred in another play called Brooklyn Laundry.

Film and TV Shows

Cecily Strong has acted in many films and television shows.

Films

Television Shows

Personal Life

In March 2024, Cecily Strong shared that she is engaged to her partner, Jack.

In November 2024, she announced on her Instagram page that she was expecting her first child. She also encouraged her followers to vote in the upcoming election.

Awards and Nominations

Cecily Strong has been recognized for her talent with several awards and nominations.

See also

In Spanish: Cecily Strong para niños