Chris Redd facts for kids

Christopher Jerell Redd (born March 25, 1985) is a funny American comedian and actor. He is best known for being a cast member on the famous TV show Saturday Night Live (SNL). Chris was on SNL for five seasons, from 2017 to 2022. During his time there, he won a special award called a Primetime Emmy Award. He won it in 2018 for helping to write a song called "Come Back Barack." Chris Redd has also appeared in movies like Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping and TV shows such as Disjointed and Kenan.

Early Life and First Steps

Chris Redd was born on March 25, 1985, in St. Louis, Missouri. When he was eight years old, his family moved to Naperville, Illinois, near Chicago. Chris shared that he used to have a stutter when he was younger. He learned to overcome it by learning how to rap.

He went to schools in Naperville, including Gregory Middle School and Neuqua Valley High School. Later, he attended a community college in Elgin, Illinois. There, he took his very first class in improvisational theater, which is about making up scenes on the spot.

Becoming a Comedian

Chris Redd first tried to become a rapper while working at a restaurant. But in 2009, he found his true passion: sketch comedy. He was inspired by actors like Steve Carell. Chris realized he really enjoyed making people laugh by acting out funny scenes.

He started taking comedy classes in Chicago. Then, he joined a famous comedy group called The Second City. This group is known for training many top comedians. Chris even toured with their comedy show. In 2016, he moved to Los Angeles to focus on acting. His first movie role was in Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, where he played a rapper. He also co-starred in the Netflix comedy show Disjointed from 2017 to 2018.

Saturday Night Live Star

Chris Redd had tried out for Saturday Night Live before, but didn't get in. However, in September 2017, it was announced that he would join the cast for its 43rd season! He started as a "featured player" alongside other new comedians.

In 2018, Chris won a Primetime Emmy Award for a song he helped write for SNL. The song was called "Come Back Barack," and it was a funny song about former president Barack Obama. He shared this award with his co-writers and the composer. In 2019, Chris and another cast member were promoted to "repertory status." This means they became a main part of the show's cast.

On SNL, Chris was known for his hilarious impressions of famous people. These included U.S. Senator Cory Booker, rapper Kanye West, and actor Sterling K. Brown. Chris Redd left SNL in 2022 after being on the show for five seasons.

Other Projects

In March 2019, Chris Redd released his first stand-up comedy album, called But Here We Are. From 2021 to 2022, he also co-starred in the TV comedy series Kenan with his SNL friend, Kenan Thompson. Because they were on both shows, they often traveled between New York City (where SNL is filmed) and Los Angeles (where Kenan was filmed).

Chris appeared in the 2023 movie Spinning Gold, playing Frankie Crocker, a famous radio DJ. He also starred in the comedy series Bust Down, where he plays a casino worker. Plus, he has a stand-up comedy special available on HBO Max.

Other Activities

In June 2020, Chris Redd and fellow Second City performer Lisa Beasley helped raise a lot of money. They used a website called GoFundMe to collect over $360,000. This money helped cover medical costs for people who were protesting for racial justice and had gotten sick.

Filmography

Film

Television

Discography