Jenny Slate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jenny Slate
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Slate at the 2014 Obvious Child premiere
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| Born | 1982 (age 42–43) |
| Education | Columbia University (BA) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 2005–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Dean Fleischer Camp
(m. 2012; div. 2016)Ben Shattuck
(m. 2021) |
| Children | 1 |
Jenny Slate (born in 1982) is a talented American actress, comedian, and writer. She is known for her funny stand-up comedy and for creating the popular children's short films and books called Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. She also became famous for being on Saturday Night Live and for her roles in TV shows like Bob's Burgers and Parks and Recreation.
Jenny Slate gained a lot of attention for her main role in the movie Obvious Child in 2014. She won an award for Best Actress in a Comedy for this film. You might also recognize her voice from animated movies such as The Lorax, Zootopia, and The Secret Life of Pets. In 2022, she was part of the cast in the highly praised movie Everything Everywhere All at Once, which won a special award for its actors.
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Early Life and Education
Jenny Slate was born in 1982 in Milton, Massachusetts. She grew up with two sisters. Her family is Jewish. After finishing high school at Milton Academy as the top student, Jenny went to Columbia University. She studied literature there.
At Columbia, she helped start an improv comedy group called Fruit Paunch. She also performed in the Varsity Show, where she met Gabe Liedman. He later became her comedy partner. Jenny graduated from Columbia University in 2004.
Jenny Slate's Career Journey
Jenny Slate and Gabe Liedman formed a comedy team called Gabe & Jenny. Their stand-up comedy shows, called "Big Terrific", were named the best new variety show in New York in 2008. They stopped the show in 2015 because they were both very busy, but they still perform together sometimes. Jenny and Gabe met in 2000 at Columbia University. They describe their friendship as a "nonsexual romance," like characters from the TV show Seinfeld who really like each other.
From 2008 to 2009, Jenny performed her one-woman show, Jenny Slate: Dead Millionaire, at a famous comedy theater in New York City. She also appeared on many TV shows, giving funny comments. In 2009, she was a regular on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in a sketch where she played an NBC page.
Joining Saturday Night Live
Jenny Slate joined the cast of Saturday Night Live for the 2009–2010 season. She was known for her character Tina-Tina Cheneuse, who sold personalized doorbells and car horns. Jenny has said that she left SNL because she "didn't click" with the show, not because of any on-air mistakes.
Voice Acting and Film Roles
In 2010, Jenny Slate co-wrote and voiced the animated short film Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. This short film became very popular and led to more "Marcel" films and a children's book. The first "Marcel" book was released in November 2011.
Jenny's first live-action movie role was in Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked in 2011. In 2012, she voiced Ted's mother in the animated movie The Lorax. She also appeared in the TV show Parks and Recreation as Mona-Lisa Saperstein. Jenny also created a 12-episode mini-series on YouTube called Catherine, which was a funny tribute to old soap operas.
In 2014, Jenny Slate starred in the comedy-drama film Obvious Child. She played a young stand-up comic dealing with a big life decision. Her performance earned her several awards, including the Critics Choice Award for Best Actress in a Comedy. She also co-starred in the TV series Married.
Jenny voiced Dawn Bellwether in the Disney film Zootopia and Gidget in The Secret Life of Pets in 2016. She also co-wrote a book with her father called About the House, which shares stories about their childhood home.
From 2017 to 2019, Jenny voiced Missy Foreman-Greenwald on the animated Netflix series Big Mouth. She later decided to step down from the role, stating that Black characters on animated shows should be voiced by Black actors. In 2017, Jenny starred in the film Gifted as Bonnie Stevenson, a teacher of a very smart 7-year-old. In 2019, she released a stand-up comedy special on Netflix called Stage Fright.
Jenny published her book Little Weirds in 2019, sharing her thoughts on life and relationships. In 2022, she appeared in the science fiction film Everything Everywhere All at Once. The cast of this movie won a Screen Actors Guild Award for their amazing performances.
Personal Life
Jenny Slate used to live in Brooklyn, New York, before moving to Los Angeles with filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp. They got married in September 2012. They worked together on the Marcel the Shell with Shoes On projects, including the short films and the 2021 feature film. They announced their separation in May 2016.
In September 2019, Jenny announced her engagement to art curator and author Ben Shattuck. On February 3, 2021, Jenny shared that she had given birth to their daughter in late 2020. After three wedding plans were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jenny and Ben got married in their living room on New Year's Eve 2021. They plan to move back to Brooklyn in the fall of 2025.
Jenny has shared that her daughter thinks Jenny's character Marcel the Shell is just a fun game they play together. Her daughter often asks her to say certain phrases in Marcel's voice.
Key Film and Television Roles
Jenny Slate has appeared in many films and television shows. Here are some of her notable works:
- 2010: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (voice, also writer)
- 2012: The Lorax (voice)
- 2014: Obvious Child (main role, also executive producer)
- 2016: Zootopia (voice), The Secret Life of Pets (voice)
- 2017: Gifted
- 2019: The Secret Life of Pets 2 (voice)
- 2021: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (voice, also writer and producer)
- 2022: Everything Everywhere All at Once
- 2024: It Ends with Us
- 2025: Dying for ... (miniseries)
Her television roles include:
- 2009–2010: Saturday Night Live (various characters)
- 2012–present: Bob's Burgers (voice of Tammy Larsen)
- 2013–2015: Parks and Recreation (Mona-Lisa Saperstein)
- 2017–2025: Big Mouth (voice of Missy Foreman-Greenwald and other characters)
- 2018–2022: Muppet Babies (voice of Miss Nanny)
- 2021–present: The Great North (voice of Judy Tobin)
Awards and Recognitions
Jenny Slate has received several awards for her acting and voice work:
- 2014: Won the Breakout Actress award at the Newport Beach Film Festival for Obvious Child.
- 2014: Won the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress in a Comedy for Obvious Child.
- 2023: Won the Annie Award for Outstanding Voice Acting in a Feature for Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.
- 2023: Won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture for Everything Everywhere All at Once (shared with the cast).
See also
In Spanish: Jenny Slate para niños
