Kenan Thompson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kenan Thompson
Kenan Thompson in 2019
Born	(1978-05-10) May 10, 1978 (age 47) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Occupation	Actor comedian
Years active	1994–present
Spouse(s)	Christina Evangeline ​ ​ (m. 2011; div. 2022)​
Children	2

Kenan Thompson (born May 10, 1978) is a famous American actor and comedian. He has been a main cast member on the TV show Saturday Night Live (SNL) since 2003. This makes him the longest-serving cast member in the show's history! He was also the first regular cast member born after SNL started in 1975.

Before SNL, Kenan starred in popular Nickelodeon shows like All That (1994–2005) and Kenan & Kel (1996–2001) with his friend Kel Mitchell. He also appeared in movies like Good Burger and Fat Albert. Kenan has won an Primetime Emmy Award for his comedy work. He is known for making people laugh with his many characters and impressions.

Early life and beginnings

Kenan Thompson was born on May 10, 1978, in Columbus, Ohio. His parents are Fletcher and Elizabeth Ann Thompson. He has an older brother and a younger sister. When he was just 9 months old, his family moved to Atlanta, Georgia.

Kenan's mom signed him up for acting classes when he was five years old. His very first acting role was as Toto in a church play called The Wiz. He didn't even have any lines! He kept acting in school plays and joined a theater group called The Youth Ensemble of Atlanta (YEA). As a kid, he loved watching The Price Is Right, which he said was "very joyful viewing." This show even helped shape his future acting style.

Career highlights

1994–2002: Nickelodeon star

One of Kenan's first jobs was as a reporter for CNN's "Real News for Kids." He then became an original cast member on the hit Nickelodeon sketch comedy show All That. He played many funny characters like Principal Pimpell and Superdude.

While still on All That, Kenan also starred as Kenan Rockmore in his own sitcom, Kenan & Kel, from 1996 to 2000. He started acting in his first movie, D2: The Mighty Ducks, while he was still in high school.

Kenan also starred in several movies based on his All That sketches, like Good Burger (1997). He played the main character in the movie Fat Albert (2004). He also had supporting roles in movies such as Heavyweights (1995), Big Fat Liar (2002), and Love Don't Cost a Thing (2003).

2003–present: Saturday Night Live and more

Thompson in 2012

In 2003, Kenan joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (SNL), bringing his sketch comedy skills to the famous late-night show. He was the first cast member born after SNL's first show in 1975. Kenan became a main cast member in 2005.

He has been on SNL for over 20 seasons, which is a record! He is the longest-serving cast member ever, beating the previous record held by Darrell Hammond. Kenan also holds the record for the most celebrity impressions on the show, with 139 different characters. He has performed in over 1,500 sketches on SNL.

People who work on SNL, like head writer Brian H. Tucker and creator Lorne Michaels, have said that Kenan is incredibly talented. They say he can make any line funny and is one of the most reliable people on the show.

Kenan has been nominated for many Primetime Emmys for his work on SNL, and he won one in 2018 for co-writing the song "Come Back Barack." In 2013, he encouraged SNL to hire more Black women cast members.

On August 11, 2022, Kenan Thompson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to celebrate his amazing career. His star is right next to Lorne Michaels's star.

Popular characters

Kenan is famous for his many recurring characters on Saturday Night Live:

• Darnell Hayes, the host of Black Jeopardy!
• Diondre Cole, the host of What Up with That?, who often gets distracted by the show's music.
• Reese De'What, the host of Cinema Classics.
• Willie, Michael Che's super optimistic neighbor.
• Jean K. Jean, a funny French comedian.
• Lorenzo McIntosh, a prisoner in the "Scared Straight" sketches.
• Steve Kane, the gym teacher in the Daniel Frye sketches.
• Tre, a character in The Californians sketches.
• Virginiaca Hastings, an argumentative shopper.
• Elliot Pants, Host of What's Wrong with This Picture?.

Other film and TV projects

Besides SNL, Kenan has taken on many other roles. He was a voice actor in the animated series Sit Down, Shut Up and voiced the LeBron James puppet in Nike commercials. He also guest-starred on the TV show Psych.

In 2011, he returned to Nickelodeon for a special crossover episode called "iParty with Victorious", featuring characters from iCarly and Victorious. He also hosted The '90s Are All That, a block of old Nickelodeon shows.

Thompson at a Washington Capitals event with the Stanley Cup in 2018

In 2015, Kenan appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon with his old co-star Kel Mitchell. They brought back their popular Good Burger characters, Ed and Lester Oakes! They even competed against each other on the game show Double Dare in 2018.

In 2019, Kenan became an executive producer for the All That revival on Nickelodeon. He also starred in his own NBC sitcom called Kenan from 2021 to 2022, where he played a widowed father. He was nominated for an Emmy for this role.

Kenan has also hosted many big events, including the NHL Awards and the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2022. He was the host of the 2021 Kids' Choice Awards and the 47th People's Choice Awards.

Personal life

Kenan Thompson married model Christina Evangeline in 2011. They have two daughters: Georgia Marie, born in 2014, and Gianna Michelle, born in 2018. They separated in 2022 and are co-parenting their daughters.

In 2020, Kenan became the spokesperson for Universal Destinations & Experiences. In December 2021, he co-founded a production company called Artists for Artists (AFA). He also released a memoir called When I Was Your Age in December 2023.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

Discography

See also

In Spanish: Kenan Thompson para niños