Kate McKinnon Berthold,[1][2] (born January 6, 1984) commonly known as Kate McKinnon, is an American actress and comedian, best known for her sketch comedy work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and The Big Gay Sketch Show.[4]
McKinnon was born and raised on Long Island. As a child, McKinnon played the piano, cello, and guitar. She attended Columbia University.[2] In 2007, she joined the original cast of theLogo Network's Big Gay Sketch Show, where she was a cast member on the series for all three seasons.[5] Among her best-known characters was Fitzwilliam, a British boy whose only wish is to have a vagina.[6]
McKinnon is known for her strong character work[5] and celebrity impressions.[7] Since 2008, she has performed live sketch comedy regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City.[5][8] She has also worked as a voiceover actress, and has voiced characters for series such as The Venture Brothers, Robotomy, and Ugly Americans.[6][8] In 2009 McKinnon won a Logo NewNowNext Award for Best Rising Comic.[9] She was nominated for an ECNY Emerging Comic Award in 2010.[5]
McKinnon debuted as a featured player on Saturday Night Live on April 7, 2012. She is SNL's third gay cast member.[note 1] Among her impressions is that of talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, which she has also performed on Ellen's own program.[13] Another impersonation done by McKinnon is her impression of Ann Romney, which was featured several times on Saturday Night Live during the 2012 Presidential campaign, and Barbara Corcoran in SNL's take on the show Shark Tank.
McKinnon was born and raised on Long Island. As a child, McKinnon played the piano, cello, and guitar. She attended Columbia University.[2] In 2007, she joined the original cast of theLogo Network's Big Gay Sketch Show, where she was a cast member on the series for all three seasons.[5] Among her best-known characters was Fitzwilliam, a British boy whose only wish is to have a vagina.[6]
McKinnon is known for her strong character work[5] and celebrity impressions.[7] Since 2008, she has performed live sketch comedy regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City.[5][8] She has also worked as a voiceover actress, and has voiced characters for series such as The Venture Brothers, Robotomy, and Ugly Americans.[6][8] In 2009 McKinnon won a Logo NewNowNext Award for Best Rising Comic.[9] She was nominated for an ECNY Emerging Comic Award in 2010.[5]
McKinnon debuted as a featured player on Saturday Night Live on April 7, 2012. She is SNL's third gay cast member.[note 1] Among her impressions is that of talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, which she has also performed on Ellen's own program.[13] Another impersonation done by McKinnon is her impression of Ann Romney, which was featured several times on Saturday Night Live during the 2012 Presidential campaign, and Barbara Corcoran in SNL's take on the show Shark Tank.
