Kenan Thompson
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| Kenan Thompson | |
 Promotional art from Snakes on a Plane featuring Kenan Thompson |
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| Born | May 10, 1978 (age 28) Atlanta, Georgia |
| Notable roles | Kenan Rockmore in Kenan and Kel Troy in Snakes on a Plane Fat Albert in Fat Albert' |
Kenan Thompson (born May 10, 1978 in Atlanta, Georgia), is an American television and film actor and comedian.
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[edit] Career
Thompson got his first big break when he was 16. He started on Nickelodeon's All That from 1994 to 1999. He and co-star Kel Mitchell had their own spin-off television series Kenan & Kel which ran 1996 to 2000. Thompson was also the host of the second season of Nickelodeon's animation showcase Oh Yeah! Cartoons.
Thompson has starred in several films including: Good Burger (1997), based on the All That sketch of the same name, playing Dexter Reed; and Fat Albert (2004), in which he played the title character. He has also had supporting roles in the movies Snakes on a Plane (2006), Love Don't Cost a Thing (2003), Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004) Heavyweights (1995) and D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994).
[edit] Saturday Night Live
In 2003, after Dean Edwards and Tracy Morgan left the regular cast of Saturday Night Live, Kenan Thompson and Finesse Mitchell joined the cast as featured players. He is the first All That alumnus (to date only) to appear on SNL. In the 2005-06 season, Mitchell and Thompson became full-fledged cast members (with their places in the feature player credit taken by Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, and, later, Kristin Wiig).
Recurring Characters':
- Jake Denmont ("Appalachian Emergency Room")
- DJ Dynasty Handbag ("Deep House Dish")
- DJ Sugar Shock ("Rap Night")
- Givindy ("Gays in Space")
- Malik (Starkisha's boyfriend)
- Marcus
- Ritchie B's (Fred Armisen interpreter)
- Virginianca Hastings, a black woman who bails her stepdaughter (one played by host Jamie Pressly, the other played by host and musical guest Justin Timberlake) out of trouble.
Celebrity Impersonations:
- Maya Angelou
- Louis Armstrong
- Nick Ashford from Ashford and Simpson
- Leslie David Baker (as Stanley Hudson)
- Barry Bonds
- Carol Moseley Braun
- Bobbi Kristina Brown
- Clarence Clemons
- George Clinton
- Gary Coleman
- Bill Cosby (also a recurring impersonation on All That)
- Flava Flav
- Aretha Franklin
- Chappell Hartridge
- Doctor Dre (from the old cable show Yo! MTV Raps!)
- Steve Harvey
- Michael Irvin
- Randy Jackson
- Star Jones
- Chaka Khan
- Don King
- Patti LaBelle
- Emmanuel Lewis
- Bernie Mac
- Cynthia McKinney
- Wilma McNabb (football player Donovan McNabb's mother)
- William "The Refrigerator" Perry
- Colin Powell
- Al Roker
- Nipsey Russell
- Al Sharpton
- Lorena Porter Shelby (Klymaxx)
- Sammy Sosa
- Wanda Sykes
- will.i.am (from The Black Eyed Peas)
- Armstrong Williams
- Richard Williams
- Serena Williams
[edit] Filmography
[edit] Movies
- D2: The Mighty Ducks - 1994
- Heavyweights - 1995
- D3: The Mighty Ducks - 1996
- Good Burger - 1997
- The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle - 2000
- Big Fat Liar - 2002 (cameo)
- The Master of Disguise - 2002 (cameo)
- My Boss's Daughter - 2003
- Barbershop 2: Back in Business - 2004
- Fat Albert - 2004
- Love Don't Cost a Thing - 2004
- Snakes on a Plane - 2006
- The Ultimate Team - 2007
- Wieners - 2007
[edit] Television
- All That - 1994–1999
- Kenan & Kel - 1996–2000
- Sports Theater with Shaquille O'Neal - "4 Points"
- Two Heads Are Better Than None - 2000
- Oh Yeah! Cartoons - Host 1999–2000
- Felicity - 2001 guest appearance
- The Steve Harvey Show - guest appearance
- Sister, Sister - guest appearance
- Saturday Night Live - 2003 - present
- The Parkers - 2003 guest appearance
- Wild 'N Out - 2006 guest appearance
[edit] Trivia
- Born in 1978, he was the first SNL cast member to be born after the series began in 1975.
- In 2002, Thompson recorded The Good Times Comedy CD.
- He wrote the introduction for the book Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul, as well as the short story entitled "The Little Notice" for Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul.
- He was the star of the 2004 film Fat Albert, which also featured the creator of the character, Bill Cosby. Kenan is noted for his impersonation of Bill Cosby, even speaking like him when not impersonating him.
- Is a fan of the Atlanta Falcons.
- He can speak a little Mandarin, but not often.
