Jenny Slate

Jenny Slate (born March 25, 1982) is an American actress, stand-up comedian, and writer. After early acting and stand-up roles on television, Slate gained recognition for her live variety shows in New York City and for co-creating the children's short film and book series Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2010–2014) with Dean Fleischer Camp, to whom she was married from 2012 to 2016. Slate became more widely known as a cast member on the 35th season of Saturday Night Live in 2009, followed by her roles in the sitcoms Bob's Burgers (2012–present), Parks and Recreation (2013–2015), House of Lies (2013–2015), and Kroll Show (2013–2015). She also had a supporting role in the film It Ends with Us.

Slate's breakout role came with her leading performance in Gillian Robespierre's coming-of-age dramedy film Obvious Child (2014), for which she won the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress in a Comedy. She lent her voice to the animated films The Lorax (2012), Zootopia, The Secret Life of Pets (both 2016), The Lego Batman Movie, Despicable Me 3 (both 2017), The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019), and Zootopia 2 (2025) and ventured into dramatic roles with her supporting performance in Gifted (2017). Slate appeared in the Daniels' critically acclaimed film Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022), winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

Early life and education Slate was born on March 25, 1982, in Milton, Massachusetts, to Nancy and Ronald "Ron" Slate, and has two sisters. She and her family are Jewish. After graduating from Milton Academy as valedictorian, Slate attended Columbia University as a literature major, and met Gabe Liedman, who later was her comedy partner. Slate graduated from Columbia University in 2004.

Career She and Liedman formed the comedy duo Gabe & Jenny. Their stand-up shows with Max Silvestri, "Big Terrific", were named best new variety show of 2008 by Time Out New York. In 2015, Slate, Liedman, and Silvestri ended the show, citing their busy schedules, although they have since occasionally performed together. Slate first met Liedman in 2000 while attending Columbia University. They describe their relationship as a "nonsexual romance"; Slate says, "I like to think of us as kind of like (Seinfeld characters) Elaine Benes and George Costanza, but we like each other."

Slate was a regular commentator on many VH1 "talking head" programs with commentary. and guest appearances on several television programs.

Slate joined the cast of Saturday Night Live for the 2009–10 season. In her first episode, she accidentally said "fucking" during her debut sketch, which was heard on the live broadcast, but removed from reruns. Despite rumors to the contrary, Slate has insisted that her SNL termination was not due to cursing but rather simply because "I didn't click."

In August 2010, she co-wrote and voiced the animated short film Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. This led to Marcel the Shell with Shoes on, Two. Slate also wrote a "Marcel"-themed children's book that was released on November 1, 2011. Her first live film role was as Zoe in Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked; more films followed in 2012, including the voice of Ted's mother in The Lorax. Her first appearance in Parks and Recreation was in the 2013 episode "Bailout", in which she portrayed Mona-Lisa Saperstein. Then, Slate released her own 12-episode mini-series on YouTube called Catherine, celebrating late 1980s and early 1990s soap-opera aesthetics.

In 2014, Slate starred in the comedy-drama film Obvious Child, which follows the life of a young stand-up comic as she grapples with an unplanned pregnancy and eventual abortion. Slate won the Critics Choice Award for Best Actress in a Comedy, Best Breakout Performance at the Newport Beach Film Festival, the Virtuosos Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, and Best Comedic Actress at the Women Film Critics Circle Awards for her performance in the film. She co-starred with Judy Greer and Nat Faxon in the first season of the FX series Married. Slate still appeared in a few episodes after season one. Sarah Burns took her place in the series.

Slate appeared as Liz B. in the recurring "PubLIZity" sketches in Kroll Show, as well as many other recurring and one-off characters, performing in some capacity in almost every episode until the series ended in 2015. In 2016, Slate voiced antagonist Dawn Bellwether in the Disney film Zootopia and Gidget in The Secret Life of Pets. She and her father co-wrote a book titled About the House, about their time living in Slate's childhood home in Milton, Massachusetts, which was published in December 2016.

From 2017 until 2019, Slate voiced the biracial character Missy Foreman-Greenwald on the animated Netflix series Big Mouth. Slate exited the role on June 24, 2020, writing on Instagram that "At the start of the show, I reasoned with myself that it was permissible for me to play Missy because her mom is Jewish and white—as am I. But Missy is also Black and Black characters on an animated show should be played by Black people." In 2017, Slate starred in the film Gifted as Bonnie Stevenson, the teacher of a 7-year-old mathematical genius. In October 2019, she released a stand-up comedy special on Netflix, titled Stage Fright.

Slate published her book titled Little Weirds, about her struggles with and thoughts about life and relationships, in 2019. In 2022, she appeared in the critically acclaimed science fiction film Everything Everywhere All at Once as Big Nose. Her character's original name was changed to Debbie the Dog Mom for the film's digital release due to its association with Jewish stereotypes. For their performance the cast won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

Personal life Slate lived in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, before moving with filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp to Los Angeles in the early 2010s. In September 2012, Slate married Fleischer Camp. They collaborated on the Marcel the Shell with Shoes On franchise, including the books, the short films, and later, the 2021 feature film. The pair announced their separation in May 2016. Slate started dating actor Chris Evans a couple of months later.

In September 2019, Slate announced she and art curator and author Ben Shattuck, owner of the Davolls General Store in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, were engaged. On February 3, 2021, Slate announced that she had given birth to a daughter in late 2020. After three attempts at a wedding were canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic, she and Shattuck married in their living room on New Year's Eve 2021. They planned to move back to Brooklyn in the fall of 2025. They had been living in Shattuck's childhood home in Dartmouth, and his parents lived down the street from them.

Slate is an agnostic.

Filmography +Key Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film Year Title Role Notes 2010 Marcel the Shell with Shoes On Marcel (voice) Short film; also writer 2011 Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Two Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked Zoe 2012 This Means War Emily The Lorax Mrs. Wiggins (voice) 2013 Bitch Molly Horner Short film 2014 Obvious Child Donna Stern Also executive producer The Longest Week Jocelyn Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Three Marcel (voice) Short film; also writer 2015 Digging for Fire Yoga Couple 2016 Joshy Jodi Zootopia Dawn Bellwether (voice) The Secret Life of Pets Gidget (voice) 2017 Landline Dana Jacobs Also executive producer The Polka King Marla Lewan The Lego Batman Movie Harley Quinn (voice) Aardvark Emily Milburton Batman is Just Not That Into You Harley Quinn (voice) Short film Despicable Me 3 Valerie Da Vinci (voice) Venom Dr. Dora Skirth 2019 The Sunlit Night Frances Also producer The Secret Life of Pets 2 Gidget (voice) 2022 I Want You Back Emma Everything Everywhere All at Once Debbie the Dog Mom The Bob's Burgers Movie Tammy Larsen (voice) 2024 It Ends with Us Allysa 2025 The Electric State Penny Pal (voice) Zootopia 2 Dawn Bellwether (voice) 2026 Carousel Rebecca At the Sea Debbie Forgotten Island Batibat (Voice) The Ark and the Aardvark Mitzi (voice) Post-production

Television Year Title Role Notes 2005 Starved Member of Belt Tighteners Uncredited; Episode: "The Breatharians" 2008 The Whitest Kids U' Know Trevor's Date Episode #2.1 2009 Important Things with Demetri Martin Bride Episode: "Chairs" Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Jenny the Page 8 episodes Brothers Annette 2 episodes 2009–2010 Saturday Night Live Various 22 episodes Bored to Death Stella 5 episodes 2011 Ugly Americans Jaclyn (voice) Episode: "Lily and the Beast" The Electric Company Runner Episode: "Off Target" 2012 Raising Hope Joan 2 episodes 2012–2016 Girls Tally Schifrin 2012–present Bob's Burgers Tammy Larsen (voice) 58 episodes The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience Stacy Television special Jenny Slate: Stage Fright Herself Stand-up special 2020 Elena of Avalor Cahu (voice) Episode: "Coronation Day" 2021 Q-Force (voice) Episode: "Rogue" 2021–2025 The Great North Judy Tobin (voice) Series regular 2023 Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake Huntress (voice) Episode: "The Star" 2024 Jenny Slate: Seasoned Professional Herself Stand-up special 2025 Dying for Sex Nikki Miniseries; 8 episodes

Music videos Year Title Artist(s) Role 2009 "Threw It On the Ground" The Lonely Island Girlfriend 2019 "Oakland Nights" The Lonely Island (feat. Sia) Stacy

Podcasts Year Title Role Notes 2019 Earth Break Lynn Gellert 9 episodes

Awards and nominations Association Year Category Work ResultRef. Annie Award 2020 Outstanding Voice Acting in a Feature The Secret Life of Pets 2 2023 Outstanding Voice Acting in a Feature Marcel the Shell with Shoes On Astra TV Awards 2025 Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV MovieDying for Sex Best Cast Ensemble in a Limited Series or TV Movie Austin Film Critics Association 2023 Best Voice Acting/Animated/Digital Performance Marcel the Shell Chicago Film Critics Association 2014 Most Promising Performer Obvious Child Critics' Choice Movie Award 2014 Best Actress in a Comedy Obvious Child Georgia Film Critics Association 2015 Breakthrough Award Obvious Child Gotham Independent Film Award 2014 Breakthrough Actress Obvious ChildGotham TV Awards 2025 Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Limited Series Dying for Sex Independent Spirit Award 2014 Best Female Lead Obvious Child 2026 Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series Dying for Sex BTVA People's Choice Voice Acting Award 2016 Best Supporting Female Vocal Performance - Feature Film Zootopia Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film (shared with cast) Best Female Lead Vocal Performance in a Feature Film The Secret Life of Pets Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2014 Virtuoso Award Obvious Child Screen Actors Guild Award 2018 Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture Everything Everywhere All at Once Seattle International Film Festival 2014 Best Actress Obvious Child Women Film Critics Circle2014 Best Comedic ActressObvious Child Best Screen Couple (with Jake Lacy) Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards 2023 Best Voice Performance Marcel the Shell