Kate McKinnon

Kate McKinnon Berthold is an American comedian, actress and author. She was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2012 to 2022, where she became known for her character work and celebrity impressions. For her work on the series, she was nominated for ten Primetime Emmy Awards, including one for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics and nine for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, winning in 2016 and 2017.

McKinnon starred in the Logo sketch comedy series The Big Gay Sketch Show (2007–2010), voiced lead roles in the PBS Kids animated series Nature Cat (2015–2025) and the Netflix animated series The Magic School Bus Rides Again (2017–2021), and portrayed Carole Baskin in the Peacock miniseries Joe vs. Carole (2022).

McKinnon has appeared in films, including Sisters (2015), Office Christmas Party (2016), Rough Night (2017), The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018), Yesterday (2019), Bombshell (2019), The Bubble (2022), Barbie (2023), The Roses (2025) and In the Blink of an Eye (2026).

She is the author of the Millicent Quibb series for middle grade readers.

Early life McKinnon was born and raised on Long Island in the town of Sea Cliff, New York, to Laura Campbell, a parent educator, and Michael Thomas Berthold, an architect. She has a younger sister, comedian and actress Emily Lynne, with whom she has collaborated on the Audible series Heads Will Roll, as well as the digital series Notary Publix.

McKinnon's knack for accents began when she was in fifth grade. She auditioned to be "the queen of reading week" and used an English accent. In an interview with Rolling Stone, she says, "I think the genesis of my entire life, probably, was the smiles I elicited doing this British accent. I've been chasing that dragon ever since."

She graduated from North Shore High School in 2002, and from Columbia University in 2006 with a degree in theatre. There she co-founded a comedy group, Tea Party, that focused on musical improv comedy. At Columbia, she starred in three Varsity shows: V109 Dial D for Deadline, V110 Off-Broadway and V111 The Sound of Muses. Her cast and crewmates included future actors Jenny Slate and Grace Parra, directors Tze Chun and Greta Gerwig, and The Onion managing editor Peter Koechley. She was also a member of Prangstgrüp, a student comedy group which set up and recorded elaborate college pranks.

Career In 2007, McKinnon joined the original cast of Logo TV's The Big Gay Sketch Show, where she was a cast member for all three seasons.

Since 2008, she has performed live sketch comedy regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City. In 2009, McKinnon won a Logo NewNowNext Award for Best Rising Comic. She was nominated for an ECNY Emerging Comic Award in 2010. In 2023, she played Weird Barbie in the Barbie movie. In 2025, she co-starred in the films The Roses, and In the Blink of an Eye.

McKinnon has made appearances as a voice actress in series like The Simpsons (as Hettie in "Gal of Constant Sorrow") and Family Guy (as Karen / Heavy Flo in season 14, episode 6 "Peter's Sister," and additional voices in other episodes), and films such as Finding Dory, The Angry Birds Movie, Ferdinand and DC League of Super-Pets. McKinnon voiced Fiona Frizzle in The Magic School Bus Rides Again, a continuation of The Magic School Bus children's series, from 2017 to 2020. Since 2015, she has voiced Squeeks in the PBS Kids series Nature Cat, starring with fellow SNL cast members Taran Killam and Bobby Moynihan.

Saturday Night Live McKinnon joined the cast of Saturday Night Live as a featured player on April 7, 2012, following a March 28, 2012 report of her being hired. She was promoted to repertory status in season 39 in 2013.

In 2013, McKinnon was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress, Comedy. McKinnon won the 2014 American Comedy Award for Best Supporting Actress, TV for her work on SNL. In 2014, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, as well as for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics along with four of her colleagues for the song "(Do It On My) Twin Bed." She was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for the second time in 2015. She won the following year, becoming the first actor from SNL to win the award since Dana Carvey in 1993.

McKinnon began appearing as Hillary Clinton on the series leading up to the 2016 presidential election. The real Clinton appeared alongside her in a sketch during the show's season 41 premiere. McKinnon has said that her impression of Hillary Clinton comes from a deep admiration, and that she "unequivocally want[ed] her to win" the 2016 presidential election. On November 12, 2016, which was the first show after Clinton's loss in the election, she reprised the role to open the show with a solo performance of "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen, whose death was announced two days before her performance. After the election, McKinnon began to impersonate Kellyanne Conway alongside Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump. On February 11, 2017, she debuted her impression of Elizabeth Warren during Weekend Update and Jeff Sessions in the cold open.

McKinnon is known for her character work of pop singer Justin Bieber, comedian television host Ellen DeGeneres, and numerous political figures, including US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Senator Lindsey Graham, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Clinton, Warren, Robert Mueller, Angela Merkel, and Rudy Giuliani. She has been nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards, including one for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics and six for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, winning in 2016 and 2017.

McKinnon's return to season 46 made her the show's longest tenured female cast member, surpassing her cast mates Cecily Strong and Aidy Bryant by five episodes. Bryant and McKinnon left the series after season 47. They had both originally planned on leaving at the end of the 45th season in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic changed their plans and they left at the end of season 47 in 2022. Strong passed McKinnon's record with the December 17, 2022 episode of season 48.

Saturday Night Live characters

Olya Povlatsky, a Russian woman who voices her opinions on current events, comparing them to the outrageous struggles she faces in her village. She also appeared in a cold open with Beck Bennett as Vladimir Putin reading a prepared statement against her will. Sheila Sovage, a heavily intoxicated woman at a bar who meets and hooks up with a heavily intoxicated man or woman, played by the host, at closing time. Jodi Cork, The Art of the Encounter and Women in the Workplace co-host with Donna Fingerneck (played by Cecily Strong). Barbara DeDrew, a lesbian volunteer at the cat shelter Whiskers R We. Deenie, a.k.a. "Somebody's Mom," a middle-aged woman who attempts to recap shows she's been watching, but only knows the characters by self-applied nicknames, such as "Big Boobs" and "Mustache." She is always eating some foul concoction out of Tupperware, such as Brussels sprouts and imitation crab, which generally revolts Weekend Update anchor Colin Jost. Mrs. Santini, an apartment dweller who writes passive-aggressive notes to her neighbors. Originally performed as Effie Villalopolus on Comedy Bang! Bang! Colleen Rafferty, a 27-year old woman (despite looking middle-aged, implicitly due to her repeated traumas) who appears on panels with two friends. They recount their experience of a shared paranormal event, such as being abducted by aliens. The other two friends always have an idyllic experience, while Rafferty instead experiences significant trauma. Les Dykawitz, a lesbian cop from the 1970s who works for the Chicago Police Department along with her partner Chubina Fatzarelli (played by Aidy Bryant) in "Dyke & Fats." Debette Goldry, a senile elderly actress whose harsh experiences with being an actress in old Hollywood are more outrageous than what modern actresses have gone through. A member of Woodbridge High School's theatre troupe that performs solely about social justice issues they know very little about. Noelle LeSoup, the co-host of the French show "America's Funniest Cats" who appears on the American version of the show along with Joelle LaRue (played by Cecily Strong). Shud, a crass mermaid who is based on a blobfish, and makes sexual advances on an unfortunate marooned sailor. Dr. Wayne Wenowdis, a strangely accented middle-aged medical doctor, who debuted in 2020, as part of the Weekend Update segment with Colin Jost. Madame Vivelda, a fortune teller who predicts people's 2020 experiences.

Saturday Night Live impressions

Gillian Anderson Julian Assange Iggy Azalea Amy Coney Barrett Joy Behar Ingrid Bergman Mary Berry Justin Bieber Mika Brzezinski Theresa Caputo Liz Cheney Emilia Clarke Hillary Clinton Kellyanne Conway Barbara Corcoran Penelope Cruz Ellen DeGeneres Betsy DeVos Dido Robert Durst Elizabeth II Edie Falco Anthony Fauci Jodie Foster Cecilia Giménez Ruth Bader Ginsburg Rudy Giuliani Lindsey Graham Savannah Guthrie Bella Hadid Laura Ingraham Billie Jean King Jemima Kirke Heidi Klum Lisa Kudrow Lorde Taylor Louderman Lori Loughlin Jane Lynch Theresa May Frances McDormand Angela Merkel Nancy Pelosi Michelle Pfeiffer Ann Romney Wilbur Ross Jeff Sessions Maggie Smith Martha Stewart Tilda Swinton Greta Thunberg Keith Urban Greta Van Susteren Yolandi Visser Nicolle Wallace Elizabeth Warren Debbie Wasserman Schultz Janet Yellen

Work as a creator McKinnon co-created and co-stars in the web series Notary Publix with her sister Emily Lynne. In addition to Aidy Bryant (who stars in the series), McKinnon's SNL co-stars Beck Bennett, Jay Pharoah and SNL writer Paula Pell all guest-starred in the six-episode first season of the web series. A second season featuring Richard Kind, Megan Mullaly, Carrie Coon, and Laurie Metcalf was released in 2026.

Other work In 2015, McKinnon appeared in a number of commercials for the Ford Focus.

In 2016, McKinnon co-hosted the 31st Independent Spirit Awards with Kumail Nanjiani.

Her absence from the first seven episodes of Saturday Night Lives 47th season was due to her filming the Peacock miniseries Joe vs. Carole, where she stars as Carole Baskin. It premiered March 3, 2022.

McKinnon is the author of the middle grade series The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science. It chronicles the adventures of the Porch Sisters and their mentor, the mad scientist Millicent Quibb, in the fictional town of Antiquarium. In 2025, she published a second book, Secrets of the Purple Pearl.

In November 2024, McKinnon served as the host of the National Book Awards in New York City.

Personal life While attending Columbia University, she dated future journalist Bari Weiss. McKinnon was in a relationship with photographer and actress Jackie Abbott from 2016 to 2019. While presenting Ellen DeGeneres with the Carol Burnett Award at the 2020 Golden Globe Awards, McKinnon opened up about being a lesbian and thanked DeGeneres for making it less scary for her to accept her sexual orientation while watching her TV sitcom Ellen.

She does not have any social media accounts.

Filmography Film

Television Year Title Role Notes 2006–2010 The Big Gay Sketch Show Various 23 episodes 2008 Mayne Street Olga Svenson Episode: "Parking Tickets"2010 We Have to Stop Now Angela Episode: "Celesbianism" Concierge: The Series Mary 3 episodes Vag Magazine Bethany 6 episodes 2010–2011 Robotomy Additional voices 5 episodes 2010–2016 The Venture Bros. Nikki and Margaret Fictel / Additional voices 10 episodes Difficult People Abra Cadouglas Episode: "Pledge Week" Moonbeam City Panache Miller Voice, episode: "Lasers and Liars" 2015–2016 Family Guy Karen Griffin / Additional voices 3 episodes 2015–2025 Nature Cat Squeeks Voice, main role (82 episodes) 2019 Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Herself Episode: "Phnom Penh" 2020 Celebrity Escape Room Herself Television special 2022 Joe vs. Carole Carole Baskin 8 episodes; also executive producer 2023 Saturday Night Live Herself (host) Episode: "Kate McKinnon/Billie Eilish"

Audio series Year Title Role Production role 2019 Heads Will Roll Queen Mortunana of the Night Realm Co-creator and star

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2009 NewNowNext Awards Brink of Fame: Comic 2010 ECNY Awards Comedy Supporting Actress – TV Dorian Awards Wilde Wit of the Year Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Saturday Night Live Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics 2015 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series 2016 Primetime Emmy Awards Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Actress in a Comedy Series The Advocate Awards The Advocates Person of the Year USA Today AwardsUSA Todays Entertainer of the Year Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Actress in a Comedy Movie Ghostbusters San Diego Film Critics Society Awards Best Comedic Performance Women Film Critics Circle Best Comedic Actress Best Female Action Hero Best Ensemble 2017 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actress People's Choice Awards Favorite Comedic Collaboration Saturday Night Live Dorian Awards T.V. Musical Performance of the Year Wilde Wit of the Year Wilde Artist of the Year Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program Nature Cat Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Saturday Night Live 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards Best Comedic Performance Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series 2019 2020 Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Acting Ensemble Bombshell Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Saturday Night Live 2022 2023 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Barbie