Kenan Thompson
The durable heart of Saturday Night Live, evolving from a child star into a master sketch comedian who anchors the show with reliable, hilarious warmth.
Born 1978 (age 48)·American actor and comedian·Birthday: May 10·Generation X
Biography
Kenan Thompson didn't just join Saturday Night Live; he gradually became its institutional bedrock. Arriving in 2003 with the unique pedigree of a Nickelodeon kid star from 'All That' and 'Kenan & Kel,' he brought a different energy—less cynical, more character-driven. Over two decades, he outlasted every other cast member, not through flashy impressions but by mastering the art of the glue guy. Thompson is the reliable center of countless sketches, playing everything from exuberant game show hosts to stern school principals, all with a signature delivery that is both broad and precise. His career arc mirrors a shift in the show itself, proving that longevity isn't about being the loudest voice, but often about being the most dependable, versatile, and genuinely funny presence on stage each week.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Kenan was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kenan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Kenan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the longest-tenured cast member in the history of 'Saturday Night Live' in 2021.
- Won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for SNL songs 'Come Back, Barack' and 'Last Christmas.'
- Starred in and produced the NBC sitcom 'Kenan' from 2021 to 2022.
- Was a central cast member on the influential children's sketch show 'All That' for five seasons.
Did You Know?
He is the first SNL cast member to have been born after the show's 1975 premiere.
He turned down a scholarship to the University of North Carolina to pursue acting.
His impression of Bill Cosby was retired from SNL in 2014 following the sexual assault allegations against Cosby.
He voiced the character of Cleveland Brown Jr. on 'The Cleveland Show' for its entire four-season run.
“"I'm not trying to be the star of the show. I'm trying to be part of the best show possible."”
