Kristen Schaal
A comedian with a singular, squeaky voice who became the defining spirit of cult TV shows and beloved animated weirdos.
Born 1978 (age 48)·American actress, comedian, and writer·Birthday: January 24·Generation X
Biography
Kristen Schaal landed the role of Mel, the superfan stalker on 'Flight of the Conchords,' a performance so perfectly awkward it defined her career. Born in 1978, the Colorado native honed her bizarre, character-driven stand-up in New York's alt-comedy scene. She went on to voice Louise Belcher on 'Bob's Burgers' and Mabel Pines on 'Gravity Falls.' Schaal mastered playing characters who are deeply strange yet profoundly relatable. Her live-action work includes cult hits 'The Last Man on Earth' and 'What We Do in the Shadows,' where she steals scenes with deadpan commitment to the absurd.
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.
Kristen 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 Kristen Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Kristen'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
- Voiced Louise Belcher on the long-running and critically adored animated series 'Bob's Burgers.'
- Earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for voicing the tragic child star Sarah Lynn on 'BoJack Horseman.'
- Played the memorably unhinged superfan Mel on the HBO cult series 'Flight of the Conchords.'
- Brought the endlessly optimistic Mabel Pines to life on the influential animated series 'Gravity Falls.'
Did You Know?
She performed a one-woman show titled 'Kristen Schaal Is a Horse' at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
She is married to fellow comedian and writer Rich Blomquist, a former writer for 'The Daily Show.'
She voiced a character in the video game 'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.'
Early in her career, she was a regular correspondent on 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.'
“I like playing characters that are a little off, because I think we're all a little off.”
