Kyle Mooney
Mooney in 2017
Born
Kyle James Kozub Mooney[1]

(1984-09-04) September 4, 1984 (age 39)
San Diego, California, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Southern California (BFA)
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian, writer
Years active2005–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2021)​
Children1

Kyle James Kozub Mooney (born September 4, 1984) is an American comedian. Mooney was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2013[2] to 2022.[3] He co-wrote and starred in the 2017 film Brigsby Bear, in addition to co-creating, co-writing, producing, and starring in the adult cartoon comedy Saturday Morning All Star Hits![4][5]

Mooney's work has appeared on a number of shows, including his man-on-the-street interviews, which were featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Sports Show with Norm Macdonald.[6] Mooney has been a regular writer and performer at the acclaimed Upright Citizens Brigade since 2007.[7] He has had a number of recurring TV roles, such as Rory on the HBO comedy series Hello Ladies and as Murphy Brown Fünke in Arrested Development.[8]

Early life

Mooney was born the youngest in a family of three boys in San Diego, California, to parents Linda (née Kozub) and Brian Mooney. Linda is a former reporter for The San Diego Union-Tribune, and Brian is an environmental consultant and planner.[9] Mooney has two older brothers, Sean and Ryan. Mooney is left-handed and nearsighted.

Mooney's Marshall Middle School class chose him as the most likely to become a television star.[9] He graduated from Scripps Ranch High School in 2003, where he won Best Actor as Prospero in Shakespeare's The Tempest[10] and was hailed as class clown.[9] Mooney studied film at the University of Southern California.[11][12] There, he performed improv and sketch comedy with collegiate group Commedus Interruptus. After a six-week audition process in 2003,[13] the three new members added to Commedus were Kyle Mooney, Beck Bennett, and Nick Rutherford.[14] Mooney graduated from USC in 2007 from the USC School of Cinematic Arts.[15]

Mooney is a self-described collector and owns a VHS collection that he started working on as a child. Through connections made while working on SNL, Mooney has been able to get his VHS tapes autographed by the actors who have starred in them. For example, Mooney owns a Beetlejuice VHS that was signed by both Michael Keaton and Alec Baldwin.[16]

Career

YouTube

Mooney started his personal YouTube channel (called "kyle"[17]) in September 2005, where he posted short comedy sketches. He was also a member of the channel GoodNeighborStuff,[18] along with Beck Bennett, Nick Rutherford and Dave McCary.

Good Neighbor

In 2007, Mooney, Bennett, and Rutherford came together to form the sketch comedy group Good Neighbor, along with Mooney's friend, director and editor Dave McCary.[19] Bennett and McCary joined Mooney on SNL in 2013 (as a performer and director, respectively), and Rutherford was hired as a writer the following year.[20] In 2014, Good Neighbor was featured on NewMediaRockstars' Top 100 Channels, ranked at No. 98.[21]

Saturday Night Live

He auditioned to join SNL in the summer of 2012 but was rejected; he auditioned the next season and was accepted.[22] On September 28, 2013, Kyle Mooney made his debut on Saturday Night Live as a featured player.[23] At the start of the forty-first season, Mooney was upgraded to repertory status.[24]

Mooney brought some of his YouTube characters to SNL, including his person-on-the-street interviews, the 4/20 Weed-Smoking Guy, Chris Fitzpatrick, Todd from Inside SoCal, and Bruce Chandling.

His celebrity impressions on Saturday Night Live include Jim Acosta, Woody Allen, Criss Angel, Fred Astaire, David Axelrod, Jeff Bezos, Neil Cavuto, Lincoln Chafee, Bradley Cooper, Tom Cotton, Johnny Depp, Michael Jackson, Bruce Jessen, Steve Jobs, John Kennedy, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Lawrence, Macklemore, Howie Mandel, Chuck Norris, Rand Paul, Pope Francis, Axl Rose, Skrillex, Stephen Stills, and Steven Tyler.[25] He departed the series after season 47, ending a nine-season run.[3]

Other work

Mooney starred in and co-wrote the film Brigsby Bear, which premiered in 2017 at the Sundance Film Festival. He co-wrote the film with Kevin Costello over a two to three-year period, drawing inspiration from his own life, his interest in 1980s children's television shows and cartoons, and his experience making short films with Costello and McCary in middle school.[5] Dave McCary directed the film.

In December 2021, the adult cartoon comedy Saturday Morning All Star Hits!, co-created, co-written, and executive produced by Mooney, was released on Netflix. He also stars in several roles. The eight-episode series is directed by Dave McCary and animated by Ben Jones. Mooney and Jones created the show based on a mutual love of Saturday-morning cartoon blocks from their childhoods in the 1980s and 1990s.[26]

On March 23, 2023, it was announced that Mooney would direct the disaster comedy Y2K for A24.[27]

Personal life

In 2021, Mooney married actress Kate Lyn Sheil.[28]

When interviewed for the Substack newsletter Perfectly Imperfect in December 2023, Mooney revealed he and his wife had welcomed a daughter.[29]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2012 Kill Me Now Jake
2012 The Party Is Over Natan
2013 iSteve Father
2014 Playing It Cool Other Dude
2015 Hello, My Name Is Doris Robert
2015 Me Him Her Moot Morezit
2015 It Had to Be You Gary the Midwife
2016 Zoolander 2 Don Atari
2016 Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising R.A.
2017 Brigsby Bear James Pope Also co-writer
2018 Never Goin' Back Brandon
2018 The Unicorn Gabe
2019 Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Michelangelo (voice) Direct-to-video[30]
2020 Spree Miles Manderville
2021 Naked Singularity The Golem
2023 Jamojaya —
2023 No Hard Feelings Jody
TBA Y2K — Director, filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Remember When Kyle Episode: #1.1
2010–2011 Pretend Time Various 5 episodes
2011 The Street Fighter Rick
2011 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Himself/Correspondent Episode: #9.172
2011 Sports Show with Norm Macdonald Nephew Kyle 3 episodes
2011 Parks and Recreation Keith Episode: "The Treaty"
2012 Best Friends Forever Doug Episode: "The Butt Dial"
2012 Money From Strangers Himself Episode: "Why So Serious?"
2013 Festival Road Trip Himself/Good Neighbor Member Episode: "Campus MovieFest 2013"
2013 Nathan for You — Writer; 8 episodes
2013 Wilfred Alan Episode: "Heroism"
2013 Hello Ladies Rory 6 episodes
2013–2022 Saturday Night Live Himself, Various 185 episodes
2014 Comedy Bang Bang! Intern Monty Episode: "Nick Offerman Wears a Green Flannel Shirt & Brown Boots"
2014 Hello Ladies: The Movie Rory TV movie
2014–2018 Drunk History Himself / Sam Patch 3 episodes
2015 Hot Package — Consulting writer; season 2
2016 Future-Worm! Various voices 1 episode
2017 Me, Myself & I Attendant Episode: "The Card"
2017–2018 Star vs. the Forces of Evil Various voices 12 episodes
2018–2019 Arrested Development Murphy Brown Fünke 13 episodes
2020 The Shivering Truth (voice) Episode: "The Diff"
2020–2022 Bob's Burgers Nick / Kyle (voice) 2 episodes
2021 Rick and Morty Blazen (voice) Episode: "Rickdependence Spray"
2021 Saturday Morning All Star Hits! Various Co-creator, writer, and executive producer; 8 episodes
2022 Killing It Bugs 3 episodes
2023 The Great North Cody (voice) Episode: "Can't Hardly Date Adventure"
2023 Digman! Sludgely (voice) Episode: "The Puff People"

Web series and shorts

Date Title Role Notes
2008 The Roommate Kyle
2009 Nick's Big Show —
2009 Bad Reputation Randall
2010 Vicariously Tyler Nine Shots of Bourbon
2010 The O.D. Plain Jane
2011 How I Know Toro Y Moi
2011 Nick and Andy: Coming Soon —
2011 The Yule Tide Good Samaritan Barry Cameo
2011 Grammar Class Henry
2011–2012 College Humor Originals Student/Guy 1 Some Study That I Used to Know
Sorority Pillow Fight
2012 Take a Knee Walter Telly Mock Christian & basketball public
access show
2012 Cracked Advice Board Little Boy Money-Making Tips
2012 The Dinner Party Steven Evans Short web film with BriTANicK
2012 Epic Rap Battles of History Dr. Watson Batman vs. Sherlock Holmes
2013 Youth Large Danus Apicary Rejected Adult Swim pilot
2013 The Caper Kind/Swiss Mistake Lookey Lou
2013 Mike & Doug's Fantasy Corner Mike Fantasy Sports Advice
2013 Pound House Kyle Open Mic
2015 D and K Podcast Kyle Instagram video series

Bibliography

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2021)

References

  1. ^ "Kyle Jameskozub Mooney, Born 09/04/1984 in California - CaliforniaBirthIndex.org". Californiabirthindex.org. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  2. ^ "Mooney on SNL". NBC. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  3. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie; White, Peter (May 20, 2022). "'SNL': Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant & Kyle Mooney To Exit Alongside Pete Davidson As Major Cast Shake-Up Set For Season Finale". Deadline. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  4. ^ Means, Sean P. (December 1, 2016). "Utah-made 'Brigsby Bear' gets into Sundance". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on April 14, 2022. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Goldberg, Peter (July 28, 2017). "Interview: Kyle Mooney on Brigsby Bear, SNL, and Trump the Troll". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on September 16, 2017. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  6. ^ "Meet Kyle Mooney, the World's Most Awkward Miami Heat Fan (Video)". Cultist. July 3, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  7. ^ "Kyle Mooney". Saturday Night Live. NBC.
  8. ^ "Hello Ladies". HBO. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  9. ^ a b c Bell, Diane (October 2, 2013). "'SNL' season opens with local talent". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  10. ^ "UCB Theatre • Kyle Mooney". Losangeles.ucbtheatre.com. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  11. ^ "Kyle Mooney". Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  12. ^ "USC dudes make videos for your amusement". thrillist. December 14, 2010. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  13. ^ "Commedus audition". Partners Project. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  14. ^ Elliott, Farley (February 11, 2009). "Interview: Friendly comedy from Good Neighbor". LAist. Archived from the original on November 6, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  15. ^ Engel, Allison (May 2, 2016). "SNL cast members return to USC with wise words for aspiring sketch comics". USCNews. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  16. ^ Uhler, Rodney (April 5, 2017). "Kyle Mooney Feels Pretty Good About His Alf Sweatshirt". GQ. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  17. ^ "kyle". YouTube. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  18. ^ "GoodNeighborStuff". YouTube. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  19. ^ Violette, James (January 23, 2011). "Student comedy group grabs attention". Daily Trojan. University of Southern California. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  20. ^ Evans, Bradford (August 23, 2013). "Here Are Your New 'SNL' Featured Players". Vulture. Archived from the original on March 17, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  21. ^ "The NMR Top 100 YouTube Channels: 100 – 76!". New Media Rockstars.
  22. ^ Hamblin, Abby (July 25, 2019). "'Saturday Night Live' star Kyle Mooney opens up about his comedy and growing up in San Diego". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  23. ^ "Tina Fey Introduces New 'SNL' Cast Members In Season 39 Premiere". HuffPost. September 29, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  24. ^ Wright, Megh (September 23, 2015). "'Saturday Night Live' Promotes Kyle Mooney to Repertory Player for Season 41". Splitsider (now Vulture). Archived from the original on November 16, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  25. ^ "Cast | Kyle Mooney". SNL Archives. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  26. ^ Bell, Sadie (December 29, 2021). "Kyle Mooney's Many Nostalgic Inspirations Behind 'Saturday Morning All Star Hits!'". Thrillist. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  27. ^ Grobar, Matt (March 23, 2023). "A24 Sets Disaster Comedy 'Y2K', To Be Directed By 'SNL' Alum Kyle Mooney; Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison & More To Star". Deadline. Retrieved March 24, 2023./
  28. ^ "Highland Park Ebell Club Wedding || Kyle + Kate". July 26, 2022.
  29. ^ "#393: Kyle Mooney". December 7, 2023.
  30. ^ Jackson, Matthew (February 13, 2019). "EXCLUSIVE: BATMAN AND THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES MEET IN FIRST ANIMATED MOVIE CROSSOVER". SYFY Wire.
  31. ^ Title in the online table of contents is "Some of your Third-Grade friend’s best lies".

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