Chris Redd

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Chris Redd
Born
Christopher Jerell Redd

c. 1985 or 1986 (age 38–39)
St Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, Comedian
Years active2012 – present

Christopher Jerell Redd[1] (born c. 1985/1986)[2] is American actor and stand-up comedian, and cast member of the sketch variety show Saturday Night Live since 2017.

Early life

Redd was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and moved to Naperville, Illinois, at the age of eight.[3] According to Redd, he had a childhood stutter, which he overcame by learning how to rap.[4] He attended Naperville schools, including Gregory Middle School and Neuqua Valley High School, and later attended community college in Elgin, Illinois.[3][5]

Career

Redd briefly pursued a career as a rapper, but switched to sketch comedy after taking improvisation classes.[6] He joined the improvisational comedy group The Second City, where he was a member of its touring company.[7] He moved to Los Angeles in 2016 to further pursue an acting career, and played Hunter the Hungry, an underground rapper, in the 2016 mockumentary Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.[8]

After a previous unsuccessful audition for Saturday Night Live,[9] it was announced in September 2017 that Redd had joined the show's cast as a featured player for season 43, alongside fellow newcomers Heidi Gardner and Luke Null.[10] In 2018, Redd won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for writing the SNL song "Come Back Barack", which lamented former president Barack Obama's departure from the White House and aired during Chance the Rapper's episode on November 18, 2017.[11][12] The award was shared with co-writers Kenan Thompson and Will Stephen, and composer Eli Brueggemann.[11] Redd was promoted to repertory status in 2019, ahead of SNL's 45th season.[13] His celebrity impressions on the show have included U.S. Senator Cory Booker, Kanye West, and Sterling K. Brown.[14]

As of February 2021, Redd stars in the comedy television series Kenan, alongside fellow SNL castmate Kenan Thompson.[15]

Other activities

In June 2020, Redd and fellow Second City alumna Lisa Beasley organized a GoFundMe fundraiser for racial justice protestors who had contracted COVID-19. They raised over $360,000 for the cause.[16][17]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2016 Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping Hunter the Hungry
2017 Handsome Detective Gunner
2018 A Futile and Stupid Gesture Skeptical Black Man
2018 Deep Murder Jace Jizz
2019 Joker Comedy Club Emcee
2020 Scare Me Carlo
2020 Vampires vs. the Bronx Andre
TBA Spinning Gold Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2012 Last Laff Various
2014 Chicago P.D. Carl Episode: "Thirty Balloons"
2014 Greetings! From Prison XXXpressive Episode: "XXXpress Yourself"
2015 Empire Roger 2 episodes
2016 Freestyle Wraps MC Hot Pot Episode: "Hot Pot"
2016 Lonely and Horny Omar 4 episodes
2016 Comedy Bang! Bang! The Cleaning Crew Rapper Episode: "Krysten Ritter Wears a Turtleneck and Black Boots"
2017 Love Justin 2 episodes
2017 Detroiters Donut Episode: "Smilin' Jack"
2017 Sofia the First Singe (voice) Episode: "The Royal Dragon"
2017 Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later Mason 2 episodes
2017–2018 Disjointed Steven "Dank" Dankerson 18 episodes
2017 Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents Himself Stand-up special
2017–present Saturday Night Live Himself/Various Repertory player
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics (2018)
2017 Will & Grace Alvin Episode: "Emergency Contact"
2018 Teachers Darnell Episode: "For Poorer or Poorer"
2019 Star vs. the Forces of Evil Additional voices Episode: "Junkin' Janna/A Spell with No Name"
2019 Big Mouth Additional voice 2 episodes
2020 The George Lucas Talk Show Himself Episode: "Digital Magic"
2021 Kenan Gary Williams

References

  1. ^ Saturday Night Live (October 18, 2017), 43 For 43: Chris Redd - SNL, retrieved November 2, 2017
  2. ^ Brusie, David (March 13, 2019). "Chris Redd aims to be a singular stand-up and 'SNL' team player". Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020. Redd, 33...
  3. ^ a b Ihejirika, Maudlyne (August 21, 2018). "SNL's Chris Redd to his hometown Chicago: 'Stop killing each other, man'". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  4. ^ Donald, Elizabeth (September 27, 2017). "Live from St. Louis, it's one of SNL's new cast members". Belleville News-Democrat. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  5. ^ Hegarty, Erin. "New 'SNL' cast member attended Naperville schools". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  6. ^ "'I Love What That Job Has Brought Me': Chris Redd On 'Saturday Night Live', The Second City, 'Deep Murder'". CBS Local. June 11, 2019. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  7. ^ Virtusio, Jessi (December 12, 2019). "Second City skewers holiday season in 'Ugly Sweater' show at Beverly Arts Center". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  8. ^ Beechick, Talia (June 17, 2016). "'Whirlwind of rap' got Chicago comedian Chris Redd into 'Popstar'". Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  9. ^ "Chris Redd: How comedy can be a force for social change". MSNBC. December 11, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  10. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 26, 2017). "'Saturday Night Live' Taps Heidi Gardner, Luke Null & Chris Redd As New Cast Members, Adds 7 Writers For Season 43". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  11. ^ a b Otterson, Joe (July 16, 2020). "Don Johnson, Chris Redd Join Kenan Thompson Comedy Series at NBC". Variety. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  12. ^ Calfas, Jennifer (November 19, 2017). "Saturday Night Live Begs Barack Obama to Come Back in '90s-Inspired Sketch". Time. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  13. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 24, 2019). "'SNL' Promotes Heidi Gardner & Chris Redd To Full Cast Members". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  14. ^ Porter, Rick (September 24, 2019). "'Saturday Night Live' Promotes Heidi Gardner, Chris Redd to Regular Cast". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  15. ^ "New NBC comedy 'Kenan' stars Kenan Thompson, Don Johnson and Chris Redd". KSNT. February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  16. ^ Petski, Denise (June 3, 2020). "'SNL's Chris Redd Organizes Fundraiser To Provide COVID-19 Tests & Treatment For George Floyd Protesters". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  17. ^ Metz, Nina (June 24, 2020). "'Saturday Night Live' star Chris Redd and Chicago comedian Lisa Beasley set up a COVID-19 protestor relief fund". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 23, 2021.

External links

Template:SNLCurrentCast

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