Heidi Gardner

Last updated
Heidi Gardner
Heidi Gardner (NYCC Interview 2016) 01.png
Gardner being interviewed for SuperMansion at the 2016 New York Comi Con
Born
Heidi Lynn Gardner [1]

(1983-07-27) July 27, 1983 (age 41)
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Education University of Kansas
University of Missouri
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • writer
Years active2011–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2010;div. 2023)​
[2]

Heidi Lynn Gardner [3] (born July 27, 1983) [4] is an American actress, comedian, and writer. She has been a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live since season 43 in 2017, when she debuted as a featured player. She was promoted to repertory status on the show in 2019.

Contents

Early life

Gardner was born and grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. [5] She has an older brother, Justin. [6]

Heidi Gardner worked part-time at the Tivoli Theater in Kansas City as a child, where she did everything "from selling tickets to making popcorn". She later credited the theater as "setting the tone in her life". [7] She was not interested in acting as a teenager, only performing on stage as a flautist for the school band and doing comedy sketches in school talent shows. [8] She graduated from the all-girls Catholic high school Notre Dame de Sion in southern Kansas City in 2001. In her senior year, her classmates voted her "most likely to be a cast member of Saturday Night Live". [6] After graduation, Gardner followed in a friend's footsteps and enrolled at the University of Kansas for two years before transferring to the University of Missouri for a semester. At the time she was uninterested in school and often skipped classes, but discovered a fondness for haircutting. [8]

Career

At age 21, Gardner dropped out of college and left Kansas City for Los Angeles, where she worked at a hair salon for nine years. [9] Before moving, she saved $600 over one summer. [10] A friend encouraged her to attend a performance at The Groundlings theater, where she became inspired to become an actress. [9] Lacking acting experience, Gardner enrolled in community workshops to learn the basics of improvisation. Once she was comfortable performing, Gardner auditioned for the Groundlings basic class and was accepted. [8]

In 2014, Gardner joined the Sunday Company and a year later after a promotion to the Main Company, she quit her job as a hairstylist to focus on acting. [8] During that time, she became a voice actress, [11] regularly appearing on animated series incuding Bratz , SuperMansion , and Mike Tyson Mysteries . [12] In 2017, she joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (SNL) along with Luke Null and Chris Redd for its forty-third season. [10]

After her first year on SNL, Gardner was hired to play Leonor in the Ben Falcone-directed film Life of the Party , alongside Melissa McCarthy, Falcone's wife. [8] On August 28, 2019, TVLine reported that Gardner would have a guest role on the NBC comedy series Superstore, playing Dina Fox's nemesis Colleen who is transferred to Store 1217 after Cloud 9's Bel-Ridge location is shut down. [13] In 2019, Gardner made her stage debut in Michael Frayn's Noises Off at The Cape Playhouse in Dennis, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. [14]

Gardner, who had never broken character in seven seasons on SNL, cracked while playing NewsNation host Bobbi Moore in a Beavis and Butt-Head -centered sketch on April 13, 2024. [15] Vulture magazine described the moment as breaking in "spectacularly charming fashion". [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22]

Recurring characters on Saturday Night Live [23]

Personal life

Gardner is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals. [7] From 2010 to 2023, she was married to Marvel Comics creator Zeb Wells, whom she met while she was a member of the Groundlings. [24] [25] She lives in Leawood, Kansas which is west of Kansas City in a mid-century modern home she purchased in 2021. [26] [27] [28] [29]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014Dibs!Erica
2018 Life of the Party Leonor
Making Babies Meg
2019 Otherhood Erin
2022 Hustle Kat Merrick
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Last BakerVoice role
2023 Leo Eli's momVoice role [30]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2017, 2019 Mike Tyson Mysteries Old Woman, Jennifer2 episodes
2017–present Saturday Night Live Various
2019 The Other Two MonaEpisode: "Chase Turns Fourteen"
Veep Amanda WhiteEpisode: "Discovery Weekend"
Alien News Desk Tuva Van Void (voice)12 episodes
American Dad! Various voicesEpisode: "Lost Boys"
Superstore ColleenEpisode: "Forced Hire"
2020 Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt JennySpecial: "Kimmy vs the Reverend"
2021 Close Enough Becca (voice)Episode: "Houseguest From Hell"
Crank Yankers Herself (voice)Episode: "Chelsea Peretti, Heidi Gardner & J.B. Smoove"
2022 Is It Cake? Herself (Judge)Episode: "Toying Around"
Girls5eva CaraEpisode: "Album Mode"
That Damn Michael Che Episode: "Higher Power"
2023–2024 Shrinking Grace10 episodes

Web

YearTitleRoleNotes
2015Adult WednesdayHairdresserEpisode: "The Haircut"
Bratz Yasmin (voice)8 episodes
2015–19 SuperMansion Cooch, Various voices46 episodes
2016 CollegeHumor Originals PatientEpisode: "Why Are My Nipples Pixelated?"

Audio

YearTitleRoleNotes
2020 Heads Will Roll Various voices10 episodes
2021 Batman: The Audio Adventures Harley Quinn, Miss Tuesday

Stage

YearTitleRoleLocations
2019 Noises Off Brooke Ashton/VickiThe Cape Playhouse

Writing credits

Web

YearTitleNotes
2015 Bratz 3 episodes
2015–17 SuperMansion 11 episodes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laraine Newman</span> American actress, writer and comedian (born 1952)

Laraine Newman is an American actress, comedian, and writer. Newman was part of the original cast of NBC's sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from its inception in 1975 until her departure in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Groundlings</span> Improv and theater group

The Groundlings is an American improvisational and sketch comedy troupe and school based in Los Angeles, California. The troupe was formed by Gary Austin in 1974 and uses an improv format influenced by Viola Spolin, whose improv techniques were taught by Del Close and other members of the Second City, located in Chicago and later St. Louis. They used these techniques to produce sketches and improvised scenes. Its name is taken from Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act III, Scene II: "...to split the ears of the groundlings, who for the most part are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumbshows and noise." In 1975 the troupe purchased and moved into its location on Melrose Avenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Kattan</span> American actor and comedian (born 1970)

Christopher Lee Kattan is an American actor and comedian. First breaking through as a performer with the Los Angeles comedy troupe The Groundlings, Kattan found wider success during his tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1996 to 2003. He also played Doug Butabi in A Night at the Roxbury, Bob on the first five seasons of The Middle, and Bunnicula in Bunnicula. He's also known for playing the main antagonist Mr. Feather in Undercover Brother (2002).

In theatre, breaking character occurs when an actor fails to maintain the illusion that they are the character they are supposedly portraying. This is considered unprofessional while performing in front of an audience or camera. British English uses a slang term, corpsing, to specifically describe one of the most common ways of breaking character—when an actor loses their composure and laughs or giggles inappropriately during a scene. The British slang term is derived from an actor laughing when their character is supposed to be a corpse. If the breaking of character is particularly serious, it normally results in an abandonment of a take in recorded or filmed drama.

Saturday Night Live (SNL) is an American late-night live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The show's premiere was hosted by George Carlin on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title NBC's Saturday Night. The show's comedy sketches, which often parody contemporary American culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers the opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, with featured performances by a musical guest. An episode normally begins with a cold open sketch that is usually based on political events and ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!", properly beginning the show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Parnell</span> American actor (born 1967)

Thomas Christopher Parnell is an American actor and comedian. First breaking through as a performer with the Los Angeles comedy troupe The Groundlings, Parnell found wider success during his tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1998 to 2006. After leaving SNL, he played the role of Dr. Leo Spaceman on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock (2006–2013). Parnell is also a prominent voice actor known for his deep and distinctive voice. In animation, he voices the narrator on the PBS Kids series WordGirl (2007–2015), Cyril Figgis on the FX series Archer (2009–2023), Jerry Smith on Adult Swim's Rick and Morty (2013–present), and Doug on Fox's Family Guy (2019–2022). His work also extends into commercials, having voiced the Hamburger Helper mascot “Lefty”, appeared in advertisements as “America’s Dad” for Orbit Gum, and is most known for voicing "The Progressive Box" in a series of advertisements by the Progressive Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kristen Wiig</span> American actress and comedian (born 1973)

Kristen Carroll Wiig is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. First breaking through as a performer with the Los Angeles comedy troupe The Groundlings, Wiig achieved stardom in the late 2000s for her seven-season tenure on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live (SNL) from 2005 to 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mikey Day</span> American actor, comedian and writer (born 1980)

Michael William Day is an American actor and comedian. He was hired as a writer for the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live before its 39th season in 2013. He was then promoted to on-air cast status and became a featured player during the show's 42nd season in 2016, later being promoted to repertory status beginning with the 44th season in 2018. Day is also the host of the Netflix show Is It Cake? He previously was an on-air correspondent for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Jay Leno Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kate McKinnon</span> American actress and comedian (born 1984)

Kate McKinnon Berthold is an American actress and comedian. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michaela Watkins</span> American actress (born 1971)

Michaela Watkins is an American actress and comedian. After several years performing with the Los Angeles comedy troupe The Groundlings, Watkins achieved widespread attention for her brief stint as a featured player on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live during its 34th season between 2008 and 2009. Since leaving SNL, she has starred on the Hulu series Casual and on the short-lived sitcoms The Unicorn and Trophy Wife. Watkins has also had recurring roles on other television series, such as The New Adventures of Old Christine, Catastrophe, Enlightened and Search Party and appeared in films such as The Back-up Plan (2010), Wanderlust (2012), Enough Said (2013) and Sword of Trust (2019).

Abigail Elliott is an American actress and comedian. She was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2008 to 2012, and has starred on the Bravo comedy Odd Mom Out, the NBC sitcom Indebted, and the FX/Hulu comedy-drama The Bear. She is the daughter of actor and comedian Chris Elliott and sister of Bridey Elliott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streeter Seidell</span> American comedian, writer, actor, and TV host

Streeter John Seidell is an American comedian, writer, actor, and TV host. Seidell was part of the cast of CollegeHumor's online sketches. His video series Prank Wars was viewed tens of millions of times, which eventually led to a TV-series called Pranked on MTV with fellow CollegeHumor editor, Amir Blumenfeld.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aidy Bryant</span> American actress and comedian (born 1987)

Aidan Mackenzy Bryant is an American actress and comedian. Bryant is most notable for being a cast member on the NBC late-night sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live for ten seasons, joining the show for its 38th season in 2012, and leaving at the end of its 47th season in 2022. For her work on the series she was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards, including two nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sasheer Zamata</span> American actress and comedian (born 1986)

Sasheer Zamata Moore is an American actress and stand-up comedian. She is best known for her tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2014 to 2017. Since her departure from SNL, she has garnered wider attention for her leading roles in the TV series Woke (2020–2022) and Home Economics (2021–2023). In 2024, Zamata starred as Jennifer Kale in the Disney+ Marvel show Agatha All Along. She has also served as a celebrity ambassador for the American Civil Liberties Union.

Christopher Jerell Redd is an American comedian and actor. After several years performing stand-up comedy, Redd was hired to join the cast of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live ahead of the show's 43rd season in 2017, making his debut alongside Heidi Gardner and Luke Null, and serving as a cast member for five seasons until 2022. For his work on the show, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics in 2018 for co-writing the SNL song "Come Back Barack". He is also known for his roles in Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016), Disjointed (2017–2018), and Kenan (2021–2022).

The forty-third season of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live premiered on September 30, 2017, during the 2017–2018 television season with host Ryan Gosling and musical guest Jay-Z, and concluded on May 19, 2018, with host Tina Fey and musical guest Nicki Minaj. Like the final four episodes of season 42, season 43 was broadcast live in all four time zones within the contiguous United States, with the exception of the Natalie Portman/Dua Lipa episode due to the network's commitment to the NFL.

The following is a list of recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced during the forty-third season of SNL, which began on September 30, 2017.

The following is a list of recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced during the forty-fourth season of SNL, which began on September 29, 2018.

The forty-fifth season of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live premiered on September 28, 2019, during the 2019–20 television season with host Woody Harrelson and musical guest Billie Eilish, and concluded on May 9, 2020 with host Kristen Wiig and musical guest Boyz II Men. This season featured the return of Eddie Murphy as host, on December 21, 2019, for the first time in 35 years. Murphy's episode was the most watched episode since 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chloe Fineman</span> American actress and comedian (born 1988)

Chloe Rose Fineman is an American actress and comedian. She became a featured player on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live starting in its 45th season in September 2019, and was promoted to repertory status in 2021 at the beginning of season 47.

References

  1. ↑ "43 for 43: Heidi Gardner - SNL". YouTube . 18 October 2017.
  2. ↑ "Advice Ep! SNL's Heidi Gardner on Getting Through Breakups, How to Love Sports, Overcoming Public Speaking Fears, Figuring Out the Best Career & More". 29 January 2024.
  3. ↑ "43 for 43: Heidi Gardner - SNL". YouTube . 18 October 2017.
  4. ↑ "Almanac: Today's Birthdays". Dubuque Telegraph-Herald. July 27, 2024. p. A3. ProQuest   3085732594. Former MLB All-Star Alex Rodriguez is 49. Actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers is 47. Actor/comedian Heidi Gardner is 41. Actor Taylor Schilling is 40. Golfer Jordan Spieth is 31. See also:
    • "Today in History: Today's Birthdays". Dubuque Telegraph-Herald. July 27, 2018. p. A2. ProQuest   2077225829. Former MLB All-Star Alex Rodriguez is 43. Actor Seamus Dever is 42. Actor Jonathan Rhys (rees) Meyers is 41. Actress/comedian Heidi Gardner is 35. Actor Blair Redford is 35. Actress Taylor Schilling is 34. Singer Cheyenne Kimball is 28. Golfer Jordan Spieth is 25.
  5. ↑ "Heidi Gardner". nbc.com. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  6. 1 2 Gutierrez, Lisa (September 27, 2017). "This KC native is being hailed as the next household name on 'Saturday Night Live'". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  7. 1 2 "My Kansas City: Interview With SNL's Heidi Gardner". visitkc.com (Interview). Interviewed by Lambdin Meyer, Diana. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Cizmar, Martin (August 21, 2019). "How Heidi Gardner went from a hairstylist taking improv classes to Saturday Night Live star". kansascitymag.com. Archived from the original on May 15, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  9. 1 2 Coy Dugger. "How Kansas City Native Heidi Gardner Ended Up On Saturday Night Live". kcur.org. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  10. 1 2 Steinberg, Brian (November 22, 2019). "'SNL': Heidi Gardner's Kooky 'Weekend Update' Characters Make News". Variety. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  11. ↑ Bradley, Nina (September 26, 2017). "Who Is Heidi Gardner? The New 'SNL' Cast Member Is Someone You Should Get To Know ASAP". Bustle .
  12. ↑ Hatchett, Keisha (October 13, 2016). "TMS Interviews the SuperMansion Cast About Santa's Existential Crisis and Jordan Peele's Get Out". The Mary Sue . Retrieved September 26, 2017.
  13. ↑ Schwartz, Ryan (28 August 2019). "Superstore Season 5: Justina Machado to Recur, SNL's Heidi Gardner Also Cast". TVLine. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  14. ↑ Gans, Andrew (August 7, 2019). "Jeremy Webb, Janine LaManna, Jennifer Cody Join SNL's Heidi Gardner in Noises Off at Cape Playhouse". Playbill . Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  15. ↑ Tinoco, Armando (4 May 2024). "Heidi Gardner Says She Was Afraid To Break Character On 'SNL': "I Thought I'd Get Fired"". Deadline. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  16. ↑ Ivie, Devon (2024-04-15). "Heidi Gardner Couldn't Prepare for What She Saw". Vulture. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  17. ↑ Perez, Lexy (2024-04-16). "Heidi Gardner Reacts to Breaking Character During 'SNL' 'Beavis and Butt-Head' Sketch: "I Lost It"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  18. ↑ Sharf, Zack (2024-04-16). "'SNL' Star Heidi Gardner Says 'Anxiety Set in' After Breaking So Hard During 'Beavis and Butt-Head' Sketch: 'I'll Never Be Able to Shake' What I Saw". Variety. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  19. ↑ "'SNL' Star Heidi Gardner Feels Terrible She Broke Character During 'Beavis And Butt-Head' Skit". HuffPost. 2024-04-16. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  20. ↑ Ortiz, Andi (2024-04-16). "SNL: Heidi Gardner Explains Why She Lost It in 'Beavis and Butt-Head' Sketch". TheWrap. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  21. ↑ "'SNL' shows behind-the-scenes footage of 'Beavis and Butt-Head' skit that broke Heidi Gardner". TODAY.com. 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  22. ↑ Evans, Greg (2024-04-16). "Heidi Gardner Explains Butt-Head Crack-Up On Last Saturday's 'SNL'". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  23. ↑ Steinberg, Brian (2019-11-22). "'SNL': Heidi Gardner's Kooky 'Weekend Update' Characters Make News". Variety. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  24. ↑ Hoedel, Cindy (August 1, 2019). "IN Conversation with Heidi Gardner". inkansascity.com. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Advice Ep! SNL's Heidi Gardner on Getting Through Breakups, How to Love Sports, Overcoming Public Speaking Fears, Figuring Out the Best Career & More". 29 January 2024.
  26. ↑ "Location Maps & Information". ims.jocogov.org. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  27. ↑ www.bizjournals.com https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2024/09/06/heidi-gardner-overland-park-house.html . Retrieved 2024-10-29.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  28. ↑ Studach, Mel (2024-10-29). "Inside SNL Star Heidi Gardner's Midcentury Home, a Disco Fantasy Come True". Architectural Digest. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  29. ↑ Architectural Digest (2024-10-29). Inside 'SNL' Star Heidi Gardner's Midcentury Kansas City Home | Open Door | Architectural Digest . Retrieved 2024-10-29– via YouTube.
  30. ↑ "Everything You Need to Know About Leo". Tudum . August 23, 2023. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.