Jenny Slate (born March 25, 1982) is an American actress, stand-up comedian, and writer. Following early acting and stand-up roles on television, Slate gained recognition for her live variety shows in New York City and for co-creating, writing, and producing the children's short film and book series Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2010–present). She became more widely known as a cast member on the 35th season of the NBCsketch comedy series Saturday Night Live between 2009 and 2010, followed by subsequent roles in the comedic series Bob's Burgers (2012–present), Parks and Recreation (2013–2015), House of Lies (2013–2015), and Kroll Show (2013–2015).
Starting in 2017, Slate, who is Jewish, appeared on the animated Netflix series Big Mouth as the biracial Black–Jewish character Missy Foreman-Greenwald. She exited the role in 2020 because she felt it should be played by a Black actress; Slate has continued to voice other characters on the show.
Early life and education
Slate was born on March 25, 1982, in Massachusetts[2] to Ron Slate,[3] a businessman and poet who worked as vice president of global communications for the EMC Corporation and later as CEO of a biotech startup,[3][4][5] and Nancy (née Gilson), a housewife who also made pottery.[6] She is the middle child of three, with an older sister, Abigail, and younger sister, Stacey.[7][8] She and her family are Jewish.[6][9][10] One of her grandmothers was born in Cuba and was raised in France.[11]
She and Gabe Liedman formed the comedy duo Gabe & Jenny.[17] Their stand-up shows with Max Silvestri, "Big Terrific," were named best new variety show of 2008 by Time OutNew York.[18] In 2015, Slate, Liedman, and Silvestri ended the show, citing their busy schedules,[19] though they have since occasionally performed together.
Slate first met Liedman in 2000 while attending Columbia University.[20] They describe their relationship as a "nonsexual romance"; Slate says, "I like to think of us as kind of like [Seinfeld characters] Elaine Benes and George Costanza, but we like each other."[4] Throughout 2008 and 2009, Slate regularly performed her one-woman show Jenny Slate: Dead Millionaire at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (UCBT) in New York City.[21]
Slate joined the cast of Saturday Night Live for the 2009–10 season.[12][22] In her first episode, she accidentally said "fucking" during her debut sketch "Biker Chick Chat", which was heard on the live broadcast, but removed from reruns.[24][25][26][27] In various sketches, she impersonated Hoda Kotb, Lady Gaga, Kristen Stewart, Ashley Olsen, and Olympia Snowe. She was best known for Tina-Tina Cheneuse, an infomercial pitchwoman who advertises personalized doorbells, car horns, and alarm clocks.[28] Slate's contract was not renewed for another season.[29] Despite rumors to the contrary, Slate has insisted that her SNL termination was not due to cursing but rather simply because "I didn't click."[30]
In August 2010, she co-wrote and voiced the animated short film Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, which garnered viral success. This led to Marcel the Shell with Shoes on, Two.[31][32] Slate also wrote a "Marcel"-themed children's book that was released on November 1, 2011.[33] Her first major film role was as Zoe in Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked; more films followed in 2012, including the voice of Ted's mother in The Lorax.
Her first appearance in Parks and Recreation was in the 2013 episode "Bailout", in which she portrayed Mona-Lisa Saperstein. Following her success on the NBC show, Slate released and starred in a 12-episode mini-series on YouTube called Catherine, celebrating late 1980s and early 1990s soap-opera aesthetics.[34] On July 23, 2013, she appeared in Drunk History retelling the history of how Coca-Cola was made.
Slate co-starred with Judy Greer and Nat Faxon in the first season of the FX series Married.[37] She left the series as a series regular in season two, but still appeared in a few episodes. Sarah Burns took her place in the series.
Slate appeared as Liz B. in the recurring "PubLIZity" sketches in Kroll Show, as well as many other recurring and one-off characters, performing in some capacity in almost every episode until the series ended in 2015. In 2016, Slate voiced Dawn Bellwether in the Disney animated comedy-adventure film Zootopia and Gidget in the animated feature The Secret Life of Pets.
Slate and her father co-wrote a book titled About the House about their time living in Slate's childhood home in Milton, Massachusetts, which was published in December 2016.[38]
In 2017, Slate starred in the film Gifted as Bonnie Stevenson, the teacher of a 7-year-old mathematical genius.
In October 2019, Slate released a stand-up comedy special on Netflix, titled Stage Fright.
Slate published her book titled Little Weirds, about her struggles with and thoughts about life and relationships, in 2019.
From 2017 until 2019, Slate voiced the biracial character Missy Foreman-Greenwald on the animated Netflix series Big Mouth. Slate exited the role on June 24, 2020, writing on Instagram that "At the start of the show, I reasoned with myself that it was permissible for me to play Missy because her mom is Jewish and White — as am I. But Missy is also Black and Black characters on an animated show should be played by Black people."[39]
Slate lived in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, before moving with filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp to Los Angeles in the early 2010s.[41] In September 2012, Slate married Fleischer-Camp.[42] They collaborated on the Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, on both the books, the short films, and later the 2021 feature film. The pair announced their separation in May 2016. She dated actor Chris Evans for a brief period.[43]
In September 2019, Slate announced her engagement to art curator and author Ben Shattuck, owner of Davolls General Store.[44][45] On December 10, 2020, Slate revealed on Late Night with Seth Meyers that she was expecting her first child with Shattuck.[46] On February 3, 2021, Slate announced that she had given birth to a daughter.[47] Shattuck and Slate married in their living room on New Year's Eve 2021, their fourth attempt at a wedding after the first three were canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic.[48]
↑ Character was initially named "Big Nose" but was renamed in the digital release of the film due to it being a negative Jewish stereotype.[49]
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