Beck Bennett
Christopher Beck Bennett (born October 1, 1984) is an American actor, comedian, and writer, who was a cast member on Saturday Night Live for eight seasons (2013–2021). Before his tenure on SNL, he performed in AT&T "It's Not Complicated" commercials where he interviewed children,[2] and produced sketch videos with the comedy group Good Neighbor,[3][4][5] and his YouTube show Theatre of Life.[6]
Beck Bennett | |
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![]() Bennett in 2017 | |
Born | Wilmette, Illinois, U.S. | October 1, 1984
Education | University of Southern California (BFA) |
Occupation |
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Years active | 2006–present |
Spouse(s) | |
Children | 1[1] |
Early life
Bennett was born in Wilmette, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago), the son of Sarah and Andy Bennett. He performed in multiple shows at Children's Theatre of Winnetka.[7] He graduated from New Trier High School in 2003 where he played Jean Valjean in his school's production of Les Misérables.[8] Bennett attended the USC School of Dramatic Arts in the B.F.A. Acting program.[8]
Career
In 2003, Bennett joined the improv/sketch group Commedus Interruptus along with fellow SNL cast member Kyle Mooney and Nick Rutherford. In 2007, after graduation, Mooney, Rutherford, and Bennett joined with editor/director Dave McCary to form the sketch group Good Neighbor.[8] The group received praise from comedian Louis C.K.[9] and director Steven Spielberg, who sent Mooney, Bennett, Rutherford, and McCary a personal acknowledgement after being impressed with the Hook parody, Unbelievable Dinner. He complimented the sketch and encouraged the group to continue making funny movies.[10][11]
In 2011, Bennett created the satirical political talk show Fresh Perspectives,[12][13][14] which helped him land his AT&T commercials interviewing children.[15]
In 2012, he appeared in the film Kill Me Now,[16] a film starring multiple internet sketch-comedy groups, and filmed Beside Still Waters[17] by writer/director Chris Lowell.
In March 2013, Bennett appeared in an episode of Last Man Standing, and that August voiced a character for Axe Cop for Fox's Animation Domination High-Def programming block. That same year, Good Neighbor produced a pilot for Comedy Central with Adam McKay's Gary Sanchez production company, though it was not picked up as a series, in light of the move of three of the troupe's four members to New York City to star on Saturday Night Live.[18] That same year, Bennett completed work on the independent film Balls Out[19] and appeared in season 4 of Arrested Development.[20]
Bennett voiced Launchpad McQuack in the DuckTales reboot which ran from 2017 to 2021,[21] and Eric the robot in the Sony Pictures Animation film The Mitchells vs. the Machines.
Saturday Night Live
Bennett debuted as a featured player on Saturday Night Live in its 39th season on September 28, 2013.[22] He was promoted to repertory status for Saturday Night Live's 41st season on October 2, 2015.[23] He left the show following the finale of the 46th season on May 22, 2021.[24] In an interview with TIME Magazine, Bennett stated he chose to leave the show so he could be with his wife in Los Angeles instead of remaining in New York City and maintaining a long distance relationship.[25]
His celebrity impressions on SNL include Ted Allen, Ashley Parker Angel, Salt Bae, Bob Baffert, Javier Bardem, Bill Belichick, Wolf Blitzer, Tom Brady, Jeb Bush, Drew Carey, Bill Clinton, Harry Connick Jr., Simon Cowell, Bing Crosby, Ted Cruz, Guillermo del Toro, Vin Diesel, Sam Elliott, Boomer Esiason, Jim Gilmore, Roger Goodell, Mark Halperin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Hollywood, Matt Iseman, Ronny Jackson, Elton John, Brian Kilmeade, Robert Kraft, Steve Kroft, Mike Lindell, Howie Long, Al Michaels, Mitch McConnell, Jim Nantz, Kevin O'Leary, Nick Offerman, Mike Pence, Vladimir Putin, Bruce Springsteen, Jake Tapper, Malcolm Turnbull, Chris Wallace and George Zimmer.[26]
Recurring characters[26]
- Casey, co-host of Inside SoCal
- Richard Patterson (a.k.a. "Baby Boss"), a successful business executive who has the body and awkward movements of a baby
- Jack Trask, host of Action 9 News at Five
- Jules Who Sees Things a Little Differently, a recurring guest on Weekend Update
Personal life
On May 13, 2016, Bennett posted to his Instagram a photograph of himself with his girlfriend Jessy Hodges, in which the caption stated that the couple were celebrating five years together.[27] The couple married on August 25, 2018.[28] He has been friends with fellow SNL cast member Kyle Mooney since they were students at the University of Southern California.[29]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2012 | Kill Me Now | Todd | |
2013 | Beside Still Waters | Tom | |
2014 | Balls Out | Dick | |
2015 | The Party is Over | Adam | |
2016 | Zoolander 2 | Geoff Millie | Uncredited |
Dean | Trevor | ||
Sing | Lance (voice) | ||
The Late Bloomer | Luke | ||
2017 | Brigsby Bear | Detective Bander | |
2018 | The Unicorn | Tyson | |
2019 | Greener Grass | Nick | |
Plus One | Matt | ||
The Angry Birds Movie 2 | Brad Eagleberger and Hank (voice) | ||
2020 | Bill & Ted Face the Music | Deacon Logan[30] | |
2021 | The Mitchells vs. the Machines | Eric (voice) | |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | Last Man Standing | Police Sergeant (uncredited) | Episode: "The Fight" |
Arrested Development | 'Straight' Straightbait Actor | Episode: "A New Start" | |
Axe Cop | Father of Boy (voice) | Episode: "The Rabbit Who Broke All the Rules" | |
Lucas Bros. Moving Co | Repo Man (voice) | Episode: "DDT" | |
2013–2021 | Saturday Night Live | Various | Main cast |
2015 | Big Time in Hollywood, FL | Ricky | Episode: "Rehabilitation" |
2017 | Master of None | Helicopter Pilot (voice) | Episode: "Amarsi Un Po" |
Comrade Detective | Nikita Ionescu | 2 episodes | |
Ghosted | Bob | Episode: "Lockdown" | |
2017–2021 | DuckTales | Launchpad McQuack (voice) | Main cast |
2019 | The Other Two | Jeff | 2 episodes |
Shrill | Kevin O’Donnell/The Awesome | 2 episodes | |
Sunnyside | Tripp Henson | Episode: "Schnorf Town" | |
2021 | Close Enough | Luc (voice) | Episode: "Houseguest From Hell" |
M.O.D.O.K. | Austin Van Der Sleet (voice) | Series regular | |
The Simpsons | Grayson Mathers (voice) | Episode: “The Longest Marge” |
References
- "Beck Bennett & Jessy Hodges Welcome First Child".
- Nudd, Tim (2013-04-15). "How AT&T Got Kids to Make Some of the Year's Best Ads". Adweek. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
- Forde, Kevin (15 December 2008). "The 8 Best Internet Sketch Troupes Whose Initials Aren't TAM". Cracked.com. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
- Perkins, Colin (2010-10-05). "Sketch Artists: Good Neighbor Adds Some Absurdity to Viral Videos". Splitsider. Archived from the original on 2016-06-04. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
- "Good Neighbor Sketch Comedy". G4tv.com. 2008-12-19. Archived from the original on 2017-10-06. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
- beckbennett (2011-01-30). "More Theatre of Life". YouTube. Retrieved 2017-06-04.
- "Children's Theatre of Winnetka". Children's Theatre of Winnetka.
- Johnson, Steve (January 30, 2013). "Beck Bennett's calling answered with AT&T ads". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
- "codythebeau comments on Louis C.K. reddit". Reddit.com. 2012-05-14. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
- "Schubas". Schubas. 2012-01-06. Archived from the original on 2013-09-27. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
- Sykes, Tom (2013-04-09). "Beck Bennett: Meet That Guy in Those Adorable AT&T Commercials". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
- McGlynn, Katla (April 7, 2011). "'Fresh Perspective' On Libya Offered By Adorable Kids (VIDEO)". Huffington Post. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
- Hampton, Adele (March 30, 2012). "A seven-year-old's take on Mitt Romney's candidacy - The Hill's Video". The Hill. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
- Friar, Christine (July 1, 2011). "'Fresh Perspectives' Kids Talk Medicare, Call Paul Ryan A 'Lame Doo Doo' (VIDEO)". Huffington Post. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
- Elliott, Stuart (July 2, 2013). "A Spokesman Finds Fame Interviewing Tiny Experts". The New York Times. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
- "Kill Me Now: Internet Sketch Comics Make A Movie". Hex19. 2012-07-26. Archived from the original on 2017-04-30. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
- Sneider, Jeff (2012-05-31). "Chris Lowell sets feature directorial debut". Variety. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
- Frucci, Adam (2013-08-23). "Good Neighbor Is the New Lonely Island: 'SNL' Hires Director Dave McCary Alongside Two Cast Members". Splitsider. Archived from the original on 2017-11-19. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
- "Intramural: The Movie - 5 Questions w/ Beck Bennett". YouTube. 2013-08-01. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
- Kurp, Josh (May 8, 2013). "'Arrested Development' Season 4 Guest Star List". Uproxx. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
- Fuller, Becky (7 December 2016). "DuckTales Reboot Teaser Confirms Summer 2017 Premiere Date". Screen Rant.
- "Tina Fey Introduces New 'SNL' Cast Members In Season 39 Premiere". Huffington Post. 2013-09-29. Retrieved 2018-01-21.
- "'SNL' Promotes Beck Bennett and Sasheer Zamata to Repertory Players". Splitsider. 2015-10-05. Retrieved 2018-01-21.
- Porter, Rick (September 27, 2021). "Beck Bennett Departs 'Saturday Night Live' After 8 Seasons". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- Chow, Andrew R. (September 30, 2021). "Beck Bennett On Leaving Saturday Night Live And His 5 Favorite Sketches". TIME Magazine. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
- "Beck Bennett". snlarchives.net. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
- "Instagram post by @beckbennett • May 13, 2016 at 12:17am UTC". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
- "SNL's Beck Bennett Marries Longtime Love Jessy Hodges". Us Weekly. 2018-08-26. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
- "Student comedy group grabs attention". Daily Trojan. 2011-01-23. Retrieved 2018-01-21.
- Dave McNary (27 June 2019). "'Bill & Ted' Sequel Adds New and Returning Cast Members (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
External links
- Beck Bennett at IMDb