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Kyle Mooney
File:Kyle Mooney by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Mooney at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con
Born
Kyle James Kozub Mooney[1]

(1984-09-04) September 4, 1984 (age 40)
San Diego, California, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Southern California
OccupationActor, comedian, writer
Years active2005–present

Kyle James Kozub Mooney (born September 4, 1984) is an American actor, comedian, and writer, who was a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 2013[2] until 2022.[3] Mooney co-wrote and starred in the 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 starred in 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 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.[15]

Career[]

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.[16] 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.[17] In 2014, Good Neighbor was featured on NewMediaRockstars' Top 100 Channels, ranked at No. 98.[18]

Saturday Night Live[]

He auditioned to join SNL in the summer of 2012 but was rejected; he auditioned the next season and was accepted.[19] On September 28, 2013, Kyle Mooney made his debut on Saturday Night Live as a featured player.[20] At the start of the forty-first season, Mooney was upgraded to repertory status.[21]

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.[22] He departed the series after season 47, ending a nine-season run.[3]

YouTube[]

Mooney started his personal YouTube channel (called "kyle"[23]) in September 2005, where he posted short comedy sketches. He was also a member of the channel GoodNeighborStuff,[24] along with Beck Bennett, Nick Rutherford and Dave McCary.

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.[25]

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
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[26]
2020 Spree Miles Manderville

Television[]

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Remember When Kyle Episode: #1.1
2010–2011 Pretend Time Various Episode: "Legalize Meth"
Episode: "PETA Not on Set"
Episode: "Monday Morning Meltdown"
Episode: "I Just Got Voodoo'd"
Episode: "The Leather Swing Set with the Monkey and the Gun"
2011 The Street Fighter Rick
2011 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Himself/Correspondent Episode: #9.172
2011 Sports Show with Norm Macdonald Nephew Kyle Episode: "Mascot"
Episode: #1.6
Episode: #1.2
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
2014–2018 Drunk History Himself / Sam Patch 3 episodes
2015 Hot Package Consulting writer Season Two
2016 Future-Worm! Various Voices 1 Episode
2017-2018 Star vs. the Forces of Evil Various Voices 12 Episodes
2018–2019 Arrested Development Murphy Brown Fünke 13 episodes
2021 Rick and Morty Blazen Season 5, Episode 4
2021 Saturday Morning All Star Hits! Various Co-creator; 8 episodes

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[]

References[]

  1. "Kyle Jameskozub Mooney, Born 09/04/1984 in California - CaliforniaBirthIndex.org". Californiabirthindex.org. Retrieved 6 October 2014. {{cite web}}:
  2. "Mooney on SNL". NBC. Retrieved 6 October 2014. {{cite web}}:
  3. 3.0 3.1 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. {{cite web}}:
  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, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2020. {{cite web}}: ; April 14, 2022
  5. 5.0 5.1 Goldberg, Peter (July 28, 2017). "Interview: Kyle Mooney on Brigsby Bear, SNL, and Trump the Troll". Slant Magazine. https://www.slantmagazine.com/features/article/interview-kyle-mooney-on-brigsby-bear-snl-and-trump-the-troll. 
  6. "Meet Kyle Mooney, the World's Most Awkward Miami Heat Fan (Video)". Cultist. July 3, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2014. {{cite web}}:
  7. "Kyle Mooney". Saturday Night Live. NBC. {{cite web}}:
  8. "Hello Ladies". HBO. Retrieved 6 October 2014. {{cite web}}:
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Bell, Diane (2 October 2013). "'SNL' season opens with local talent". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 6 October 2014. {{cite web}}:
  10. "UCB Theatre • Kyle Mooney". Losangeles.ucbtheatre.com. Retrieved 6 October 2014. {{cite web}}:
  11. "Kyle Mooney". Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. http://losangeles.ucbtheatre.com/talent/view/11710. 
  12. "USC dudes make videos for your amusement". thrillist. 14 December 2010. Retrieved 6 October 2014. {{cite web}}:
  13. "Commedus audition". Partners Project. Retrieved 6 October 2014. {{cite web}}:
  14. Elliott, Farley (11 February 2009). "Interview: Friendly comedy from Good Neighbor". LAist. Archived from the original on 6 November 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2014. {{cite web}}:
  15. Uhler, Rodney (5 April 2017). "Kyle Mooney Feels Pretty Good About His Alf Sweatshirt". GQ. Retrieved 27 September 2020. {{cite web}}:
  16. Violette, James (23 January 2011). "Student comedy group grabs attention". Daily Trojan. University of Southern California. Retrieved 6 October 2014. {{cite web}}:
  17. Evans, Bradford (23 August 2013). "Here Are Your New 'SNL' Featured Players". Vulture. Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2021. {{cite web}}:
  18. "The NMR Top 100 YouTube Channels: 100 – 76!". New Media Rockstars. {{cite web}}:
  19. Hamblin, Abby (2019-07-25). "'Saturday Night Live' star Kyle Mooney opens up about his comedy and growing up in San Diego". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 2019-07-26. {{cite web}}:
  20. "Tina Fey Introduces New 'SNL' Cast Members In Season 39 Premiere" (in en-US). HuffPost. 2013-09-29. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tina-fey-snl-new-cast-members_n_4010798. 
  21. Wright, Megh (2015-09-23). "'Saturday Night Live' Promotes Kyle Mooney to Repertory Player for Season 41" (in en-US). https://www.vulture.com/2015/09/saturday-night-live-promotes-kyle-mooney-to-repertory-player-for-season-41.html. 
  22. "Cast | Kyle Mooney". SNL Archives. Retrieved 2018-01-28. {{cite web}}:
  23. "kyle". YouTube. Retrieved 2019-03-21. {{cite web}}:
  24. "GoodNeighborStuff". YouTube. Retrieved 2019-03-21. {{cite web}}:
  25. Bell, Sadie (29 December 2021). "Kyle Mooney's Many Nostalgic Inspirations Behind 'Saturday Morning All Star Hits!'". Thrillist. Retrieved 7 March 2022. {{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. Jackson, Matthew (February 13, 2019). "EXCLUSIVE: BATMAN AND THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES MEET IN FIRST ANIMATED MOVIE CROSSOVER". SYFY Wire. {{cite web}}:
  27. Title in the online table of contents is "Some of your Third-Grade friend’s best lies".

External links[]

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