Cecily Strong

Cecily Strong
Born (1984-02-08) February 8, 1984
Springfield, Illinois, US
Medium Television, film
Nationality American
Years active 2012–present
Genres Satire, political satire, news satire, improvisational comedy, sketch comedy
Subject(s) American politics, American culture, current events, pop culture, mass media, news media
Notable works and roles Saturday Night Live

Cecily Strong (born February 8, 1984)[1][2] is an American actress, voice actress, and comedian, known as a cast member of Saturday Night Live, having joined the show in 2012.[3]

Early life

Strong was born to parents Bill and Penelope Strong in Springfield, Illinois, and raised in Oak Park, Illinois.[4] Her father, Bill Strong, worked as an Associated Press bureau chief and is now managing partner at a Chicago public relations firm.[1][5] Strong's parents are divorced. She has a younger sister.[6] Strong grew up adoring SNL as a child, reenacting sketches with her friend[7] and watching old SNL commercials on VHS frequently. "I had a tape of the best commercials, and I wore it out, every day." She has stated that she was inspired by Phil Hartman.

She attended Oak Park and River Forest High School before eventually transferring for her senior year to the Chicago Academy for the Arts, where she graduated in 2002.[6] After high school, Strong attended the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) and studied to become an actress, graduating in 2006 with a BFA in theatre.[8][9][10] After graduating from CalArts, Strong returned to Chicago, where she studied at the Second City Conservatory and iO Chicago.

Career

Strong performed regularly at The Second City and iO Chicago.[6] She also appeared at the Chicago Sketch Fest, Chicago Just for Laughs, New York Sketchfest, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.[9] In Chicago, Strong has also performed at the Goodman Theater, Bailiwick Theater, and Mercury Theater and with the all-female improv troupe Virgin Daiquiri.[11]

Saturday Night Live

On September 15, 2012, Strong made her debut as a featured player on Saturday Night Live.[9][12][13] Strong co-anchored the recurring Weekend Update segment with Seth Meyers, beginning with the season 39 premiere. Strong later co-anchored with Colin Jost,[14] and was replaced on Weekend Update with writer Michael Che, beginning with the season 40 premiere in September 2014, but remained a part of the regular cast.[15]

Strong's recurring characters include a ditzy, unnamed pseudo-activist known as "The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation With at a Party",[16] Dana (one half of a pair of retail employees who always insult their coworkers out of fear of being fired), Kyra from "The Girlfriends Talk Show", and an unnamed blond former porn star-turned-model/commercial actress who hawks elegant items. Her celebrity impressions include Allison Williams, Anjelica Huston, Ariana Grande, Sofia Vergara, Fran Drescher, Jill Kelley, Khloe Kardashian, Lydia Callis, Lana Del Rey, Paula Broadwell, Megyn Kelly, Alanis Morissette, Gloria Estefan, Jeanine Pirro, Maria Bartiromo, Sarah Koenig, Rachel Maddow, Melania Trump, Carly Fiorina, and Michelle Rodriguez.

Other work

Strong served as the featured entertainer at the 2015 White House Correspondents' Association dinner. She lambasted the various news organizations in attendance, politicians of all persuasions, and President Obama. She also took shots at the US Secret Service, host location the Washington Hilton, Brian Williams, Sarah Koenig, and the state of Indiana.[17]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Other Notes
2012 How to Sponsor a Uterus Karen Rigsby Short film
2015 The Bronze Janice Townsend
2015 Slow Learners Amber the ex
2015 Staten Island Summer Mary Ellen
2016 The Boss[18] TBA Post-production
2016 Ghostbusters TBA Post-production
2016 The Meddler TBA Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Other Notes
2005 Mad TV Recurring Extra Recurring role
2012–present Saturday Night Live Herself, Various Main cast
2012 Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday Various 2 episodes
2013–present The Awesomes Various Voices Recurring role
2015 White House Correspondents' Dinner Herself (host) TV special
2016 Angie Tribeca Samantha Stevens Episode: "Tribeca's Day Off"

References

  1. 1 2 Dettro, Chris (January 19, 2013). "New SNL Comedian has shallow Springfield roots". The State Journal-Register. Springfield, Illinois. Archived from the original on November 3, 2014. Retrieved October 5, 2013. Strong's father, Bill Strong, was the Associated Press bureau chief at the Statehouse when Cecily was born in February 1984.
  2. ↑ "Happy Birthday Cecily Strong!!". Saturday Night Live official Twitter page. February 8, 2013. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  3. ↑ Metz, Nina (September 10, 2012). "Aidy Bryant, Tim Robinson, Cecily Strong join cast of 'SNL'". Chicago Tribune.
  4. ↑ "Cecily Strong to co-anchor SNL's 'Weekend Update'". Sj-r.com. Retrieved 2013-10-05. (subscription required)
  5. ↑ "Cecily Strong to co-anchor SNL's 'Weekend Update'". Sj-r.com. September 16, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 Gomez, Luis (June 14, 2013). "Interview: 'SNL' star Cecily Strong returns home amid dream year". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Cecily Strong Is Being Serious". The New York Times. February 7, 2014. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  8. ↑ "CalArts Grad Cecily Strong Added to Cast of 'SNL' | 12-11-2012". SCVNews.com. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  9. 1 2 3 "Cast Bios". Cecily Strong. NBC. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
  10. ↑ Fretts, Bruce (November 8, 2013). "Meet Saturday Night Live's New "Weekend Update" Anchor Cecily Strong". TV Guide. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Cecily Strong". Cecilystrong.tumblr.com. Retrieved 2012-10-03.
  12. ↑ Levin, Gary (September 10, 2012). "'Saturday Night Live' adds three new cast members". USA Today.
  13. ↑ "'Saturday Night Live' adds 3 performers for upcoming season after departures of Wiig, Samberg". The Washington Post (The Associated Press). September 10, 2012.
  14. ↑ Morgan, Richard (May 9, 2014). "Cecily Strong and Colin Jost Are Newest 'Weekend Update' Anchors on 'Saturday Night Live'". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  15. ↑ Reed, Ryan (September 12, 2014). "'SNL' Replaces Cecily Strong as 'Weekend Update' Anchor". Rolling Stone.
  16. ↑ Fishman, Elly (February 20, 2013). "Questions for Saturday Night Live's Cecily Strong". Chicago Magazine. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  17. ↑ Cecily Strong’s harshest burns in her White House correspondents’ dinner speech from Washington Post, 26 April 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2015
  18. ↑ Mike Fleming Jr "Cecily Strong Joins Melissa McCarthy Comedy ‘Michelle Darnell’" from Deadline.com, 28 April 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2015

External links

Media offices
Preceded by
Amy Poehler		 Weekend Update anchor with Seth Meyers
2013–2014 		Succeeded by
Cecily Strong and Colin Jost
Preceded by
Seth Meyers and Cecily Strong		 Weekend Update anchor with Colin Jost
March 1 – May 17, 2014 		Succeeded by
Colin Jost and Michael Che
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