Taran Killam
Taran Killam | |
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![]() Killam at the 2013 New York Comic Con | |
Birth name | Taran Hourie Killam |
Born | Culver City, California, U.S. | April 1, 1982
Medium | Film, television, stage |
Years active | 1994–present |
Genres | Improvisational comedy, sketch comedy, satire |
Subject(s) | American culture, current events, pop culture, mass media |
Spouse | |
Children | 2 |
Notable works and roles | Saturday Night Live Wild 'N Out The Amanda Show Hamilton Stuck in the Suburbs Single Parents |
Taran Hourie Killam[1] (born April 1, 1982) is an American actor, comedian and writer. He is best known for his television work on shows such as The Amanda Show, How I Met Your Mother, MADtv, New Girl, Saturday Night Live, and Single Parents. Killam is also known for his portrayal of a teen pop star in the 2004 Disney Channel Original Movie Stuck in the Suburbs. He voices the title character on the PBS children's cartoon series Nature Cat.
Killam performed the role of King George III in the Broadway production of Hamilton at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, ending his run on the evening of April 13, 2017.
Early life[]
Killam was born on April 1, 1982, in Culver City, California,[1] and lived in Big Bear Lake, California until age 15.[2] His mother toured with The Charlie Daniels Band, and has been described as a singer-songwriter; his father was a part of the City Garage Theatre Group, and is described as having had acting ambitions.[2] Killam is also the great-nephew of Rosemarie Bowe, wife of actor Robert Stack.[clarification needed][3]
Killam attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts,[2] and after, the UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television "as a musical theater student", where he reports having "spent much of his time working on UCLA's Theater Festival", and which he left "to pursue his acting career".[4]
Career[]
Early career[]
In 1994, Killam made his first film appearance as a young boy in Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult. Killam was featured on Nickelodeon's The Amanda Show, a sketch-comedy vehicle for Amanda Bynes, on which he played Spaulding, a boy who had a huge crush on Moody, in the soap opera parody "Moody's Point".
Killam joined the cast of MADtv as a featured player during its seventh season from 2001 to 2002. Of the 25 episodes that aired during MADtv's seventh season, Killam appeared fully in 13 episodes. Joining the MADtv cast at age 19, Killam was the youngest cast member hired on the show and the only cast member on MADtv to get his start on children's shows (similar to Kenan Thompson on Saturday Night Live). He was a regular cast member on the third and fourth seasons of Wild 'N Out. In 2005, Killam co-starred in the television pilot Nobody's Watching, which never aired on network TV. The pilot gained popularity after it was leaked online and webisodes were produced from 2006 to 2007.[5]
Killam co-starred in the 2004 Disney Channel original film Stuck in the Suburbs. After MADtv, Killam appeared on TV shows such as Jake in Progress, Still Standing, Boston Public, Drake & Josh, Do Over, Roswell and Judging Amy. He has appeared on Scrubs and Scrubs: Interns as Jimmy (the Overly Touchy Orderly). Killam appeared as a contestant on the episode of The Price Is Right which aired on December 7, 2006. The episode was re-aired on July 19, 2007.
He has been in Big Fat Liar, Just Married, Anderson's Cross, and My Best Friend's Girl.
Killam was a member of the Los Angeles-based improvisational and sketch-comedy troupe the Groundlings. He retired from the main company in 2012.
Saturday Night Live[]
On September 25, 2010, Killam joined the cast of Saturday Night Live for the 36th season, making him the second Nickelodeon veteran (after Kenan Thompson) to join SNL and the second SNL cast member who was previously a cast member on the sketch show MADtv (after Jeff Richards). Killam named Eddie Murphy as his favorite SNL cast member and Arcade Fire as his favorite musical guest.[6] In August 2016, Killam, along with castmate Jay Pharoah, left the show.[7][8]
Other work[]
In December 2011, Killam replicated the Robyn video "Call Your Girlfriend" in a small writer's room and posted it to YouTube. The video went viral and by January 6, 2015, it had been viewed more than 958,382 times.[9] The late night antics briefly became an Internet phenomenon and garnered Killam media and public attention.[10] When interviewed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Killam stated that he had not known the dance shown in the song's official video until Robyn was scheduled to appear on SNL as a guest; then, he watched the video repeatedly until he could perform it himself.[11]
In 2011, Killam appeared in Community episode "Regional Holiday Music" as Mr. Radison (Mr. Rad), a parody of Will Schuester from Glee. In 2012 he appeared in iCarly episode "iMeet the First Lady" as a Secret Service agent.
On November 10, 2012, Killam appeared with Kenan Thompson and Anne Hathaway in a short video, "The Legend of Mokiki and the Sloppy Swish". Mokiki is a laboratory test subject who wanders Manhattan performing a shuffling dance move known as the "Sloppy Swish". The sketch briefly became an Internet phenomenon and garnered Killam media and public attention.[12][13] Mike Ryan of The Huffington Post wrote, "It is one of the most bizarre things to ever air on SNL, yet, the next day, everyone was talking about the Sloppy Swish."[14]
Killam co-starred in the 2013 comedy film The Heat. Killam voices Zip "Frantic" Danger on the Hulu original series The Awesomes.
In 2013 Killam ventured into the spy genre and the comics industry with The Illegitimates, a six-issue comics miniseries co-written by Marc Andreyko, illustrated by Kevin Sharpe and published by IDW Publishing. The series focuses on a team of illegitimate siblings who are charged with taking the place of their father, Jack Steele, a James Bond-like spy, after his death. The first issue was published December 18, 2013,[6] and received mixed reviews.[15][16][17][18]
Killam appears in the 2013 film 12 Years a Slave, playing the role of Abram Hamilton, one of the kidnappers who brought the main character into slavery.
Killam is a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, Raphael his favorite turtle, and successfully lobbied for a role in the 2014 film as Channel 5 staff.[6]
Killam made six guest appearances as Gary Blauman on his wife Cobie Smulders' TV series, How I Met Your Mother. His first appearance was in the March 20, 2006, episode, "Life Among the Gorillas" and the final one was the March 24, 2014, episode, "The End of the Aisle".
In 2015, Killam provided the voice of the titular character on the PBS Kids show Nature Cat, along with SNL alumni Kate McKinnon, Bobby Moynihan, and Kenan Thompson.
On January 17, 2017, Killam succeeded Rory O'Malley in the role of King George III in the Broadway musical Hamilton.[19]
Killam produced, scripted, directed and starred in the comic hitman film Killing Gunther, given a general release in fall 2017. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who played Gunther in the film, served as executive producer for it.
In March 2018, Killam was cast as a lead in the comedy pilot Single Parents[20] for ABC, which was picked up to series for a premiere on September 26 of that year.
Personal life[]
After several years of dating, Killam and actress Cobie Smulders became engaged in January 2009.[21] They married on September 8, 2012, in Solvang, California.[22] The couple has two daughters,[23] born in 2009[24][25] and 2015.[26]
Killam is an avid fan of the Los Angeles Rams, having been reported wearing the team's home jersey at local home games.[27]
Filmography[]
Film[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1994 | Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult | Boy of Geriatric Park | |
2002 | Big Fat Liar | Bret Callaway | |
2003 | Just Married | Dickie McNerney | |
2004 | Stuck in the Suburbs | Jordan Cahill | |
2006 | The Showdown | The Batter | Short film |
2006 | Dr. Miracles | Mr. Peterson | Short film |
2007 | Epic Movie | Pirate | |
2008 | My Best Friend's Girl | Josh | |
2009 | Three Matthew McConaugheys and a Baby | Matthew McConaughey | Short film |
2010 | Anderson's Cross | Austin Wilson | |
2013 | The Heat | Adam/Simon Larkin | |
2013 | Grown Ups 2 | Male Cheerleader | Cameo |
2013 | 12 Years a Slave | Abram Hamilton | |
2014 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Jim McNaughton | |
2015 | Ted 2 | Himself | |
2015 | Underdogs | Captain Skip / Rufus (voice) | |
2016 | Casual Encounters | Justin Davis | |
2016 | Brother Nature | Roger Fellner | Also writer |
2017 | All Nighter | Gary | |
2017 | Killing Gunther | Blake | Also director, producer and writer; directorial debut |
2018 | Night School | Stewart |
Television[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1994–2002 | All That | Himself | 15 episodes |
2000 | The Jersey | Varsity 1 | Episode: "Nick's a Chick" |
2000 | Judging Amy | Freddie Felleman | Episode: "The Wee Hours" |
2000 | Touched by an Angel | Teenage Robert | Episode: "The Grudge" |
2000–2002 | The Amanda Show | Spaulding | 7 episodes |
2001 | Undressed | Blake | 40 episodes |
2001 | Roswell | Malamud | Episode: "Heart of Mine" |
2001–2002 | MADtv | Various | 13 episodes |
2002 | Do Over | Dave | Episode: "The Block Party" |
2004 | Drake & Josh | Trevor | Episode: "Dune Buggy" |
2004 | Boston Public | Alex Buchanan | Episode: "Chapter Seventy-Eight" |
2004 | Still Standing | Andy | Episode: "Still Narcing" |
2004 | Stuck in the Suburbs | Jordan Cahill | TV film |
2005 | Jake in Progress | Todd | Episode: "Loose Thread" |
2006 | Girlfriends | Jordan Gray | Episode: "Hustle & Dough" |
2006–2014 | How I Met Your Mother | Gary Blauman | 6 episodes |
2006–2007 | Wild 'n Out | Various | 29 episodes |
2007 | Nick Cannon Presents: Short Circuitz | Various | 8 episodes; also writer |
2009 | Scrubs | Jimmy | 4 episodes |
2009 | Scrubs: Interns | Jimmy | Episode: "The Late Night with Jimmy Show" |
2010–2016 | Saturday Night Live | Himself, Various | 126 episodes |
2011 | Community | Cory Radison | Episode: "Regional Holiday Music" |
2012 | iCarly | Agent Kinsey | Episode: "iMeet the First Lady" |
2012 | Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday | Patient, Steve Doocy, Guy | 2 episodes |
2013–2018 | Drunk History | Various | 6 episodes |
2013–2015 | The Awesomes | Zip "Frantic" Danger (voice) | Main role; 30 episodes |
2014 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Smith Calvins | Episode: "Jenna Fischer Wears a Floral Blouse & Black Heels" |
2014 | Sesame Street | Professor Buck Awe | Episode: "School for Chickens" |
2015–present | Nature Cat | Nature Cat | Voice |
2016 | New Girl | Fred | Episode: "What About Fred" |
2016 | Mating | Jay | Pilot |
2018 | A.P. Bio | Mr. Vining | Episode: "Teacher Jail" |
2018 | Robot Chicken | Various voices | Episode: "Ext. Forest Day" |
2018–2020 | Single Parents | Will Cooper | Main role, 45 episodes |
2018 | We Bare Bears | Willoughby-Wentworth (voice) | Episode: "Adopted" |
2018 | Angie Tribeca | Pierre Cardin | 6 Episodes |
2019 | Documentary Now! | Benedict Juniper | Episode: "Original Cast Album: Co-Op" |
2019 | Arrested Development | Young George Bluth, Sr. | [28] |
2019 | Full Frontal with Samantha Bee | Zam Larson | Episode: "Not the White House Correspondents' Dinner" |
2019 | What Just Happened??! with Fred Savage | Himself | Episode: "Elevator" |
2020 | The Simpsons | Glen Tangier/Airshot (voice) | Episode: "Bart the Bad Guy" |
2020 | Vampirina | Ichabod Crane (voice) | Episode: "A Tale Of Two Hollows" |
2020 | The George Lucas Talk Show | Himself | Episode: "Revenge of the Sick" |
2021 | Star Wars: The Bad Batch | Depot Manager / Goatal / Landspeeder Driver (voice) | Episode: "Cornered" |
2021 | Impeachment: American Crime Story | Steve Jones |
Theatre[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Little Shop of Horrors | Orin Scrivello, DDS, Various | Encores! Off-Center |
2017 | Hamilton | King George III | Broadway debut; replaced Rory O'Malley |
Bibliography[]
- The Illegitimates #1–6 (2013)
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Taran Killam". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on September 15, 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Turner, Arrissia Owen (July 15, 2004). "From Big Bear to big time-Taran Killam". Retrieved July 6, 2019.
- ^ "12 Years A Slave and Saturday Night Live with Taran Killam, episode #96 of I Was There Too on Earwolf". www.earwolf.com. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
- ^ Yan, Marjorie (February 22, 2011). "Killam with laughter: actor, comedian, and former Bruin lands dream job on 'Saturday Night Live' cast". Daily Bruin. University of California, Los Angeles. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
- ^ "Nobody's Watching Part 2 ", YouTube, June 8, 2006
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Dietsch, T.J. (October 17, 2013). "NYCC: 'Saturday Night Live's' Taran Killam Debriefs 'The Illegitimates'". Comic Book Resources.
- ^ Ausiello, Michael (August 8, 2016). "SNL Vets Taran Killam and Jay Pharoah Not Returning for Season 42". TVLine.com. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
- ^ Ryan, Mike (August 8, 2016). "Taran Killam On Why He's Leaving 'Saturday Night Live'". Uproxx.com. Archived from the original on August 10, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
- ^ "Call Your Girlfriend SNL". December 12, 2011. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
- ^ Hughes, Sarah (December 13, 2011). "Taran Killam and 'SNL' cohorts do late night recreation of Robyn's 'Call Your Girlfriend' (Video)". Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 15, 2011. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
- ^ "Talkin' Robyn with Taran Killam". Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
- ^ Hernandez, Brian Anthony (November 11, 2012). "Mokiki's Sloppy Swish Is the Next 'Gangnam Style'". Mashable. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ^ "What's Trending: Look Out, Psy: SNL's 'Sloppy Swish' Might be the Next 'Gangnam Style'". MSN Now. November 12, 2012. Archived from the original on November 15, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
The ridiculous "Sloppy Swish" dance by Mokiki was featured in an SNL sketch last night, and, with the speed that it's gone viral today, some people are predicting it could be the next Gangnam Style. Parodies have already begun springing up on YouTube and there are Tumblr pages for both "Mokiki" and "Sloppy Swish." Sorry, Psy — there may be a new viral dance sensation on the block.
- ^ Ryan, Mike (November 14, 2012). "'Saturday Night Live': Origins Of The Sloppy Swish And Mokiki, Explained By Taran Killam". The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
- ^ Konrad, Jeremy (October 16, 2013). "Taran Killam And IDW’s The Illegitimates Win Over The Crowd". Bleeding Cool.
- ^ Jasper, Marykate (December 20, 2013). "The Illegitimates #1". Comic Book Resources.
- ^ Ostrowski, Vince (December 19, 2013). "Review: The Illegitimates #1". Multiversity Comics.
- ^ Hunsaker, Andy (December 18, 2013). "The Illegitimates #1: ‘SNL’ Star Taran Killam’s Comic Debut". CraveOnline.
- ^ Lee, Ashley (December 14, 2016). "Taran Killam to Make Broadway Debut in 'Hamilton'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 2, 2018). "Taran Killam, Leighton Meester & Brad Garrett Cast In 'Single Parents' ABC Pilot". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
- ^ Alexander, Reagan (January 28, 2009). "HIMYM's Cobie Smulders Flashes Her New Engagement Ring". People. Retrieved November 25, 2009.
- ^ "'SNL's' Taran Killam Marries 'How I Met Your Mother's' Cobie Smulders". RumorFix. September 8, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
- ^ Keveney, Bill (September 25, 2019). "'Stumptown' star Cobie Smulders: 'Going through cancer has made me a better person'". USA Today. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
- ^ Leon, Anya (July 3, 2009). "It's a Girl for Cobie Smulders". People.
- ^ "Taran Killam and Cobie Smulders Expecting Second Child". People. October 21, 2014. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
- ^ Klassen, Anna (January 26, 2015). "'Unexpected' Star Cobie Smulders & Director Kris Swanberg On Finally Making a Pregnancy Film From the Female Perspective". Retrieved January 30, 2015.
- ^ Gonzalez, Alden (September 18, 2018). "A day at the game with an SNL alum and a (real) celebrity Rams fan". ESPN. Archived from the original on August 29, 2021. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ^ Snierson, Dan (March 7, 2019). "Arrested Development: Cobie Smulders and Taran Killam to play Lucille and George Sr". Entertainment Weekly.
External links[]
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- 1982 births
- Living people
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- American male child actors
- American male comedians
- American male film actors
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- American male television actors
- American male voice actors
- American male musical theatre actors
- Male actors from Greater Los Angeles
- American comics writers
- People from Big Bear Lake, California
- People from Culver City, California
- Writers from California
- University of California, Los Angeles alumni
- Los Angeles County High School for the Arts alumni
- American sketch comedians
- Comedians from California
- 20th-century American comedians
- 21st-century American comedians