Heidi Gardner
Heidi Gardner | |
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![]() Gardner in 2016 | |
Born | Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
Education | University of Kansas University of Missouri |
Occupations |
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Years active | 2011–present |
Spouse | [1] |
Heidi Gardner is an American actress, comedian, and writer. Gardner has been a cast member on the
Early life
Gardner was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri.[2] She grew up with an older brother, Justin.[3]
Growing up, Gardner worked part-time at the Tivoli Theater, where she did everything "from selling tickets to making popcorn". She later credited the theater as "setting the tone in her life".
Career
At age 21, Gardner dropped out of college and left Missouri for Los Angeles, where she worked at a hair salon for nine years.[6] Before moving, she saved up $600 over one summer.[7] A friend encouraged her to attend a performance at The Groundlings theatre, where she became inspired to become an actress.[6] Lacking acting experience, Gardner enrolled in community workshops to learn the basics of improvisation. Once she was comfortable, Gardner auditioned for the Groundlings basic class and was accepted.[5]
In 2014, Gardner joined the Sunday Company, and a year later, after a promotion to the Main Company, she quit her job as a hairstylist to focus on acting.
After her first year on SNL, Gardner was hired to play Leonor in the Ben Falcone-directed film Life of the Party, alongside Melissa McCarthy.[5] On August 28, 2019, TVLine reported that Gardner would have a guest role on the NBC comedy series Superstore, playing Dina Fox's nemesis Colleen who is transferred to Store 1217 after Cloud 9's Bel-Ridge location gets shut down.[10] In 2019, Gardner made her stage debut in Michael Frayn's Noises Off at The Cape Playhouse in Dennis, Massachusetts.[11]
Gardner, who had never broken character in seven seasons on SNL, cracked while playing NewsNation host Bobbi Moore in a Beavis and Butt-Head-centered sketch on April 13, 2024.[12] Vulture magazine described the moment as breaking in "spectacularly charming fashion".[13][14][15][16][17][18][19]
- Recurring characters on Saturday Night Live[20]
- Angel (Every Boxer's Girlfriend from Every Movie About Boxing Ever), a distressed woman who tries to give "Weekend Update's Good News Report" but inevitably derails into melodramatic rants about her boyfriend's dangerous boxing career.
- Bailey Gismert, a teen film critic who gives awkward reviews.
- Brie Bacardi, one half of a shallow couple always on the brink of an argument, who runs a relationship-themed Instagram account with her boyfriend Nico Slobkin (Mikey Day).
- Baskin Johns, a woman who works for Goop and gets worried Gwyneth Paltrow will fire her.
- Mandy, a cousin of a celebrity who shames their movie careers
- Sandy, a joyful cook on a baking reality competitionshow who is qualified and skilled but often gets passed over as a winner for more poorly-constructed and eccentric cakes
- Tamra, an intern who pitches Instagram captions for Mattel's Barbie account
- Deidre, one half of a couple who describe their vacation to their friends, naïvely misinterpreting poor experiences as prestigious culture
- Crystal (Your Co-Worker Who is Extremely Busy Doing Seemingly Nothing), who comes to Weekend Update to complain about her job, though it's unclear what she actually does
Personal life
Gardner is a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals.[4] From 2010 to 2023, she was married to Marvel Comics writer Zeb Wells, whom she met while she was a member of the Groundlings.[21][22]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | Dibs! | Erica | |
2018 | Life of the Party | Leonor | |
Making Babies | Meg | ||
2019 | Otherhood | Erin | |
2022 | Hustle | Kat Merrick | |
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Last Baker | Voice role | |
2023 | Leo | Eli's mom | Voice role[23] |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2017 | Mike Tyson Mysteries | Old Woman (voice) | Episode: "Love Letters" |
2017–present | Saturday Night Live | Various | |
2019 | The Other Two
|
Mona | Episode: "Chase Turns Fourteen" |
Veep | Amanda White | Episode: "Discovery Weekend" | |
Alien News Desk | Tuva Van Void (voice) | 12 episodes | |
American Dad! | Various voices | Episode: "Lost Boys" | |
Mike Tyson Mysteries | Jennifer (voice) | Episode: "The Yung and The Restless" | |
Superstore | Colleen | Episode: "Forced Hire" | |
2020 | Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | Jenny | Special: "Kimmy vs the Reverend" |
2021 | Close Enough | Becca (voice) | Episode: "Houseguest From Hell" |
Crank Yankers | Herself (voice) | Episode: "Chelsea Peretti, Heidi Gardner & J.B. Smoove" | |
2022 | Is It Cake? | Herself (Judge) | Episode: "Toying Around" |
Girls5eva | Cara | Episode: "Album Mode" | |
That Damn Michael Che | Episode: "Higher Power" | ||
2023 | Shrinking | Grace | 3 episodes |
Web
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Adult Wednesday | Hairdresser | Episode: "The Haircut" |
Bratz | Yasmin (voice) | 8 episodes | |
2015–19 | SuperMansion | Cooch, Various voices | 46 episodes |
2016 | CollegeHumor Originals | Patient | Episode: "Why Are My Nipples Pixelated?" |
Audio
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | Heads Will Roll | Various voices | 10 episodes |
2021 | Batman: The Audio Adventures | Harley Quinn, Miss Tuesday |
Stage
Year | Title | Role | Locations |
---|---|---|---|
2019 | Noises Off | Brooke Ashton/Vicki | The Cape Playhouse |
Writing credits
Web
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2015 | Bratz | 3 episodes |
2015–17 | SuperMansion | 11 episodes |
References
- ^ "Advice Ep! SNL's Heidi Gardner on Getting Through Breakups, How to Love Sports, Overcoming Public Speaking Fears, Figuring Out the Best Career & More". 29 January 2024.
- ^ "Heidi Gardner". nbc.com. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
- ^ a b Gutierrez, Lisa (September 27, 2017). "This KC native is being hailed as the next household name on 'Saturday Night Live'". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
- ^ a b "My Kansas City: Interview With SNL's Heidi Gardner". visitkc.com (Interview). Interviewed by Lambdin Meyer, Diana. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Cizmar, Martin (August 21, 2019). "How Heidi Gardner went from a hairstylist taking improv classes to Saturday Night Live star". kansascitymag.com. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
- ^ a b Coy Dugger. "How Kansas City Native Heidi Gardner Ended Up On Saturday Night Live". kcur.org. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
- ^ a b Steinberg, Brian (November 22, 2019). "'SNL': Heidi Gardner's Kooky 'Weekend Update' Characters Make News". Variety. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
- ^ Bradley, Nina (September 26, 2017). "Who Is Heidi Gardner? The New 'SNL' Cast Member Is Someone You Should Get To Know ASAP". Bustle.
- The Mary Sue. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
- ^ Schwartz, Ryan (28 August 2019). "Superstore Season 5: Justina Machado to Recur, SNL's Heidi Gardner Also Cast". TVLine. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (August 7, 2019). "Jeremy Webb, Janine LaManna, Jennifer Cody Join SNL's Heidi Gardner in Noises Off at Cape Playhouse". Playbill. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
- ^ Tinoco, Armando (4 May 2024). "Heidi Gardner Says She Was Afraid To Break Character On 'SNL': "I Thought I'd Get Fired"". Deadline. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ Ivie, Devon (2024-04-15). "Heidi Gardner Couldn't Prepare for What She Saw". Vulture. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
- ^ Perez, Lexy (2024-04-16). "Heidi Gardner Reacts to Breaking Character During 'SNL' 'Beavis and Butt-Head' Sketch: "I Lost It"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
- ^ Sharf, Zack (2024-04-16). "'SNL' Star Heidi Gardner Says 'Anxiety Set in' After Breaking So Hard During 'Beavis and Butt-Head' Sketch: 'I'll Never Be Able to Shake' What I Saw". Variety. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
- ^ "'SNL' Star Heidi Gardner Feels Terrible She Broke Character During 'Beavis And Butt-Head' Skit". HuffPost. 2024-04-16. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
- ^ Ortiz, Andi (2024-04-16). "SNL: Heidi Gardner Explains Why She Lost It in 'Beavis and Butt-Head' Sketch". TheWrap. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
- ^ "'SNL' shows behind-the-scenes footage of 'Beavis and Butt-Head' skit that broke Heidi Gardner". TODAY.com. 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
- ^ Evans, Greg (2024-04-16). "Heidi Gardner Explains Butt-Head Crack-Up On Last Saturday's 'SNL'". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
- ^ Steinberg, Brian (2019-11-22). "'SNL': Heidi Gardner's Kooky 'Weekend Update' Characters Make News". Variety. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
- ^ Hoedel, Cindy (August 1, 2019). "IN Conversation with Heidi Gardner". inkansascity.com. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
- ^ "Advice Ep! SNL's Heidi Gardner on Getting Through Breakups, How to Love Sports, Overcoming Public Speaking Fears, Figuring Out the Best Career & More". 29 January 2024.
- ^ "Everything You Need to Know About Leo". Tudum. August 23, 2023. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
External links
- Heidi Gardner on Instagram
- Heidi Gardner at IMDb