Chloe Fineman (born July 20, 1988) is an American actress and comedian. She became a featured player on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live starting in its 45th season in September 2019,[2] and was promoted to repertory status in 2021 at the beginning of season 47.[3]
Chloe Fineman | |
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Born | [1] Berkeley, California, U.S. | July 20, 1988
Alma mater | New York University (BFA) |
Occupations |
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Years active | 2018–present |
Known for | Saturday Night Live |
Fineman's parents are painter Ellen Gunn and KineMed executive David Fineman.[4] She has two sisters, visual artist Emma and CrossFit athlete Alexia (Leka).[4] Her father is Jewish and her mother is a Protestant. Fineman was raised attending Camp Kee Tov, a Jewish day camp at Congregation Beth El in Berkeley.[4][5]
She graduated from Piedmont High School in 2006. The school's acting teacher described her as "equally brilliant with comedy and drama". As a junior, Fineman directed Metamorphoses by Mary Zimmerman; as a senior, she directed The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler; she also performed lead roles in The Visit by Friedrich Dürrenmatt and Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley. Since her graduation, she has returned to the school to direct plays and lead workshops.[6]
While in high school, Fineman impersonated a peafowl on the Late Show with David Letterman after winning a bird calling competition.[7]
Fineman graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting from the Stella Adler Studio of Acting at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts.[8][9]
After graduating from college, Fineman moved to Los Angeles,[4] where she performed in The Groundlings troupe's Sunday Company.[10][11] She also performed in "Characters Welcome" at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.[12] In 2018, she was recognized as a "New Face" at the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal,[10][13] and she was nominated for Best Comedian at the 2019 Shorty Awards.[14] Her television appearances include Jane the Virgin and Search Party.[10]
She maintains an online presence known in particular for her celebrity impressions in front-facing camera comedy videos.[5][15][16] On Instagram, she has posted celebrity impressions as well as clips from her Groundlings work and stand-up comedy.[12] On YouTube, she has done character impressions.[11] In 2018, Vulture critic Luke Kelly-Clyne wrote that after seeing Fineman do impressions of Meryl Streep and others, "As I found out, that extra bit of genius she possesses – that intangible thing that takes a good impression to a great impression – is rooted in her ability to create entirely original characters who feel as real as anyone you've ever met," concluding, "Chloe Fineman is absolutely one of the most talented new performers right now, and she's long overdue for a break."[17]
Fineman's addition to the cast of Saturday Night Live, the long-running NBC sketch-comedy show, as a featured player was announced on September 12, 2019, along with the additions of Bowen Yang and Shane Gillis.[18] Alongside Yang and Heidi Gardner, Fineman was cited as the season's best performer by Andy Hoglund at Entertainment Weekly.[19] Her promotion to repertory status was announced on September 27, 2021, shortly before the show's 47th season began.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | Home Team | Intern Emily | |
Father of the Bride | Natalie Vance | ||
White Noise | Simuvac Technician | ||
Babylon | Marion Davies | ||
2023 | Baby Shark's Big Movie | Lannie | Voice |
2024 | Despicable Me 4 | TBA | Voice; post-production |
Megalopolis | TBA | Post-production |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | Mozart in the Jungle | Fanny Mendelssohn | Episode: "An Honest Ghost" |
Grown-ish | Waiter 1 | Episode: "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" | |
Jane the Virgin | Assistant | Episode: "Chapter Seventy-Seven" | |
2019–present | Saturday Night Live | Various characters | Main role, 84 episodes |
2020 | High Fidelity | Clara | Episode: "Good Luck and Goodbye" |
2020–2021 | Search Party | Charlie Reeny | Recurring role, 6 episodes |
2021 | Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens | Greta | Episode: "Stop! Nora Time" |
Big Mouth | Leah Birch (voice) | Recurring role, 9 episodes | |
Dickinson | Sylvia Plath | Episode: "The Future Never Spoke" | |
2023 | Is It Cake? | Herself / Judge | 1 episode |
Twisted Metal | Bloody Mary | 1 episode | |
2024 | Baby Shark's Big Show! | Lannie (voice) | Episode: "The Danceathon" |
Some of the names here will be familiar only to die-hard fans; others, like Murphy, defined what was funny for generations of viewers.