# Jenny Slate

Jenny Slate (born March 25, 1982) is an American actress, stand-up comedian, and writer. Following her early acting and stand-up roles on television, Slate gained recognition for her live variety shows in New York City and for co-creating the children's short film and book series Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2010–2014) with Dean Fleischer Camp, whom she was married to from 2012 to 2016. Slate became more widely known as a cast member on the 35th season of Saturday Night Live in 2009, followed by her roles in the sitcoms Bob's Burgers (2012–present), Parks and Recreation (2013–2015), House of Lies (2013–2015), and Kroll Show (2013–2015).
Slate's breakout role came with her leading performance in Gillian Robespierre's coming-of-age dramedy film Obvious Child (2014), for which she won the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress in a Comedy. She lent her voice performances in the animated films The Lorax (2012), Zootopia (2016), The Secret Life of Pets (2016), The Lego Batman Movie (2017), and Despicable Me 3 (2017), and ventured into dramatic roles with her supporting performance in Gifted (2017). She also appeared in the Daniels' critically acclaimed film Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022), winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

## Early life and education

Slate was born on March 25, 1982, in Milton, Massachusetts, to Ron Slate, a businessman and poet who worked as vice president of global communications for the EMC Corporation and later as CEO of a biotech startup, and Nancy (née Gilson), a housewife who also made pottery. She is the middle child of three, with an older sister, Abigail, and younger sister, Stacey. She and her family are Jewish. One of her grandmothers was born in Cuba and raised in France.
After graduating from Milton Academy as valedictorian, Slate attended Columbia University as a literature major, where she helped form the improv group Fruit Paunch, starred in the Varsity Show and met Gabe Liedman, who would become her comedy partner. Slate graduated from Columbia in 2004.

## Career

She and Gabe Liedman formed the comedy duo Gabe & Jenny. Their stand-up shows with Max Silvestri, "Big Terrific", were named best new variety show of 2008 by Time Out New York. In 2015, Slate, Liedman, and Silvestri ended the show, citing their busy schedules, though they have since occasionally performed together.
Slate first met Liedman in 2000 while attending Columbia University. They describe their relationship as a "nonsexual romance"; Slate says, "I like to think of us as kind of like [Seinfeld characters] Elaine Benes and George Costanza, but we like each other." Throughout 2008 and 2009, Slate regularly performed her one-woman show Jenny Slate: Dead Millionaire at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (UCBT) in New York City.
Slate was a regular commentator on many VH1 "talking head" commentary programs. In early 2009, she made several appearances on the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon recurring sketch "7th Floor West", where she played an NBC page, later promoted to Fallon's assistant. She had a recurring role in Bored to Death, and guest appearances on several television programs.
Slate joined the cast of Saturday Night Live for the 2009–10 season. In her first episode, she accidentally said "fucking" during her debut sketch, which was heard on the live broadcast, but removed from reruns. Amongst various impressions, she was best known for Tina-Tina Cheneuse, an infomercial pitcher who advertises personalized doorbells, car horns, and alarm clocks. Despite rumors to the contrary, Slate has insisted that her SNL termination was not due to cursing but rather simply because "I didn't click."
In August 2010, she co-wrote and voiced the animated short film Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. This led to Marcel the Shell with Shoes on, Two. Slate also wrote a "Marcel"-themed children's book that was released on November 1, 2011.
Her first live film role was as Zoe in Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked; more films followed in 2012, including the voice of Ted's mother in The Lorax.
Her first appearance in Parks and Recreation was in the 2013 episode "Bailout", in which she portrayed Mona-Lisa Saperstein. Following this, Slate released her own 12-episode mini-series on YouTube called Catherine, celebrating late 1980s and early 1990s soap-opera aesthetics.
In 2014, Slate starred in the comedy-drama film Obvious Child, which follows the life of a young stand-up comic as she grapples with an unplanned pregnancy and eventual abortion. Slate went on to win the Critics Choice Award for Best Actress in a Comedy, Best Breakout Performance at the Newport Beach Film Festival, the Virtuosos Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, and Best Comedic Actress at the Women Film Critics Circle Awards for her performance in the film.
Slate co-starred with Judy Greer and Nat Faxon in the first season of the FX series Married. She still appeared in a few episodes after season one. Sarah Burns took her place in the series.
Slate appeared as Liz B. in the recurring "PubLIZity" sketches in Kroll Show, as well as many other recurring and one-off characters, performing in some capacity in almost every episode until the series ended in 2015. In 2016, Slate voiced Dawn Bellwether in the Disney film Zootopia and Gidget in The Secret Life of Pets.
Slate and her father co-wrote a book titled About the House, about their time living in Slate's childhood home in Milton, Massachusetts, which was published in December 2016.
From 2017 until 2019, Slate voiced the biracial character Missy Foreman-Greenwald on the animated Netflix series Big Mouth. Slate exited the role on June 24, 2020, writing on Instagram that "At the start of the show, I reasoned with myself that it was permissible for me to play Missy because her mom is Jewish and White — as am I. But Missy is also Black and Black characters on an animated show should be played by Black people." In 2017, Slate starred in the film Gifted as Bonnie Stevenson, the teacher of a 7-year-old mathematical genius.
In October 2019, Slate released a stand-up comedy special on Netflix, titled Stage Fright.
Slate published her book titled Little Weirds, about her struggles with and thoughts about life and relationships, in 2019.
In 2022, Slate appeared in the critically acclaimed science fiction film Everything Everywhere All at Once as Big Nose. Her character's original name was changed to Debbie the Dog Mom for the film's digital release due to its association with Jewish stereotypes. For their performance the cast won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

## Personal life

Slate lived in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, before moving with filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp to Los Angeles in the early 2010s. In September 2012, Slate married Fleischer-Camp. They collaborated on the Marcel the Shell with Shoes On franchise, including the books, the short films, and later, the 2021 feature film. The pair announced their separation in May 2016, after which she briefly dated fellow actor Chris Evans.
In September 2019, Slate announced her engagement to art curator and author Ben Shattuck, owner of Davolls General Store. On February 3, 2021, Slate announced that she had given birth to a daughter in late 2020. After three attempts at a wedding were canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic. They married in their living room on New Year's Eve 2021.

## Filmography

Key :
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |

### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2010 | Marcel the Shell with Shoes On | Marcel (voice) | Short film; also writer |
| 2011 | Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Two | Marcel (voice) | Short film; also writer |
| 2011 | Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked | Zoe | |
| 2012 | This Means War | Emily | |
| 2012 | The Lorax | Mrs. Wiggins (voice) | |
| 2013 | Bitch | Molly Horner | Short film |
| 2014 | Obvious Child | Donna Stern | Also executive producer |
| 2014 | The Longest Week | Jocelyn | |
| 2014 | Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Three | Marcel (voice) | Short film; also writer |
| 2015 | Digging for Fire | Yoga Couple | |
| 2016 | Joshy | Jodi | |
| 2016 | Zootopia | Dawn Bellwether (voice) | |
| 2016 | My Blind Brother | Rose | |
| 2016 | The Secret Life of Pets | Gidget (voice) | |
| 2016 | Brain on Fire | Margo | |
| 2017 | Landline | Dana Jacobs | Also executive producer |
| 2017 | The Polka King | Marla Lewan | |
| 2017 | The Lego Batman Movie | Harley Quinn (voice) | |
| 2017 | Gifted | Bonnie Stevenson | |
| 2017 | Aardvark | Emily Milburton | |
| 2017 | Batman is Just Not That Into You | Harley Quinn (voice) | Short film |
| 2017 | Despicable Me 3 | Valerie Da Vinci (voice) | |
| 2018 | Hotel Artemis | Morgan Daniels | |
| 2018 | Venom | Dr. Dora Skirth | |
| 2019 | The Sunlit Night | Frances | Also producer |
| 2019 | The Secret Life of Pets 2 | Gidget (voice) | |
| 2019 | Super Gidget | Gidget (voice) | Short film |
| 2020 | On the Rocks | Vanessa | |
| 2021 | Marcel the Shell with Shoes On | Marcel (voice) | Also writer and producer |
| 2022 | I Want You Back | Emma | |
| 2022 | Everything Everywhere All at Once | Debbie the Dog Mom | |
| 2022 | The Bob's Burgers Movie | Tammy Larsen (voice) | |
| 2024 | It Ends with Us | Allysa | |
| 2025 | The Electric State | Penny Pal (voice) | |
| TBA | At the Sea † | TBA | Post-production |
| TBA | The Ark and the Aardvark † | Mitzi (voice) | Post-production |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2005 | Starved | Member of Belt Tighteners | Uncredited; Episode: "The Breatharians" |
| 2008 | The Whitest Kids U' Know | Trevor's Date | Episode #2.1 |
| 2009 | Important Things with Demetri Martin | Bride | Episode: "Chairs" |
| 2009 | Late Night with Jimmy Fallon | Jenny the Page | 8 episodes |
| 2009 | Brothers | Annette | 2 episodes |
| 2009–2010 | Saturday Night Live | Various | 22 episodes |
| 2009–2010 | Bored to Death | Stella | 5 episodes |
| 2011 | Ugly Americans | Jaclyn (voice) | Episode: "Lily and the Beast" |
| 2011 | The Electric Company | Runner | Episode: "Off Target" |
| 2012 | Raising Hope | Joan | 2 episodes |
| 2012–2016 | Girls | Tally Schifrin | 2 episodes |
| 2012–present | Bob's Burgers | Tammy Larsen (voice) | Supporting role |
| 2013 | Hello Ladies | Amelia Gordon | 4 episodes |
| 2013–15 | Kroll Show | Various | 14 episodes |
| 2013–16 | House of Lies | Sarah Guggenheim | 11 episodes |
| 2013–15 | Parks and Recreation | Mona-Lisa Saperstein | 9 episodes |
| 2013–16 | Drunk History | Herself | 3 episodes |
| 2014 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Bianca | Episode: "Undercover" |
| 2014–15 | Married | Jess | 14 episodes |
| 2015–19 | Star vs. the Forces of Evil | Pony Head (voice) | 25 episodes |
| 2016–18 | Adventure Time | Huntress Wizard (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2016 | David: Story of David | Elizabeth | Web series |
| 2016 | Animals | Snake (voice) | Episode: "Squirrels. Part I." |
| 2016 | Zoolander: Super Model | Nani (voice) | Television film |
| 2016–17 | Lady Dynamite | Karen Grisham | 4 episodes |
| 2017 | Comrade Detective | Jane (voice) | 6 episodes |
| 2017–present | Big Mouth | Missy Foreman-Greenwald (2017–2020), other characters (voice) | 52 episodes |
| 2018–2022 | Muppet Babies | Miss Nanny (voice) | 69 episodes |
| 2018 | Clarence | Pipi, Cookie Mama Cashier, Beatrice (voice) | Episode: "Belson Gets a Girlfriend" |
| 2019 | The Simpsons | Piper Paisley (voice) | Episode: "Crystal Blue-Haired Persuasion" |
| 2019 | The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience | Stacy | Television special |
| 2019 | Jenny Slate: Stage Fright | Herself | Stand-up special |
| 2020 | Elena of Avalor | Cahu (voice) | Episode: "Coronation Day" |
| 2021–present | The Great North | Judy Tobin (voice) | Series regular |
| 2021 | Q-Force | (voice) | Episode: "Rogue" |
| 2023 | Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake | Huntress (voice) | Episode: "The Star" |
| 2024 | Jenny Slate: Seasoned Professional | Herself | Stand-up special |
| 2025 | Dying for Sex | Nikki | Upcoming miniseries |

### Music videos

| Year | Title | Artist(s) | Role |
| 2009 | "Threw It On the Ground" | The Lonely Island | Girlfriend |
| 2019 | "Oakland Nights" | The Lonely Island (feat. Sia) | Stacy |

### Podcasts

* Earth Break

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Nominated work | Award | Result |
| 2014 | Obvious Child | Newport Beach Film Festival Award for Breakout Actress | Won |
| 2014 | Obvious Child | Santa Barbara International Film Festival Award for Virtuoso Award | Won |
| 2014 | Obvious Child | Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress in a Comedy | Won |
| 2014 | Obvious Child | Women Film Critics Circle Award for Best Comedic Actress | Won |
| 2014 | Obvious Child | Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead | Nominated |
| 2014 | Obvious Child | Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Performer | Nominated |
| 2014 | Obvious Child | Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor | Nominated |
| 2014 | Obvious Child | Seattle International Film Festival Award for Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2014 | Obvious Child | Women Film Critics Circle Award for Best Screen Couple (with Jake Lacy) | Nominated |
| 2016 | Zootopia | BTVA People's Choice Voice Acting Award - Best Female Vocal Performance in a Feature Film in a Supporting Role | Won |
| 2016 | Zootopia | BTVA Feature Film Voice Acting Award - Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film (shared with cast) | Nominated |
| 2016 | The Secret Life of Pets | BTVA Feature Film Voice Acting Award - Best Female Lead Vocal Performance in a Feature Film | Nominated |
| 2017 | Star vs. the Forces of Evil | BTVA Television Voice Acting Award - Best Female Vocal Performance in a Television Series in a Supporting Role | Nominated |
| 2018 | Despicable Me 3 and The Lego Batman Movie | BTVA Feature Film Voice Acting Award - Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film (shared with cast) | Nominated |
| 2020 | The Secret Life of Pets 2 | Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Production | Nominated |
| 2023 | Marcel the Shell with Shoes On | Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in a Feature Production | Won |
| 2023 | Everything Everywhere All at Once | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Won |