Laura Kightlinger (born June 13, 1964) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. She was a writer and consulting producer on ''
Will & Grace
''Will & Grace'' is an American television sitcom created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan. Set in New York City, the show focuses on the friendship between best friends Will Truman (Eric McCormack), a gay lawyer, and Grace Adler (Debra Messing), ...
'', while also occasionally appearing on the show as the character Nurse Sheila. She was also a writer on the
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
series ''
2 Broke Girls
''2 Broke Girls'' (stylized ''2 Broke Girl$'') is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from September 19, 2011, to April 17, 2017. The series was produced for Warner Bros. Television and created by Michael Patrick King and Whitney Cumm ...
''.
Kightlinger also played the title role in the TV show ''
The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman
''The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman'' is an American comedy television series from World of Wonder Productions, co-written, executive produced by and starring Laura Kightlinger. The series premiered on IFC August 4, 2006. Season two be ...
'', which she created, wrote, and executive produced.
Career
Television
Kightlinger was a featured player for
''Saturday Night Live'' (1994–95).
[
In 1997, she appeared in the '']Tenacious D
Tenacious D is an American comedy rock duo formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. It was founded by actors Jack Black and Kyle Gass, who were members of The Actors' Gang theater company at the time. The duo's name is derived from "tenacio ...
'' episode "Angel in Disguise" as a groupie
The term groupie is a slang word that refers to a fan of a particular musical group who follows the band around while they are on tour or who attends as many of their public appearances as possible, with the hope of meeting them. The term is usu ...
.
In 2006, she appeared in ''The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman'', a comedy series. Asked how much of the series was based on her personal experience, she said:
Kightlinger has had three stand-up comedy specials on HBO and six on Comedy Central.
Film
In 1997, Kightlinger appeared in ''Who's the Caboose?
''Who's the Caboose?'' is a 1997 comedy film co-written and directed by Sam Seder and starring himself and Sarah Silverman in their film debut. The supporting cast includes comedians David Cross, Andy Dick, Laura Silverman, Laura Kightlinger, Chu ...
'', an independent movie comedy starring Sarah Silverman
Sarah Kate Silverman (born December 1, 1970) is an American comedian, actress, and writer.
Silverman was a writer and performer on ''Saturday Night Live'', and she starred in and produced ''The Sarah Silverman Program'', which ran from 2007 to ...
and directed by Sam Seder
Samuel Lincoln Seder (born November 28, 1966) is an American actor, political commentator, and media host. His works include the film ''Who's the Caboose?'' (1997) as well as the television shows ''Beat Cops'' (2001) and ''Pilot Season (TV seri ...
.
In 2001, Kightlinger made a short film, ''Dependable People'', which won both the Black Maria Film Festival Director's Citation (Honorable Mention) and the International Festival of Cinema and Technology Best New Director Award in 2002. It was released on the DVD ''Celebrity Mix'' with other short films in 2006.New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
street movement to repeal the Rockefeller Drug Laws
The Rockefeller Drug Laws are the statutes dealing with the sale and possession of "narcotic" drugs in the New York State Penal Law. The laws are named after Nelson Rockefeller, who was the state's governor at the time the laws were adopted. Rock ...
. It focuses on political satirist turned activist Randy Credico
Randolph A. Credico (born 1954) is an American perennial political candidate, comedian, radio host, and activist, and the former director of the William Moses Kunstler Fund for Racial Justice.
Entertainment career
Credico was formerly active o ...
and his fight to repeal the laws. The film follows Credico to Tulia, Texas
Tulia is a city in, and county seat of, Swisher County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,967 at the 2010 census; in the 2018 census estimate, it had fallen to 4,682. The city is at the junction of U.S. Route 87 and Texas State Highway ...
, during a racially motivated drug bust, which is the subject of an upcoming film starring Halle Berry
Halle Maria Berry (; born Maria Halle Berry; August 14, 1966) is an American actress. She began her career as a model and entered several beauty contests, finishing as the first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant and coming in sixth in the Mis ...
. Included in this documentary are stand-up comics Larry David
Lawrence Gene David (born July 2, 1947) is an American comedian, writer, actor, and television producer. He and Jerry Seinfeld created the television sitcom ''Seinfeld'', on which David was head writer and executive producer for the first seve ...
, Colin Quinn
Colin Edward Quinn (born June 6, 1959) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. Quinn first gained widespread attention for his work as a cast member and writer for the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1995 to 20 ...
, Don Gavin
Don Gavin is an American stand-up comedian and actor best known for such films and television series as ''Shallow Hal'' and ''Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
''Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist'' is an American adult animated sitcom that ran o ...
, Vanessa Hollingshead
Vanessa Hollingshead is an American actress and stand-up comedian who has performed on many comedy programs including ''Comedy Central Presents'', '' Live At Jongleurs'', '' Just For Laughs'', '' The Jim Breuer Show'', and '' Funny Women of a Cer ...
, and Nick DiPaolo
Nick may refer to:
* Nick (given name)
* A cricket term for a slight deviation of the ball off the edge of the bat
* British slang for being arrested
* British slang for a police station
* British slang for stealing
* Short for nickname
Places ...
. It won Best Documentary at the 2003 Empire State Film Festival, 2003 Boston International Film Festival
The Boston International Film Festival is a film festival in the United States held in Boston, Massachusetts which showcases over 90 films annually.
Established in 2003 by film producer Patrick Jerome, the festival features independent films from ...
, and 2005 Beverly Hills Film Festival
The Beverly Hills Film Festival (BHFF) is a film festival in the United States founded in 2001 by independent filmmaker Nino Simone. The festival is an international competition dedicated to showcasing the art and talent of emerging filmmakers a ...
(Jury Award).
In 2005, Kightlinger starred in the short film ''Dysenchanted'', directed by Terri Edda Miller, which received critical acclaim.[
In 2017, she had a cameo in '']The Lego Batman Movie
''The Lego Batman Movie'' is a 2017 computer-animated superhero comedy film produced by Warner Animation Group, DC Entertainment, RatPac Entertainment, Lego System A/S, Dan Lin's Lin Pictures, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's Lord Miller Pro ...
'', voicing the roles of Orca
The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only Extant taxon, extant species in the genus ''Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black ...
and Reporter Pippa.
She has written and directed several short films, including ''Cat Demon: Re-Exhumed'', which are available to view on her website.
Additional film credits include ''Daddy Day Care
''Daddy Day Care'' is a 2003 American Children's film, family comedy film starring Eddie Murphy in the lead role, Jeff Garlin, Steve Zahn, Regina King, and Anjelica Huston. Written by Geoff Rodkey and directed by Steve Carr, it marks Murphy and ...
'', '' Kicking and Screaming'', '' Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie'', ''The Truth About Lies'' and ''The Outdoorsman''.
Book
Kightlinger's book ''Quick Shots of False Hope'' was published in 1999. ''The New York Times Book Review
''The New York Times Book Review'' (''NYTBR'') is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times'' in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely rea ...
'' described it as "funny and disturbing", "memorable", and an "idiosyncratic and darkly comic debut."
Internet
Kightlinger has written several shorts for Funny or Die
Funny or Die is a comedy video website and film/television production company owned by Henry R. Muñoz III that was founded by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Mark Kvamme, and Chris Henchy in 2007. The website contained exclusive material from a reg ...
and Atom.com
Atom.com (formerly AtomFilms) was a broadband entertainment network offering original short subject movies, animations, and series by independent creators. The company was founded in 1998 in Seattle by Mika Salmi. Sequoia Capital, led by Michae ...
, including "American Heroine", in which she starred, and "Roy Fabcock: Legendary Lover" (2010).
Politics
Kightlinger endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders
Bernard Sanders (born September8, 1941) is an American politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Vermont since 2007. He was the U.S. representative for the state's at-large congressional district from 1991 to 2007 ...
for President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
in the 2016 U.S. presidential election
The 2016 United States presidential election was the 58th quadrennial United States presidential election, presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. The Republican Party (United States), Republican ticket of businessman Donald ...
.
Personal life
Kightlinger dated fellow actor and comedian Jack Black
Thomas Jacob Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for his acting roles in the films '' High Fidelity'' (2000), ''Shallow Hal'' (2001), ''Orange County'' (2002), '' School of Rock'' (2003), ''E ...
from 1996 through early 2005.
References
External links
Official site
*
Laura Kightlinger
on ''WTF with Marc Maron
''WTF with Marc Maron'' is a weekly podcast and radio show hosted by stand-up comedian Marc Maron. The show was launched in September 2009. The show is produced by Maron's former Air America co-worker Brendan McDonald.
Background
The show's ti ...
'' Podcast, April 14, 2011
Videos
at Atom.com
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kightlinger, Laura
Living people
1964 births
Actresses from New York (state)
American television actresses
Television producers from New York (state)
American women television producers
American television writers
Emerson College alumni
People from Jamestown, New York
American women comedians
American women television writers
American sketch comedians
Comedians from New York (state)
Screenwriters from New York (state)
Southwestern Central High School alumni
21st-century American women