Abby Elliott is an American

actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a Character (arts), character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek ...

and

comedian A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing Amusement is the state of experiencing humorous and entertaining events or situations while the person or a ...

who was a cast member on ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...

'' from 2008 to 2012 and has since starred on the

Bravo Bravo(s) or The Bravo(s) may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Groups and labels *Bravo (band), a Russian rock band * Bravo (Spanish group), represented Spain at Eurovision 1984 *Bravo Music, an American concert band music publishing company ...

comedy ''

Odd Mom Out ''Odd Mom Out'' is an American sitcom that was created by and starring Jill Kargman. A 10-episode first season was ordered by the American cable television network Bravo. The series focuses on Jill Kargman playing a fictionalized version of he ...

'' and the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

sitcom '' Indebted''. She is the daughter of actor/comedian

Chris Elliott Christopher Nash Elliott (born May 31, 1960) is an American actor, comedian and writer. He appeared in comedic sketches on '' Late Night with David Letterman'' (1982–1988), created and starred in the comedy series '' Get a Life'' (1990–1992) ...

and sister of

Bridey Elliott Bridey Elliott (born July 27, 1990) is an American actress, comedian, writer, and film director. Career After graduating from the National Theater Institute, Elliott performed stand-up in New York and became a regular at the Upright Citizens Bri ...

Early life

Elliott was born in New York City, the elder of two children. She is the daughter of Paula Niedert, a talent coordinator, and actor/comedian

. Her grandfather was radio comedian Bob Elliott. Her younger sister is actress

; they were both raised in

Wilton, Connecticut Wilton is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 18,503. In 2017, it was the sixth-wealthiest town per capita in Connecticut, the wealthiest U.S. state per capita. Officially recog ...

. She attended high school at

Immaculate High School Immaculate High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Danbury, Connecticut, United States. Overseen by the Diocese of Bridgeport, IHS serves residents of 23 towns in the greater Danbury area. Immaculate High School, established i ...

Danbury, Connecticut Danbury is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located approximately northeast of New York City. Danbury's population as of 2022 was 87,642. It is the seventh largest city in Connecticut. Danbury is nicknamed the "Hat City ...

, where she acted in school plays and musicals. After graduating from Immaculate High School in 2005, she attended

Marymount Manhattan College Marymount Manhattan College is a private college on the Upper East Side of New York City. As of 2020, enrollment consists of 1,571 undergraduates with women making up 80.1% and men 19.9% of student enrollment. The college was founded in 1936. Hi ...

in New York City but dropped out during her first semester.

Career

Elliott took comedy classes at

The Groundlings The Groundlings is an American improvisational and sketch comedy troupe and school based in Los Angeles. The troupe was formed by Gary Austin in 1974 and uses an improv format influenced by Viola Spolin, whose improvisational theater techniques ...

and eventually began training and performing in various

sketch comedy Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and is ...

shows at the

Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (shorter UCB Theatre) is an American improvisational theatre company and training center founded by the Upright Citizens Brigade troupe members Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh. Prior to ...

(UCB) in Los Angeles. In 2006, Elliott appeared with supporting roles for the

pilots An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

''You've Reached the Elliotts'' and ''Chrissy: Plain & Simple'', both sitcoms that star her father, Chris Elliott. While at UCBT, she frequently performed with

The Midnight Show The Midnight Show was a Los Angeles-based sketch comedy group which performed monthly at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Founded in 2008, the show owed its notoriety not only to production of several viral and mature-themed internet videos ...

sketch troupe. She has also occasionally performed comedy with her sister Bridey. Before joining the cast of ''SNL'', Elliott had also done guest voices roles on ''

King of the Hill ''King of the Hill'' is an American animated sitcom created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired its original non-syndicated run from January 12, 1997, to September 13, 2009, and centers on the Hills, an Am ...

'' and ''

Minoriteam ''Minoriteam'' is an American adult animated television series on Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. It ran from 2005 to 2006, with a total of one season and 20 episodes. The show was not renewed for another season and wa ...

''. She has also been featured in a number of ''

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon. About pag ...

'' sketches such as "Jersey Floor" and "Studio 6-Bee". Elliott made her film debut with a small role in '' No Strings Attached'', and has since had supporting roles in the films ''

High Road High Road or The High Road may refer to: Film and television * ''High Road'' (film), a 2012 comedy by Matt Walsh * The Lady of Scandal, a 1930 American pre-Code film, also known as The High Road * The High Road (1915 film), a lost silent film ...

'' and ''

Fun Size ''Fun Size'' (known as ''Half Pint'' in some countries) is a 2012 American teen comedy film directed by Josh Schwartz and written by Max Werner. Starring Victoria Justice, Thomas Mann, Jane Levy and Chelsea Handler, the film tells the story of a ...

''. After leaving ''SNL'' in 2012, Elliott has made guest appearances on television programs such as '' 2 Broke Girls'', ''

How I Met Your Mother ''How I Met Your Mother'' (often abbreviated as ''HIMYM'') is an American sitcom, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays for CBS. The series, which aired from September 19, 2005 to March 31, 2014, follows the main character, Ted Mosby, and his ...

'', '' Happy Endings'', and ''

Inside Amy Schumer ''Inside Amy Schumer'' is an American sketch comedy television series created and hosted by Amy Schumer. The series aired on Comedy Central from April 30, 2013 to June 16, 2016 and was revived in 2022 for a new season on Paramount+. Schumer and ...

''. From 2015 to 2017, she co-starred on the

series ''

''. In 2020, she starred in the

Fran Drescher Francine Joy Drescher (born September 30, 1957) is an American actress, comedian, writer, activist, and trade union leader. She is known for her role as Fran Fine in the television sitcom ''The Nanny'' (1993–1999), which she created and produ ...

sitcom '' Indebted'' on

''Saturday Night Live''

Elliott joined the cast of ''SNL'' midway through the 2008–2009 season (season 34), in November 2008, following the departure of

Amy Poehler Amy Poehler (; born September 16, 1971) is an American comedian, actress, writer, producer, and director. After studying improv at Chicago's Second City and ImprovOlympic in the early 1990s, Poehler co-founded the improvisational-comedy trou ...

. She is the third generation of her family to have been featured on ''SNL'' (the second to be hired as a cast member, and her tenure on the show was longer than both her father and grandfather). Her father, Chris Elliott, was an ''SNL'' cast member during the 1994–1995 season (season 20) and her grandfather, Bob Elliott, was one half of the popular comedy duo

Bob & Ray Bob and Ray were an American comedy duo whose career spanned five decades, composed of comedians Bob Elliott (1923–2016) and Ray Goulding (1922–1990). The duo's format was typically to satirize the medium in which they were performing, suc ...

. Bob Elliott co-starred on a Christmas episode in the 1978–1979 season (season 4). After four seasons on ''SNL'', Elliott was let go from the show prior to its 38th season.

Personal life

In 2010, Elliott dated fellow ''Saturday Night Live'' cast member

Fred Armisen Fereydun Robert Armisen (born December 4, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician. With his comedy partner Carrie Brownstein, Armisen was the co-creator and co-star of the IFC sketch comedy series ''Portlandia''. He ...

. They ended their relationship in September 2011. Elliott married television writer Bill Kennedy on September 3, 2016. They have a daughter, Edith Pepper Kennedy.

Filmography

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Elliott, Abby 21st-century American actresses Actresses from Connecticut Actresses from New York City American film actresses American impressionists (entertainers) American sketch comedians American television actresses American voice actresses American women comedians Living people Marymount Manhattan College alumni People from Wilton, Connecticut Comedians from New York City Upright Citizens Brigade Theater performers Comedians from Connecticut 21st-century American comedians Year of birth missing (living people)