Kristen Schaal | |
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 Schaal at the 2022WonderCon | |
| Born | Kristen Joy Schaal (1978-01-24)January 24, 1978 (age 47) Longmont, Colorado, U.S. |
| Education | University of Colorado, Boulder Northwestern University (BA) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1999–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Comedy career | |
| Medium | |
| Genres | |
Kristen Joy Schaal (/ʃɑːl/ ⓘSHAHL;[1] born January 24, 1978) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. Known for her distinctive high-pitched, childlike voice, she voicesLouise Belcher onBob's Burgers and voicedMabel Pines onGravity Falls. She also played Mel onFlight of the Conchords, The Guide onWhat We Do in the Shadows, Hurshe Heartshe onThe Heart, She Holler, and Carol Pilbasian onThe Last Man on Earth. She provided several voices forBoJack Horseman; for the character ofSarah Lynn, she was nominated for aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance. Other roles include Amanda Simmons onThe Hotwives of Orlando,Hazel Wassername on30 Rock, Victoria Best onWordGirl,Trixie in theToy Story franchise, Bobbi inMy Spy, Shannon inDespicable Me 2, Number Two inThe Mysterious Benedict Society (TV series), Barb inCloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 and Anne onWilfred. She was an occasional commentator onThe Daily Show from 2008 to 2016. She voiced Sayrna in the 2019 EA video gameAnthem.
Schaal was born on January 24, 1978, inLongmont, Colorado,[2] to aLutheran family of Dutch ancestry.[3] She was raised on her family's cattle ranch, in a rural area nearBoulder, Colorado.[3] Her father is a construction worker and her mother a secretary.[4]
Schaal attendedSkyline High School where she graduated in 1996. She has a brother, David, born in 1975.[4] She attended the University of Colorado in Boulder for a year[5] and graduated fromNorthwestern University.[3] She then moved to New York in 2000 to pursue a comedy career. In 2005, she had her first break when she was included in theNew York article "The Ten Funniest New Yorkers You've Never Heard Of".[6]
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In 2006, Schaal performed at the 2006HBOUS Comedy Arts Festival inAspen, where she won the award for "Best Alternative Comedian".[7][8] She was also the winner of the second annualAndy Kaufman Award (hosted by the New York Comedy Festival), Best Female Stand-up at the 2006 Nightlife Awards inNew York City, and "Best Female Stand Up Comedian" at the 2007 ECNY Awards.[9][10] At the 2008Melbourne International Comedy Festival, she won theBarry Award for her showKristen Schaal As You Have Probably Never Seen Her Before, tying withNina Conti.[11] Also in 2006, Schaal appeared on the first season of theComedy Central showLive at Gotham.[12] She co-hosts the weekly variety showHot Tub in Los Angeles, which was voted "Best Variety Show of 2005" by a Time-Out New York's readers poll.[13][14] She also performs at thePeoples Improv Theater on the improv team, "Big Black Car".[15] She is a founding member of the theatre companyThe Striking Viking Story Pirates, which adapts stories by children into sketches and songs.[16]
Schaal performed live at theEdinburgh Fringe 2007, where she was one of six acts (chosen from over two hundred American productions at the Fringe) requested to perform at the US Consul General-sponsored "Fringe USA" Showcase.[17]
On her return to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2008, Schaal was nominated for theIf.comedy award forKristen Schaal AndKurt Braunohler: Double Down Hearts.[18]
Schaal has also performed at theRoyal Albert Hall, London, as part ofThe Secret Policeman's Ball 2008 in aid ofAmnesty International, and at theBonnaroo 2009 music festival.[19][20] In 2010, Schaal appeared as a stand-up comic onJohn Oliver's New York Stand Up Show and at the Solid Sound Festival at theMassachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.[21][22][23]
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In 2001, Schaal had a bit role in the filmKate & Leopold.[24][25] Schaal appeared onHBO'sFlight of the Conchords as the stalker-fan Mel, a role which earned her anEWwy nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2009.[4][17][26] She was also a credited consultant and writer for Season 11 ofSouth Park,[27][28][29] and appeared on the BBC'sNever Mind the Buzzcocks.[30]
She made her first appearance as a "special commentator" onComedy Central'sThe Daily Show on March 13, 2008, often presented in recurring appearances as its news team's "Senior Women's Issues Correspondent".[28][31] In 2008, she made an appearance onGood News Week during theMelbourne International Comedy Festival.[32] In October 2008 she appeared inAmnesty International'sThe Secret Policeman's Ball 2008.[19] She also appeared on an episode ofLast Week Tonight withJohn Oliver about sexual education, talking about abstinence and non-abstinence only education.[33]
Other film and television credits includeAqua Teen Hunger Force,[34]Snake 'n' Bacon,[27]Norbit,Get Him to the Greek,[35]Conviction,Cheap Seats,[36]Freak Show,Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant,[37]Adam and Steve,[38]The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard,[39]Delirious,[40]Good News Week (Australia),Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,[41][42]Law & Order: Criminal Intent,The Education of Max Bickford,[43]Comedy Central'sContest Searchlight,[44]Ugly Betty,[45]How I Met Your Mother,[46]MTV'sHuman Giant,[47] andMad Men.[41][42] She was a contributor to the sketch/music seriesThe Nighttime Clap on the Fuse music network.[citation needed]
She appeared on Fuse's original comedy seriesThe P.A. She appeared in two TV pilots written and directed byJersey City comedianDan McNamara –The Calderons andRedeeming Rainbow, both of which were screened as official selections at the 2006 and 2007New York Television Festivals.[citation needed] She appeared in television commercials forT-Mobile,[48]Wendy's,RadioShack,Starburst,[42]Sony Xperia,[49] andZaxby's.[citation needed] She made an appearance, in April 2008, on the IFC sketch comedy showThe Whitest Kids U' Know.[50] On April 3, 2009, she taped an episode ofComedy Central Presents.[51] From 2010 to 2015, she added her voice to thePBS Kids GO! seriesWordGirl as Victoria Best, a child prodigy whose parents taught her to be the best at everything that she does.[52] Schaal voiced 12-year-oldMabel Pines onDisney Channel's hit TV seriesGravity Falls from 2012 to 2016.[53][54] Since 2011, she has voiced the character Louise on theFOX Network seriesBob's Burgers.[55]
She starred inA. D. Miles' MyDamnChannel.com seriesHorrible People.[56] In October 2008, Schaal appeared in an episode ofSpicks and Specks.[57] On June 10, 2009, Schaal broadcast her first radio show,High Five!!, on Sirius XM Radio's 'RawDog' channel with co-host Kurt Braunohler.[58] Schaal stars in her own web series,Penelope Princess of Pets, one episode of which doubled as the video forthe New Pornographers' "Mutiny, I Promise You".[59] She voiced Trixie the Triceratops inToy Story 3 and Pumpkin Witch and Palace Witch inShrek Forever After.[60][61] She was also in the music video forJoey Ramone's "New York City."[62] She also guest-starred in theModern Family episode "Fifteen Percent", as well as the music video for "Conversation 16" byThe National.[63][64][65] Schaal guest starred on theMC Frontalot albumSolved.[66] She was featured with Kurt Braunohler on theRadiolab episode "Loops".[67] Schaal was in a commercial for the Xperia Play version ofMinecraft.[68]
Schaal guest starred onThe Simpsons May 8, 2011, episode "Homer Scissorhands," in which she plays Taffy, a love interest ofMilhouse Van Houten.[69] She is incorrectly listed in the credits as "Kristen Schall".[69] This prompted Simpsons writers to issue her a unique apology on the next week's episode in which Bart's chalkboard joke in the intro to the show states "It's Kristen Schaal, not Kristen Schall."[69] Schaal voiced Shannon, a girl who goes on a date with Gru, inDespicable Me 2; she then appeared in a music video for"Weird Al" Yankovic's 2014 song "Tacky", a parody ofPharrell Williams' "Happy".[70][71] In 2013, Schaal guest starred in the two-part episode "Sea Tunt" ofArcher, lending her voice to a character named Tiffy.[72][73] In 2014, Schaal co-starred alongsideCasey Wilson,Danielle Schneider,Tymberlee Hill,Andrea Savage, andAngela Kinsey in the first season of theHulu original seriesThe Hotwives of Orlando.[74] She co-starred alongsideWill Forte in theFOX comedyThe Last Man on Earth, which premiered on March 1, 2015.[75]
Schaal also voices the character Sarah Lynn in theNetflix original animated seriesBoJack Horseman.[76] In 2017, she was nominated for aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance for her performance as Sarah Lynn.[77] Schaal appeared inA Walk in the Woods (2015) as hiker Mary Ellen.[78] In 2016, Schaal was a panelist on episode 1 of the British comedy showThe Big Fat Quiz of Everything, a spinoff ofThe Big Fat Quiz of the Year.[79] Schaal voices Molly in the Snap Originals seriesDeath Hacks,[80] co-starring withThomas Middleditch. In 2020, she played the daughter ofGeorge Carlin's character in the sequelBill & Ted Face the Music and guested on the first episode of Netflix'sAunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun.[81][82][83] Schaal was featured in the episode "The Plantars Check In" in the animated seriesAmphibia in which she voiced Bella the Bellhop.[84] Schaal appeared as a guest star inScooby-Doo and Guess Who? on the episode "The Horrible Haunted Hospital of Dr. Phineas Phrag!".[85] Schaal was featured on the episode "Dead Mall" in the animated seriesBless the Harts where she voiced Stacey.[86] Schaal starred as Number Two in theDisney+ seriesThe Mysterious Benedict Society and appears as the Guide on theFX seriesWhat We Do in the Shadows.[87][88]
Schaal wrote a book of humor,The Sexy Book of Sexy Sex, with her husband, formerDaily Show writerRich Blomquist. It was published in July 2010 byChronicle Books.[17][89] She originally intended for them to write the book under pseudonyms, "because I don't want anyone to imagine me doing those things",[28] but realized it would be harder to promote the book without using their real names.
Schaal has been married to comedy writerRich Blomquist since 2012.[89][90] On February 11, 2018, she gave birth to a daughter named Ruby.[91] They currently live inLos Feliz.[92]
In 2017, during a charity stream hosted byEthan Klein, Schaal revealed that she had suffered anectopic pregnancy and a rupturedfallopian tube during an unspecified recording session forGravity Falls, losing at least two liters of blood, and she underwent emergency surgery after being rushed to the hospital.[93]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | The Education of Max Bickford | Valerie Holmes | 3 episodes |
| 2004 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Abby | Episode: "Brotherhood" |
| 2005 | Cheap Seats: Without Ron Parker | Emily | Episode: "Dog Show/World Beard and Mustache Championship" |
| 2006 | Six Degrees | Gail | 2 episodes |
| Conviction | Allie Rubinoff | Episode: "Madness" | |
| Ugly Betty | Nancy | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| Freak Show | Various voices | 7 episodes | |
| 2007 | Scott Bateman Presents | 2 episodes | |
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Alana Binder | Episode: "30" | |
| Human Giant | Girl in Doritos Commercial | Episode: "Lil 9-11" | |
| Mad Men | Nannette | Episode: "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" | |
| How I Met Your Mother | Laura Girard | Episode: "The Platinum Rule" | |
| 2007–09 | Flight of the Conchords | Mel | 21 episodes |
| 2008 | Aqua Teen Hunger Force | Tammy Tangerine (voice) | Episode: "Bible Fruit" |
| The Whitest Kids U' Know | Homeless Woman | Episode: "2.9" | |
| Snake 'n' Bacon | The Green Fairy | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 2008–16 | The Daily Show | Herself (commentator) | 31 episodes |
| 2009 | Xavier: Renegade Angel | Various voices | Episode: "Going Normal" |
| Comedy Showcase | Tourist | Episode: "The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret" | |
| 2010 | Modern Family | Whitney | Episode: "Fifteen Percent" |
| Comedy Lab | Penelope | Episode: "Penelope Princess of Pets" | |
| Fact Checkers Unit | Paula | Episode: "One Groundhog Day Dog" | |
| Scared Shrekless | Sugar the Gingerbread Girl (voice) | Short[94] | |
| 2010–15 | WordGirl | Victoria Best (voice) | 5 episodes[94] |
| 2011 | The Penguins of Madagascar | Muffy, Buffy, and Fluffy (voice) | Episode: "Operation: Neighbor Swap"[94] |
| Soul Quest Overdrive | Tammy (voice) | 5 episodes | |
| 2011–12 | American Dad! | Librarian, Girl (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2011–14 | The Heart, She Holler | Hurshe Heartshe | 6 episodes |
| 2011–18 | The Simpsons | Taffy /Louise Belcher (voice) | 2 episodes[101] |
| 2011–present | Bob's Burgers | Louise Belcher (voice) | Main cast[94] Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production |
| 2012–13 | 30 Rock | Hazel Wassername | 11 episodes |
| 2012–14 | Adventure Time | Jake Jr. (voice) | 4 episodes[94] |
| 2012–16 | Gravity Falls | Mabel Pines (voice) | Main cast; 39 episodes[94] |
| 2013–16 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Herself / Gina Guppies | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Archer | Tiffy (voice) | 2 episodes |
| Wilfred | Anne | 4 episodes | |
| NTSF:SD:SUV:: | Deborah | Episode: "Trading Faces" | |
| Toy Story of Terror | Trixie (voice) | Short[94] | |
| 2014 | Toy Story That Time Forgot | ||
| The Hotwives of Orlando | Amanda Simmons | Series regular; 7 episodes | |
| Glee | Mary Halloran | Episode: "The Untitled Rachel Berry Project" | |
| 2014–20 | BoJack Horseman | Sarah Lynn, various voices | 14 episodes Nominated –Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance |
| 2015 | Axe Cop | God (voice) | Episode: "Axe Cop Saves God" |
| The Hotwives of Las Vegas | Amanda Simmons | Episode: "Old Friends, New Enemies" | |
| 2015–18 | The Last Man on Earth | Carol Pilbasian | Main role; 65 episodes Also director: "Gender Friender" |
| 2016 | Wander Over Yonder | Mavis (voice) | Episode: "The Cartoon"[94] |
| Brad Neely's Harg Nallin' Sclopio Peepio | Various voices | Episode: "For Sarandon" | |
| Great Minds with Dan Harmon | Amelia Earhart | Episode: "Amelia Earhart" | |
| Transformers: Rescue Bots | Chickadee (voice) | Episode: "Camp Cody"[94] | |
| 2018 | Ask the StoryBots | Biologist | Episode: "How Many Types of Animals Are There?" |
| 2019 | Future Man | Screw | Episode: "Guess Who's Coming to Lunch" |
| Corporate | Sheena | Episode: "The Tragedy" | |
| Squinters | Tina | 6 episodes | |
| Forky Asks a Question | Trixie (voice) | 2 episodes[94] | |
| 2019–2024 | What We Do in the Shadows | The Guide | Main season 5 Recurring seasons 3–4 Guest season 1 |
| 2020 | Bubble Guppies | Agnes (voice) | Episode: "Dragons N' Roses!" |
| Amphibia | Bella the Bellhop (voice) | Episode: "The Plantars Check In"[94] | |
| Death Hacks | Molly (voice) | 10 episodes | |
| Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? | Herself (voice) | Episode: "The Horrible Haunted Hospital of Dr. Phineas Phrag!"[94] | |
| Bless the Harts | Stacey (voice) | Episode: "Dead Mall" | |
| Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun | Dishwasher (voice) | Episode: "Housemates" | |
| 2020–22 | Dicktown | Kendra (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Teenage Euthanasia | Norma the Crotch Beetle (voice) | Episode: "Adventures in Beetlesitting" |
| 2021−22 | Big Mouth | Bernadette "Bernie" Sanders (voice) | Recurring role |
| The Mysterious Benedict Society | Number Two | Main role | |
| 2022 | Our Flag Means Death | Antoinette | 2 episodes |
| 2023 | The Muppets Mayhem | Jenna Henderson | Episode: "Track 10: We Will Rock You" |
| 2025 | Chibiverse | Mabel Pines (voice) | Episode: "Mabel's Dream Date" |
| 2025 | And Just Like That... | Lois Fingerhood | Episode: "The Rat Race" |
| Year | Title | Voice role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Toy Story 3: The Video Game | Trixie | [102] |
| 2019 | Anthem | Sayrna | [103][94] |
| Year | Title | Role | Author | Production company | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | The Sandman: Act II | Delirium | Neil Gaiman,Dirk Maggs | Audible | [104] |
| Year | Song | Artist | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | "Conversation 16" | The National | [63][64][65] |
| 2014 | "Tacky" (a parody ofPharrell Williams's "Happy") | "Weird Al" Yankovic | [70][71] |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | New York Comedy Festival | Andy Kaufman Award | Herself | Won | [8] |
| 2006 | HBO US Comedy Arts Festival | Best Alternative Comedian | Won | [7][8] | |
| Nightlife Awards | Outstanding Female Standup Comedian | Won | [7][105] | ||
| 2007 | ECNY Awards | Best Female Standup Comedian | Won | [106] | |
| 2008 | Edinburgh Festival Fringe | If.comedy award | Kristen Schaal AndKurt Braunohler: Double Down Hearts | Nominated | [18] |
| Melbourne International Comedy Festival | Barry Award | Kristen Schaal As You Have Probably Never Seen Her Before | Won | [11] | |
| 2009 | 1st Streamy Awards | Best Female Actor in a Comedy Web Series | Horrible People | Nominated | [107] |
| 2012 | 2nd Annual Behind the Voice Actor Awards | Best Female Lead Vocal Performance in a Television Series – Comedy/Musical | as "Mabel Pines" fromGravity Falls | Won | [108] |
| 2013 | 3rd Annual Behind the Voice Actor Awards | Nominated | [109] | ||
| 40th Annie Awards | Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production | as "Mabel Pines" in "Tourist Trapped,"Gravity Falls | Won | [110] | |
| 2014 | American Comedy Awards | Comedy Special of the Year | Kristen Schaal: Live at the Fillmore | Nominated | [111] |
| 2016 | 43rd Annie Awards | Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production | as "Louise Belcher" in "Hawk & Chick,"Bob's Burgers | Won | [112] |
| 2017 | 69th Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | as Sarah Lynn in "That's Too Much, Man!,"BoJack Horseman | Nominated | [113] |
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