Jordan Peele

Jordan Peele

Peele at the Peabody Awards, May 2014
Born Jordan Haworth Peele
(1979-02-21) February 21, 1979
New York City, New York, United States
Alma mater Sarah Lawrence College
Occupation Actor, comedian, film director, screenwriter
Years active 2002–present
Spouse(s) Chelsea Peretti (m. 2016)

Jordan Haworth Peele (born February 21, 1979) is an American actor, comedian, film director, and screenwriter. He is best known for starring in the Comedy Central sketch series Key & Peele and for his five seasons as a cast member on MADtv. In 2014, he also had a recurring role in the first season of the FX anthology series Fargo.

Early and personal life

Peele was born in New York City, New York. His father is African-American and his mother, Lucinda Williams, is white.[1][2] He attended the Computer School in I.S. 44 for Junior High School and went on to attend The Calhoun School for high school, graduating in 1997. He then went on to attend Sarah Lawrence College as a member of the class of 2001.

Peele has been dating comedian Chelsea Peretti since 2013.[3] They became engaged in November 2015.[4] On April 26, 2016, Peretti announced on her Instagram that she and Peele eloped.[5]

Career

Peele performing in 2012

Peele regularly performed at Boom Chicago in Amsterdam and The Second City in Chicago. He and Nicole Parker were well known for their musical duets at Boom Chicago. He portrayed a popular character called "Danish Supermodel Ute" during his time at Boom Chicago and hosted MTV's Comedy Weekend in 2002.

Peele appeared on the Comedy Bang Bang podcast as disqualified American Idol singer Jermaine Jones alongside Gillian Jacobs of Community.

MADtv

In 2003, Peele joined the cast of MADtv for its ninth season. Around the time Keegan-Michael Key joined the cast as a featured performer, it was assumed that Key would be chosen over Peele. The two of them ultimately were cast together after showing great comedic chemistry. Peele performed celebrity impersonations, which included favorites Caroll Spinney (as the voice of Big Bird), Ja Rule, James Brown, Flavor Flav, Justin Guarini, Montel Williams, Morgan Freeman, and Forest Whitaker.

Peele was absent for unknown reasons from the first four episodes of his second season on MADtv. He made a cameo in "Weird Al" Yankovic's video "White & Nerdy" with MADtv co-star Keegan-Michael Key.

Peele was nominated for a 2008 Emmy for his song "Sad Fitty Cent," a music video parody about 50 Cent lamenting over his rivalry with Kanye West. The lyrics were, according to the music video, written by Peele, and he was involved in arranging its music.

Peele appeared in a viral video titled "Hillary vs Obama" (which was shown as a MADtv sketch) where he and a Hillary Clinton supporter (played by short-term castmember Lisa Donovan) argue over whether Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama would make a better president, only to get upstaged by a Rudy Giuliani supporter (played by Donovan's brother, Ben). Peele auditioned to be a castmember for Saturday Night Live when SNL producers were looking for someone to play Barack Obama (around the time when SNL and MADtv and other scripted shows were put on hiatus due to the 2007-2008 Writers' Guild of America strike). Peele remained at MADtv, and the role went to Fred Armisen until September 2012, when Jay Pharoah took over the role.

After five seasons on MADtv, Peele left the cast at the end of the 13th season.

Career after MADtv

In 2010, Peele co-starred in the FOX comedy pilot The Station and appeared with a recurring role in the Adult Swim series Childrens Hospital. He had a supporting role in the David Wain-directed comedy Wanderlust, which was released on February 24, 2012.

Peele and his former MADtv castmate and friend Keegan-Michael Key star in their own Comedy Central sketch series Key & Peele, which began airing in 2012.

Peele and Key have starred in two episodes of Epic Rap Battles of History. The first featured Peele as Martin Luther King Jr and Key as Mahatma Gandhi, while the second featured Peele as Muhammad Ali and Key as Michael Jordan.

Peele also appeared in a parody music video with Jane Lynch for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, playing the role of "state" in process of breaking up with Lynch's "church".[6]

Together with his Key, he played an FBI agent in a recurring role in the 2014 FX crime drama Fargo. In an interview with People magazine, Peele stated that he wanted both his and Key's roles to add comic relief to the show.

Key and Peele will be working with Judd Apatow on a feature-length film for Universal Pictures.[7]

Characters

Character Sketch First appearance Catch Phrase Notes
Dontel LaMontrose Inside Looking Out "Mmm, mmm, mmm"
"I love this woman!"
He is married to a white wife who makes racially insensitive remarks.
Funkenstein's Monster Dr. Funkenstein
Killbrain the Fury Astroman & Killbrain "ASStroman!" The arch enemy of Astroman who has to take on demeaning jobs because his elaborate plans fail.
Larvelle Dupree Real Mother****ing Talk He is one of Dollar Bill Montgomery's talk show guests.
Marcus Macleod Scottish Warlord He is a Scottish warlord who was violated by the English troops.
Melvin Dufrane 911 Police Report
Noodles Clownin' and Krumpin "Krumping!!!" He is an abusive krump dancer
Stingray Abercrombie and Fitch Season 10 He is an African American version of the Abercrombie and Fitch models/salesmen.
Ty Gray The Superstitious Knights "Man up!"
Tyrone Conkling Holly Meadow Estates
Leandro Kezeele Fashion Surprise

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2008 Boner Boyz! D-Rock Peppers Short film
2010 Little Fockers EMT
2010 3B Rob Short film
2012 Wanderlust Rodney
2013 The Sidekick Sidecar Willy Short film
2016 Keanu Rell Writer and producer
2016 Storks (voice)
2017 Get Out Director and writer
2017 Captain Underpants Melvin (voice) Pre-production
TBA Substitute Teacher Rival teacher[8] Pre-production
TBA Wendell and Wild TBA[9] Pre-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2003–2008 MADtv Various 94 episodes
Also writer
2009 Reno 911! Three-Card Monte Guy Episode: "Extradition to Thailand"
2009 The Station Joe TV movie
2010–2015 Childrens Hospital Dr. Brian 10 episodes
2011 Love Bites Eli Episode: "Too Much Information"
2012–2015 Key & Peele Himself / Various 54 episodes
Also co-creator, writer, executive producer
2013 The Mindy Project Nick Episode: "Mindy's Minute"
2013 Workaholics Mark Episode: "The Worst Generation"
2013 Comedy Bang! Bang! Tan Fu Episode: "Andy Samberg Wears a Plaid Shirt & Glasses"
2013 Axe Cop Super Axe (voice) Episode: "Super Axe"
2013 Modern Family Derrick Episode: "A Fair to Remember"
2013–2014 Kroll Show Ref Rondy / Various Characters 2 episodes
2014 Bob's Burgers Fanny / Sandy / Horace / Don (voice) 5 episodes
2014 Fargo Special Agent Webb Pepper 4 episodes
2014 Drunk History Percy Julian Episode: "Montgomery, AL"
2014 Robot Chicken Various voices Episode: "Walking Dead Lobster"
2015–2016 Life in Pieces Chad 3 Episodes: "Pilot", "Prison Baby Golf Picking", "Ponzi Sex Paris Bounce"
2015 Rick and Morty Fourth Dimensional Being (voice) Episode: "A Rickle in Time"
2015 Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp Alan 3 episodes

Music videos

Year Title Role Artist
2006 "White & Nerdy" Black gangster "Weird Al" Yankovic

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2008 Primetime Emmy Award[10] Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics MADtv for "Sad Fits Cent" Nominated
2013 Writers Guild of America Award[11] Best Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series Key & Peele Nominated
Peabody Award[12]
Won
2014 NAACP Image Award[13] Outstanding Variety – Series or Special Nominated
American Comedy Award[14] Best Alternative Comedy Series Won
Best Comedy Writing – TV Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award[15] Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series Nominated
2015 People's Choice Award[16] Favorite Sketch Comedy TV Show Nominated
NAACP Image Award[17] Outstanding Comedy Series Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award[18] Outstanding Variety Sketch Series Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special Key and Peele Super Bowl Special Nominated
Outstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program Key & Peele Presents Van and Mike: The AscensionNominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Key & PeeleNominated
2016 NAACP Image Award[19] Outstanding Comedy Series Nominated
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series Nominated

References

  1. http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/23/brother-another-mother
  2. Wolcott, James (October 13, 2014). "How Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele Have Broken the Comedy-Duo Mold". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  3. "Andy Samberg’s Latest Role Is Playing Cupid!". dishnation.com. September 2, 2014. Retrieved 2014-11-24.
  4. People: "Jordan Peele and Chelsea Peretti Announce Engagement on Twitter" BY CHAR ADAMS November 29, 2015
  5. "Surprise! Chelsea Peretti and Jordan Peele Eloped". People.com. April 26, 2016. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  6. "Jane Lynch and Jordan Peele's Epic Church-State Breakup!". Americans United. YouTube. May 30, 2013
  7. Mike Fleming Jr. (November 13, 2013). "‘Key & Peele’ Partners Team With Judd Apatow For Universal Pitch Deal". Deadline. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  8. http://deadline.com/2015/03/substitute-teacher-key-and-peele-paramount-pictures-comedy-central-feature-1201398062/
  9. http://variety.com/2015/film/news/henry-selick-key-and-peele-developing-animated-feature-1201632089/
  10. "Complete List of Nominees for 2008 Emmys". E!. July 17, 2008. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  11. Mitchell, Gregg; Strell, Jay (December 6, 2012). "2013 Writers Guild Awards Television, News, Radio, Promotional Writing, and Graphic Animation Nominees Announced". Writers Guild of America
  12. Peabody Awards web site
  13. Aaron Couch, Arlene Washington (February 22, 2014). "NAACP Image Awards: The Winners". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  14. "Amy Poehler, Seth Rogen win American Comedy Awards". Entertainment Weekly. May 9, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  15. "2014 Emmy Nominations: ‘Breaking Bad,’ ‘True Detective’ Among the Honored". New York Times. July 10, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  16. Toomey, Alyssa (November 4, 2014). "Jennifer Lawrence, Shailene Woodley and Robert Downey Jr. Among People's Choice Nominees, Plus Find Out Who's Hosting!". E! Online. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
  17. Jue, Teresa (December 9, 2014). "NAACP Image Awards announce nominations for film and TV". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  18. "67th Primetime Emmy Award Nominations" (PDF). Emmys.com. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  19. "'Creed,' 'Empire' Top NAACP Image Award Nominations; Full List". The Hollywood Reporter. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2016.

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