Keegan-Michael Key (born March 22, 1971) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He and Jordan Peele co-created and co-starred in the Comedy Central's sketch series Key & Peele (2012–2015) with his fellow MADtv alum Jordan Peele for which he received one Primetime Emmy Award from ten nominations. He also acted in the FOX's sketch comedy series Mad TV (2004–2009), sitcom Playing House (2014–2017), the comedy series Friends from College (2017–2019) and the series Reboot (2022). He also appeared alongside Peele in the first season of the series Fargo in 2014, and had a recurring role on Parks and Recreation from 2013 to 2015. Key later starred in the musical comedy series Schmigadoon! (2021–2023), with longtime SNL cast member Cecily Strong.
Key has had supporting roles in several films, including Horrible Bosses 2 (2014), Pitch Perfect 2 (2015), Don't Think Twice (2016), Dolemite Is My Name (2019), The Prom (2020), and Wonka (2023). He has provided voice-work for The Lego Movie (2014), the subsequent films of the Hotel Transylvania franchise (2015–2022), Storks, The Angry Birds Movie (both 2016), The Star (2017), Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers, Wendell & Wild (both 2022), The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Migration (both 2023) and IF (2024). He has also voiced roles in Disney's Toy Story 4 (2019) and the live-action remakes of The Lion King (2019), and Pinocchio (2022).
In 2015, he appeared at the White House Correspondents' Dinner as the Key & Peele character Luther, President Barack Obama's anger translator. Key and Peele produced and starred in the 2016 action-comedy film Keanu. In 2017, Key made his Broadway debut in the comic play Meteor Shower. He hosted The Planet's Funniest Animals on Animal Planet (2005–2008), and hosted Game On! in 2020.
He hosted Saturday Night Live on May 15, 2021, the nineteenth and penultimate episode of Season 46, with musical guest Olivia Rodrigo.
Key is one of a handful of people who are affiliated with both Saturday Night Live and Mad TV. He is the only former Mad TV cast member to host. Taran Killam and Jeff Richards were on both casts, Terry Sweeney wrote for Mad TV after having been a writer and cast member on Saturday Night Live, and long-time Saturday Night Live head writer, cast member and Weekend Update anchor Seth Meyers had a brother who was a Mad TV cast member, Josh Meyers.
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