Chris Kattan Bio
Christopher Lee Kattan (born October 19, 1970) is an American actor and comedian known for his work on Saturday Night Live from 1996 to 2003, where his high-energy characters and physical humor helped define the show’s late 1990s sketches. He rose to film stardom with roles in A Night at the Roxbury (1998), House on Haunted Hill (1999), Monkeybone (2001), Corky Romano (2001), and Undercover Brother (2002). Kattan later experienced a career resurgence with a main role as Bob Weaver on the ABC sitcom The Middle (2009–2014) and provided voice work for animated projects such as Bunnicula (2016–2018) and Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015). Born in Culver City, California, he trained with The Groundlings and built a reputation for his distinctive characters and improvisational style.
Early Life and Background
Kattan was born in Culver City, California. His father, Kip King (born Jerome Kattan; 1937–2010), was born to Jewish parents from Iraq and Poland and worked as an actor and voice artist. His mother, Hajnalka Biro (born 1944), was once photographed for Playboy and worked as a model in London. She is a native of Budapest, Hungary, and is a Buddhist. His stepfather was a Buddhist therapist and monk. His half-brother, Andrew Joslyn, is a professional musician and composer.
Kattan was raised on a Zen retreat on Mount San Antonio, outside Los Angeles. He and his mother later moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington, where he attended Bainbridge High School and graduated in 1989. The unique upbringing in a contemplative environment contrasted with his later career in high-energy comedy, shaping his versatile approach to performance.
His father was an original member of The Groundlings improv troupe, introducing young Kattan to improvisational comedy at an early age. This family connection to comedy performance laid the foundation for his future career path and provided him with early exposure to the entertainment industry.
Path to Comedy
Kattan followed in his father’s footsteps by joining several improvisational comedy and sketch comedy troupes, including The Groundlings in Los Angeles. His time performing with these groups honed his skills in physical comedy, character work, and improvisation. He also appeared in minor television roles, including the second episode of the second season of NewsRadio, playing a photo shop employee.
These formative years in comedy troupes prepared him for the opportunity that would define his early career. His dedication to the craft and his family’s legacy in entertainment provided him with both the training and the connections necessary to pursue professional comedy professionally.
Chris Kattan Career
Early Career (1993–1996)
Kattan began his professional career in 1993, performing with various improv and sketch comedy groups while seeking opportunities in television and film. His work with The Groundlings established him as a rising talent in Los Angeles comedy circles. During this period, he appeared in minor television roles while continuing to develop his unique comedic style.
His father’s influence as an original Groundlings member opened doors for Kattan in the competitive Los Angeles comedy scene. The training and stage time he gained during these early years would prove instrumental in preparing him for his breakthrough opportunity.
Breakthrough (1996–2003)
In 1996, Kattan moved to New York City to join the cast of Saturday Night Live, where he remained until 2003. His recurring characters included Mr. Peepers, Mango, Azrael Abyss, Kyle DeMarco from The DeMarco Brothers, and Gay Hitler. However, his most iconic character was one half of the Butabi Brothers with fellow SNL cast member Will Ferrell, known for their trademark head-bobbing dance.
The Butabi Brothers became a cultural phenomenon, and Kattan and Ferrell continued the characters in the 1998 film A Night at the Roxbury. During his SNL tenure, Kattan also starred in several films including House on Haunted Hill (1999), Monkeybone (2001), Corky Romano (2001), and Undercover Brother (2002). His celebrity impersonations during this period included Clay Aiken, Anne Heche, Al Pacino, Ben Affleck, David Spade, and Queen Elizabeth II.
In 2001, Kattan broke his neck while filming an SNL sketch parodying The Golden Girls, during which he threw himself backwards on a chair. He kept this injury secret from Lorne Michaels and the public for years, undergoing five surgeries. The pain medication following his fourth surgery led to a 2014 DUI arrest.
Notable Works and Milestones
Kattan’s seven seasons on Saturday Night Live produced some of the most memorable comedy moments of the late 1990s and early 2000s. His role as one of the Butabi Brothers in A Night at the Roxbury became his signature film work, with the head-bobbing dance becoming an iconic comedy moment. His film career during this period included leading roles in multiple genre films, showcasing his versatility as a performer.
Post-SN L Work (2004–Present)
In 2004, Kattan appeared on Broadway as Xanthias in Stephen Sondheim’s The Frogs. He later appeared in a Diet Pepsi Max commercial during Super Bowl XLII in 2008 that featured the song “What Is Love” and had many actors performing the head bob from A Night at the Roxbury.
In August 2009, Kattan starred in the Independent Film Channel miniseries Bollywood Hero, where he portrayed himself and explored the difficulties of transitioning from comic actor to leading man. From 2009 to 2014, he appeared in a supporting role in the sitcom The Middle as Bob Weaver, a colleague of Frankie Heck at Mr. Ehlert’s car dealership. This role marked a successful transition to mainstream television and demonstrated his ability to excel in ongoing series.
Kattan appeared in an episode of How I Met Your Mother as a star in “The Wedding Bride,” portraying Jed Mosely, a character based on the protagonist Ted Mosby’s former friend. He reappeared as the character in the fictional film’s sequel. In 2015, he voiced Kakie, a cake monster, in the animated film Hotel Transylvania 2.
From 2016 to 2018, Kattan voiced the title character in the animated series Bunnicula on Cartoon Network and Boomerang. In 2017, he was a contestant on season 24 of Dancing with the Stars paired with professional dancer Witney Carson and was the first celebrity dancer eliminated. In 2022, Kattan competed as a HouseGuest on the third season of Celebrity Big Brother. In 2023, he provided voice work as Alligator #1 in the animated film Leo.
Memoir
In 2019, Kattan published a memoir titled Baby Don’t Hurt Me: Stories and Scars from Saturday Night Live, which detailed his experiences on the show and included the 2001 accident that broke his neck.
Chris Kattan Family
Kattan’s father was Kip King, an actor and voice artist who was one of the original members of The Groundlings improv troupe. His mother is Hajnalka Biro, a former Playboy model and Buddhist from Budapest, Hungary. His half-brother, Andrew Joslyn, is a professional musician and composer based in Seattle.
Personal Life
Kattan married model Sunshine Deia Tutt on June 28, 2008, in Oakhurst, California, after proposing to her on Christmas Eve 2006. The couple separated 44 days later on August 10, 2008, and divorced in February 2009.
On March 25, 2023, Kattan proposed to his girlfriend Maria Libri, a writer and former on-air personality, at a Wilco concert held at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago. Kattan and Libri had met 18 months earlier when Kattan was performing a stand-up comedy show at Boondocks Pub in Springfield. They have collaborated on writing projects, including a romantic comedy, and have appeared together on their YouTube channel Hey Kattan!.