John Mulaney is a multitalented American entertainer who is known for his stand-up comedy, acting, writing, and producing. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Mulaney gained recognition for his writing contributions to the popular NBC show Saturday Night Live, earning two Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on specials like Kid Gorgeous and Baby J.
John Mulaney Bio Summary
Full name: John Edmund Mulaney
Date of birth: August 26, 1982
Age: 42 years (2024)
Gender: Female
Zodiac: Virgo
Place of birth: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Education: Georgetown University (BA)
Marital status: Divorced
Ex-wife: Annamarie Tendler
Partner: Olivia Munn
Children: 1
Profession: Comedian, actor, and writer
Early Life
John Mulaney, born on August 26, 1982, hails from Chicago, Illinois. His mother, Ellen, was a faculty member at Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law, while his father, Charles, worked as a lawyer and partner at Skadden Arps. Coming from a family of Irish Catholic background, John served as an altar boy during his childhood. He is the third child among five siblings.
From a young age, Mulaney had a strong desire to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. When he was just seven years old, he became a member of a children’s sketch group called “The Rugrats” in Chicago. As a result of his involvement in the club, John was allowed to audition for the role of Kevin in the movie “Home Alone,” but his parents declined the offer.
Mulaney attended St. Clement School in Chicago. He and his best friend performed what they learned as skits instead of doing reports.
At 14, he played Wally Webb in “Our Town.” He went to St. Ignatius College Prep and Georgetown University, majoring in English and minoring in theology. At university, he joined the improv group and met Nick Kroll and Mike Birbiglia. He toured with Birbiglia, which improved his stage presence.
Career
After graduating, John Mulaney moved to New York City for comedy. He soon got hired by Comedy Central as an office assistant. A year later, he pitched an idea for a parody with Nick Kroll called “I Love the ’30s.” It was rejected, so Mulaney quit his job to focus on comedy.
Over the next four years, John wrote and performed more. In 2008, he appeared on major late-night TV shows and gained recognition. After performing on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” he auditioned for “Saturday Night Live.” His audition was unusual.
He did stand-up with character-like bits instead of impressions. He didn’t expect much but he got a spot on the show’s writing team for four seasons.
During this time, John Mulaney released a stand-up comedy album called “The Top Part” and a stand-up comedy special called “New in Town.” He co-created the recurring SNL character “Stefon,” played by Bill Hader. While at SNL, John and the writing staff were nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series.
After his stint on “Saturday Night Live,” Mulaney went on to write for several other TV projects, such as “Maya & Marty,” “Oh, Hello on Broadway,” “Documentary Now!”, and the “Comedy Central Roast” of James Franco. In addition, he took on supporting acting roles on the TV series “Crashing,” “Portlandia,” and “Difficult People.”
In 2015, Mulaney’s third stand-up special, “The Comeback Kid,” came out on Netflix. Critics loved it. David Sims of “The Atlantic” said it showed why Mulaney is unique: detailed storytelling with the confidence of someone much older. In 2016, John was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for “The Comeback Kid.”
John Mulaney’s “Kid Gorgeous” comedy tour began in May 2017. It lasted two months. He spent seven nights at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. One of the performances was recorded as a Netflix special called “John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City.” Critics loved the film.
Steve Greene of IndieWire called it “one of the year’s best pieces of writing.” Mulaney won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special for “Kid Gorgeous” at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
In 2017, Mulaney was asked to join Martin Short, Steve Martin, Jimmy Kimmel, Bill Murray, and Norm MacDonald in a tribute to David Letterman at The Kennedy Center, where he was awarded The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. When Letterman was presented with the prize, he recognized John by declaring, “Ladies and gentlemen, John Mulaney is the future of comedy.”
In 2019, John Mulaney did a short comedy tour with Pete Davidson. The shows sold out. Later that year, he released a children’s musical comedy special that got good reviews. Mulaney has hosted “Saturday Night Live” four times. He’s the fourth SNL writer to host despite never being a cast member.
Personal Life
In 2014, John Mulaney and Annamarie Tendler, a makeup artist and lampshade maker, tied the knot in Boiceville, New York. The ceremony was officiated by their friend Dan Levy. Unfortunately, after spending time in rehab the year before, John and Annamarie divorced in 2021.
Shortly after their split, John began a relationship with actress Olivia Munn. In September 2021, John and Olivia shared the news that they were expecting a baby. In December of that year, they welcomed a son into the world.
Net Worth
John Mulaney, an American actor and comedian, has a net worth of $15 million. He started as a comedy writer for “Saturday Night Live” from 2008 to 2013. There, he co-created the popular character Stefon with Bill Hader.
Mulaney moved to stand-up comedy, releasing four specials: “The Top Part” (2009), “New in Town” (2012), “The Comeback Kid” (2015), and “Kid Gorgeous” (2018). “Kid Gorgeous” won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special.
