Speaker Ana Gasteyer

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Ana Gasteyer

Actor, Comedian and Singer

ANA GASTEYER is perhaps best known for her incomparable work on Saturday Night Live. During her six-year stint, she created some of the most iconic SNL characters, including middle school music teacher Bobbie Moughan-Culp, NPR radio host Margaret Jo, Lilith Fair poetess Cinder Calhoun, as well as spot-on impressions of Martha Stewart, Celine Dion and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Gasteyer currently headlines the well-received NBC workplace ensemble comedy series AMERICAN AUTO from executive producer Justin Spitzer (SUPERSTORE, THE OFFICE), which premiered in December 2021, and has recently been renewed for a second season. AMERICAN AUTO, set in Detroit, focuses on Payne Motors, where shaking things up is the new CEO (Gasteyer), whose leadership, experience and savvy are only slightly offset by her complete lack of knowledge about cars.

Another recent project includes Comedy Central’s A CLÜSTERFÜNKE CHRISTMAS, which Gasteyer and fellow SNL alum Rachel Dratch wrote, executive produced and star in. The film, which premiered on Comedy Central on December 4, 2021, is a celebratory parody of the corny and ubiquitous traditional holiday TV movie.

Gasteyer is also a highly accomplished singer and songwriter. She recently embarked on a Christmas tour in support of Sugar and Booze, her recent album of seasonal favorites and holiday originals which topped numerous “Best Holiday Album” lists. Called “an uproarious homage to Christmas albums of old” by Billboard and “the magical love child of Astrud Gilberto and Lucille Ball — an unexpectedly perfect combination” by BUST Magazine, the album was released to rave reviews. As said by the LA Times, “’Were Frank, Dino or Sammy still with us, any or all would pounce on the delightfully swaggering title track” and “Saturday Night Live’ alumna Gasteyer puts her considerable vocal chops to work here to marvelous effect on this ebullient big-band jazz effort.”

Inspired by the music from Sugar and Booze, Gasteyer produced an 8-episode original series for Audible, which she co-wrote with Mona Mansour. The series was voiced by Gasteyer, Maya Rudolph, Patti Lupone and Rachel Dratch among others.

Gasteyer’s first album, I’m Hip received equally rapturous reviews. She has toured around the country with her “Happy Jazz” act since 2016 and had a two-week residency at the famed Cafe Carlyle of which Stephen Holden of the New York Times raved about Gasteyer’s comedic stories and her “strong singing voice that can stir up a storm.”

Previously, on the big screen Gasteyer could be seen in Amy Poehler’s directorial debut, WINE COUNTRY opposite her SNL friends and colleagues and in Clea Duvall’s HAPPIEST SEASON, which she co-stared opposite Kristen Stewart, Aubrey Plaza and Victor Garber. On the small screen, Gasteyer recurred on the hit ABC series THE GOLDBERGS. Additional notable credits include the acclaimed comedy hits LADY DYNAMITE from Netflix, TBS’ PEOPLE OF EARTH, ABC’s SUBURGATORY and HBO's CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM.

Gasteyer was able to marry her phenomenal vocal talents with her acting skills in two of Fox’s live musicals A CHRISTMAS STORY and the iconic musical GREASE as well as Showtime’s REEFER MADNESS. She also dazzled on the enormous hit Fox musical series THE MASKED SINGER as fan favorite, The Tree.

On stage, Gasteyer has starred on Broadway in WICKED, as Elphaba, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, and Tony Nominated shows - THE ROYAL FAMILY and THREE PENNY OPERA, and originated the role of Debra in David Lindsay-Abaire’s Kimberly Akimbo at MTC. She also starred in FUNNY GIRL, and PASSION at The Chicago Shakespeare Theater, which earned her a Jefferson Award nomination. At City Center Encores, she played the role of Mimi in A New Brain, opposite Jonathan Groff, and sang on that cast recording. At the Hollywood Bowl, she wowed as Miss Hannigan in the Tony-winning musical ANNIE, with the LA Philharmonic.

Prior to joining SNL, Gasteyer attended Northwestern University and honed her comedy skills at The Groundlings, the famed Los Angeles improv-sketch comedy group. Gasteyer resides on the East coast with her husband, children and rescue pup, Gloria.

Speaking on: In Conversation With: Ana Gasteyer and Justin Spitzer

At the Banff Media Festival, we met with Netflix and took a ride up Sulphur Mountain on the gondola. That’s where we made the pitch.
- Naveen Prasad, EVP and GM, Elevation Pictures

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