Molly Shannon spent six seasons as a member of the repertory company on Saturday Night Live (1995 – 2001), primarily known for the eclectic characters she created, such as Mary Katherine Gallagher, Sally O’Malley, Helen Madden: Licensed Joyologist, and Terry Rialto, the National Public Radio host for The Delicious Dish. In 2000, she received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program. Prior to joining SNL, Shannon appeared at The Up Front Comedy Theater in Los Angeles in The Rob and Molly Show, an improvisational show she co-wrote with Rob Muir.
In 2017, Molly was awarded the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the highly acclaimed drama Other People (2016). Shannon received rave reviews for her portrayal of Joanne, a mother who is struggling with terminal cancer whose son moves home to take care of her. The film won the Grand Jury prize at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. She also co-starred in the independent feature films Miles (2016) from and We Don’t Belong Here (2017).
On television, Molly has co-starred in the hit HBO comedy, Divorce (2017) and in the Wet Hot American Summer (2016) miniseries for Netflix. The eight-episode series serves as a prequel to the cult comedy classic film of the same name, which Shannon also starred in.
Molly garnered rave reviews for her arc on HBO’s series Enlightened (2013) her performance earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. Additional television credits include guest starring roles on CBS’s Life in Pieces (2015), HBO’s comedy Getting On (2013), the ABC Rebel Wilson comedy, Super Fun Night (2013), the IFC mini-series The Spoils of Babylon (2014), Up All Night (2011), Raising Hope (2010), The Middle (2009), Web Therapy (2008), Glee (2009), Neighbors from Hell (2010), the U.S. version of the popular Australian sitcom Kath and Kim (2008), as well as Cracking Up (2004), Will & Grace (1998), Sex and the City (1998) Seinfeld (1989), Pushing Daisies (2007) and 30 Rock (2006), among many others. Her television movies include More of Me (2007), The Twelve Days of Christmas Eve (2004) and The Music Man (2003).
Additional film credits include Me, Earl and the Dying Girl (2015), an independent drama which won the Grand Jury Prize as well as the Audience Award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival; the American zombie comedy, Life After Beth (2014); Scary Movie 5 (2013); Hotel Transylvania (2012) and Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015); Bad Teacher (2011), Superstar (1999), portraying everybody’s favorite Catholic schoolgirl Mary Katherine Gallagher; Marie Antoinette (2006); Year of the Dog (2007); Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006); Evan Almighty (2007); Igor (2008); Littleman (2006); Scary Movie 4 (2006); How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000); A Night at the Roxbury (1998); Analyze This (1999); Happiness (1998); Never Been Kissed (1999); The Good Boy! (2003); Serendipity (2001); Osmosis Jones (2001); The Santa Clause 2 (2002) and Wet Hot American Summer (2001).
In 2011, Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Abrams, released Molly’s first children’s picture book, Tilly the Trickster. The book tells the tale of Tilly, “a mischief maker of the best kind-one who learns her lesson but never lets the reader stop having fun.” In 2010, Shannon made her Broadway debut replacing Tony Award winner Katie Finneran in the hit musical “Promises, Promises” alongside Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth.
Molly was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio, to Mary Margaret “Peg” (Keating), a teacher, and James Francis Shannon, a sales manager. Molly earned a BFA in drama from New York University’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts. She lives in California with her husband and two children.
