Kenan Thompson is the longest-serving cast member on “Saturday Night Live,” having been on the show for 15 seasons, and now the comedian has finally been nominated for an Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series.
The nomination represents the first time Thompson has been nominated as an individual, as well as the first time he has been recognized by the Television Academy for his acting. (In 2017, he was nominated in the Original Music and Lyrics Category.)
The nominations were officially announced on July 12, and a few weeks prior, Jesse David Fox, senior editor at Vulture, penned apassionate opinion piece about why he felt Thompson was long overdue for recognition from the Academy.
“He’s not just the backbone of the show; he’s the front face and the heart,” Fox wrote. “He is the definition of an Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Nominate him.”
He went on praise Thompson’s versatility and ability to play a wide range of characters, as well as his tireless enthusiasm.
Last month, Thompson addressed his historic tenure on the iconic show in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter and expressed gratitude and humility for his role.
“Even if you are a great impersonator, if you are not able to contribute to the rest of the show, that becomes readily apparent,” he told the magazine. “I always wanted to be well-rounded. I’m a big-time team player. I’ve also known that I need people. If I was able to sit down and type a sketch all by myself, I might be more of a dick. I’m humble enough to know that I do well when I’m working with others.”
When news of his nomination broke, he took to Twitter to express his excitement:
Words cannot express how elated and humbled I am by these announcements today!!! Thank you from the bottom (cont) https://t.co/L73k4lSSi4
— Kenan Thompson (@officialkenan) July 12, 2018
“Words cannot express how elated and humbled I am by these announcements today!!!” he wrote. He went on to specifically thank a number of people, including several of his “SNL” co-stars. You can read his Tweet in full here.
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