Bill Hader
Bill Hader is a notable American actor, writer, and comedian, recognized for his impactful contributions to both television and film. He gained prominence as a cast member on the iconic sketch comedy show "Saturday Night Live" (SNL), where he showcased his talent for impersonations and created memorable characters, most notably the flamboyant Stefon. Hader's career continued to flourish with his creation and leading role in the critically acclaimed HBO series "Barry," which aired from 2018 to 2023. In "Barry," he portrayed a hitman who becomes entangled in the Los Angeles theater scene, a performance that earned him multiple awards, including two Primetime Emmys.
Born on June 7, 1978, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Hader's interest in comedy was nurtured by his family's artistic background. He pursued a career in film and comedy after studying at Scottsdale Community College and the Art Institute of Phoenix. Beyond his work on SNL and "Barry," Hader has appeared in numerous films, including "Superbad," "Tropic Thunder," and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," and has contributed as a writer and producer to projects like "South Park" and "Documentary Now!" His diverse body of work reflects his versatility and commitment to comedy, cementing his status as a significant figure in contemporary entertainment. Hader's personal life includes a marriage to filmmaker Maggie Carey, with whom he shares three children.
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Subject Terms
Bill Hader
Actor and writer
- Born: June 7, 1978
- Place of Birth: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Contribution: Bill Hader is a comedic actor and writer who first appeared on the live sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live (SNL), for which he received Emmy Award nominations in 2012 and 2013. Hader became well-known for his HBO series Barry (2018-23). Hader created, wrote, and directed the show in addition to starring as its title character.
Background
William Hader was born on June 7, 1978, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His father, Bill, performed stand-up comedy on the side, and his mother, Sherri, taught dance. Hader also has two sisters, Kara and Katie. As a child, Hader enjoyed reading comic books and watching movies.
Hader graduated from Cascia Hall Preparatory School and moved to Arizona to study film at Scottsdale Community College and the Art Institute of Phoenix. He later moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the film industry. Once there he obtained small production jobs with various television shows and films.
The aspiring actor performed with a four-man improvisational group called Animals from the Future. One of his acts caught the attention of actor Megan Mullally, who introduced Hader to Lorne Michaels, the creator and producer of Saturday Night Live (SNL).
Career
Hader debuted on SNL in 2005 and quickly became known for his impressions of figures such as Clint Eastwood, Vincent Price, and Al Pacino. He also developed a varied cast of characters, his most popular being WeekendUpdate correspondent Stefon—a flamboyant and anxious club-goer with a crush on Update host Seth Meyers. In 2006 Hader was hired as a full-time cast member on SNL, where he would remain a staple for another seven years. Hader quickly became one of the show’s most indispensible actors.
Hader made his film debut in 2006 with a small role in the romantic comedy You, Me and Dupree. On the film set, he became friends with actor and screenwriter Seth Rogen, and he later played a supporting role in the 2007 hit comedy Superbad, which Rogen cowrote. That year he also had a brief appearance in the Judd Apatow–produced film Knocked Up, in which he plays an E! editor. Also in 2007 Hader appeared with SNL costar Andy Samberg in the comedy Hot Rod.
In 2008 Hader landed more visible film roles. He appeared in the film Tropic Thunder and also made appearances in two Apatow films that year: the action comedy Pineapple Express, which starred Rogen, and the romantic comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall. In addition, Hader was hired to work as a creative consultant and coproducer for the acclaimed animated series South Park. His work on the show earned him an Emmy Award for outstanding animated program in 2009 and a nomination in 2011.
Back on the big screen, the actor appeared in Adventureland (2009) as the assistant manager of an amusement park. He remained busy throughout 2009 with turns in the family films Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Hader also voiced the main character, Flint Lockwood, in the animated film Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. In 2011 Hader appeared in the alien comedy Paul; this role reunited him with Rogen and Superbad and Adventureland director Greg Mottola.
Hader remained busy with several different projects through 2012. He appeared in the film Men in Black 3 and took on small roles in several television series, including Bob’s Burgers and Portlandia. He also played a small role in three episodes of the series The Mindy Project. For his continued dedication to SNL, he was recognized with an Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actor in 2012.
The following year was no different for Hader. He lent his voice to the animated films Monsters University and Turbo as well as the television shows The Simpsons, The Venture Bros., and The Awesomes. On the big screen, he appeared in wife Maggie Carey’s film The To Do List. In 2013 it was announced that Hader would return as a full-time writer for South Park’s seventeenth season. Hader additionally announced that he was leaving SNL to concentrate on other projects. He ended his eighth and final season on SNL with an emotional sendoff for Stefon, his most beloved character, and earned a second Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actor. Since his departure, he has returned to the show and its specials as a guest actor on occasion to play Stefon and other characters.
Hader created, wrote, and starred in two notable television series during the mid-to-late 2010s. He and SNL alums Fred Armisen, Seth Meyers, and Rhys Thomas created Documentary Now! a variety show that featured parodies of the cultural obsession with documentaries and was hosted by Helen Mirren. In addition to writing for the show, which aired from 2015 to 2022, Hader played a variety of characters, including Clark Honus, Jerry Wallach, Barnabas Scott, and Denver McIver. The show was nominated for an Emmy Award for outstanding variety sketch series in 2016, 2017, and 2019, and for his performances on the show, Hader was nominated for a Critics' Choice TV Award for best actor in a comedy series in 2016.
Hader's other major television project during this period has been the HBO series Barry (2018–23), which he created with Alec Berg. In addition to writing and directing for the show, Hader starred as the title character, a depressed, Midwestern hitman who moves to Los Angeles to take out an actor who is sleeping with Barry's client's wife, but ends up being drawn into the LA theater arts scene. Hader received several honors for his performance as lead actor on the show, including two Primetime Emmy Awards, in 2018 and 2019 , a 2019 Satellite Award, a 2019 Golden Globe nomination, and a 2019 Critics Choice Award from the Broadcast Film Critics Association. He was nominated for consecutive Emmys (also in 2018 and 2019) for outstanding comedy series, directing for a comedy series, and writing for a comedy series. He also received a Directors Guild of America Award for outstanding directorial achievement in a comedy series for "Barry: Chapter One: Make Your Mark" (2018). Additionally, he and the other writers for the show won the Writers Guild of America Award (TV) for best new series in 2019. The show continued to be nominated for many awards until it concluded in 2023.
Impact
Hader’s star power was on a rapid ascent from his first season on SNL. He used his time on the show to hone his craft and was able to launch a successful acting career in television and film. He also proved himself a capable writer, evidenced by an Emmy Award win in 2009.
Personal Life
Hader married filmmaker Maggie Carey in 2006. The couple had three children together before their divorce in 2018.
Bibliography
Crosley, Sloane. “The Bill Hader GQ Interview.” GQ. Condé Nast, June 2013. Web. 10 July 2013.
Hader, Bill. “The Riffs Interview: ‘SNL’s’ Bill Hader Embraces His Inner Nerd for ‘Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.’” Interview by Michael Cavna. Washington Post. Washington Post, 20 Sept. 2009. Web. 27 Aug. 2013.
Itzkoff, Dave. “Bill Hader to Leave ‘Saturday Night Live.’” New York Times. New York Times, 14 May 2013. Web. 10 July 2013.
Matheson, Whitney. “Bill Hader’s New Role: Mr. Peanut.” USA Today. Gannett, 2 July 2013. Web. 10 July 2013.
Sheffield, Rob. “Saying Goodbye to an All-Time ‘SNL’ Great.” Rolling Stone 6 June 2013: 27. Print.
Smith, Patrick. "'I don’t like the way I sound. I don’t like the way I look. It’s just embarrassing’: Bill Hader on Barry, Anxiety and Body Image." Independent, 22 Apr. 2023, www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/bill-hader-interview-barry-b2324327.html. Accessed 24 Sept. 2024.