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Bill Hader (Actor)
William Thomas Hader Jr., Bill Hader (born June 7, 1978) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and director. He gained widespread recognition for his eight-year tenure on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live (SNL) from 2005 to 2013. His work on the show earned him four Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a Peabody Award. Hader became particularly well-known for his impressions and recurring character Stefon Meyers, a flamboyant New York City nightclub tour guide featured on the Weekend Update segments.
Bill Hader actor co-created the HBO dark comedy series Barry (2018–2023) with Alec Berg, in which he starred as the titular character Barry Berkman. He also served as producer, writer, and director for the series. Received eight Emmy Award nominations and won two consecutive awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Additionally, he stars in and produces the IFC mockumentary comedy series Documentary Now! (2015–present) alongside Fred Armisen and Seth Meyers. He was Emmy-nom inated for his visitor part in Check Your Excitement in 2022.
Bill Hader’s film career includes supporting roles in Hot Rod (2007), Superbad (2007), Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), Tropic Thunder (2008), Adventureland (2009), and The BFG (2016). He has taken leading roles in The Skeleton Twins (2014), and Trainwreck (2015), and played adult Richie Tozier in It Chapter Two (2019). Bill Hader acting also includes voice work spanning leading and supporting roles in animated films such as the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs franchise (2009–2013), Turbo (2013), the Oscar-winning Inside Out (2015), The Irate Winged Creatures Motion Picture (2016) and its 2019 spin-off, Control Officers (2017), and Toy Story 4 (2019).
Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
| Bill Hader | |
| Name | William Thomas Hader Jr. |
| Date of Birth | June 7, 1978 |
| Birth Place | Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Profession | Actor |
| Education |
|
| Career | 1999–present |
| Spouse | Maggie Carey |
| Marriage Date | m. 2006; div. 2018 |
| Children | 3 |
Early Life and Education
Bill Hader was born on June 7, 1978, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Sherri Renee (née Patton), a dance teacher, and William Thomas Hader, who worked in various occupations, including air cargo company proprietor, eatery supervisor, truck driver, and incidental stand-up comedian. He has two younger sisters, Katie and Kara. His ancestry includes Danish, English, German, and Irish roots. Bill Hader attended Patrick Henry Elementary School, Edison Junior High, and Cascia Hall Preparatory School.
Growing up, Bill Hader found it challenging to focus in class and often joked around, feeling out of place. He spent much of his time watching movies and reading, influenced by Monty Python, British comedy, and Woody Allen and Mel Brooks films, which his father introduced to him. Hader made short films with friends and participated in school plays, including a production of The Glass Menagerie. Due to his poor grades, he could not gain admission to top film schools. Instead, he enrolled at The Art Institute of Phoenix and later transferred to Scottsdale Community College.
Hader’s early jobs included selling Christmas trees and working as an usher at a cinema in Tempe, where he was fired for spoiling the ending of Titanic (1997) for disruptive viewers. While at Scottsdale Community College, he met Nicholas Jasenovec, who would afterwards coordinate Paper Heart (2009).In May 2024, Bill Hader delivered the commencement speech for Chapman College’s graduating class and received an honorary Ph.D.
Career
In 1999, Bill Hader dropped out of college and moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of becoming a filmmaker. With his parents’ support, he used his college savings for living expenses. He initially worked as a production assistant (PA) while hoping to become an assistant director. Despite his dedication, Bill Hader often felt lonely and underemployed, working 18-hour days that left little time for his creative pursuits.
During this period, Bill Hader worked on various projects as a PA, including the documentary Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy (2004) and films like James Dean (2001), Spider-Man (2002), and Collateral Damage (2002). He also worked as a post-production assistant on VH1’s reality show The Surreal Life (2003–2006). Briefly, Hader was a PA and stage manager on Playboy TV’s Night Calls, but he quit to avoid disappointing his parents. A bad experience with The Scorpion King (2002) led him to leave the PA job altogether. Bill Hader movies and TV shows later became more prominent, showcasing his talents as an actor and comedian.
Hader then worked as a night-time assistant editor at Triage Entertainment and invested in a short film he never released. After a breakup with his longtime girlfriend, Bill Hader girlfriend (gf), Hader began taking comedy classes at Second City in March 2003. He quickly found his creative outlet in comedy and formed a sketch comedy group called Animals from the Future with Matt Offerman, Eric Filipkowski, and Mel Cowan. Performing in Van Nuys, the group caught the attention of Nick Offerman, whose wife, Megan Mullally, recommended Bill Hader on SNL to Lorne Michaels of Saturday Night Live (SNL). Despite having no prepared material for his audition, Hader’s spontaneous imitation of an Italian man landed him an agent, a manager, and a job as an assistant editor on Iron Chef America.
2005–2013: Breakthrough and Saturday Night Live
Hader debuted on SNL as a featured player on October 1, 2005, and quickly became known for his impressions. He filled a utility-player role similar to his hero, Phil Hartman. He impersonated many characters, including Vincent Price, Keith Morrison, and Al Pacino. In 2012, Bill Hader received his first Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, becoming the first male SNL cast member nominated in this category since Eddie Murphy in 1984.
Bill Hader, known for his iconic character Stefon, a flamboyant New York City correspondent on Weekend Update, co-created with SNL writer John Mulaney, became a fan favourite. In addition to his work on Saturday Night Live, Hader appeared in films such as You, Me and Dupree (2006), Superbad (2007), Knocked Up (2007), and Hot Rod (2007). He also worked extensively on South Park, contributing as a creative consultant, producer, and voice actor. Bill Hader in South Park earned significant recognition, including a 2009 Emmy for Best Animated Series. Bill Hader South Park voices contributed to the show’s distinct humour and creativity. Bill Hader on South Park was not just behind the scenes; he brought to life various characters with his voice talent, enhancing the show’s success. Hader’s work also earned a 2008 Peabody Award in Political Satire for his efforts on SNL.
In 2008, Bill Hader starred in the web series The Line and voiced characters in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) and its 2013 sequel. He appeared in Adventureland (2009), Paul (2011), and voiced a character in Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009). Hader also co-wrote a Spider-Man one-off entitled The Short Halloween in 2009.
Hader hosted Turner Classic Movies’ Essentials, Jr. from 2011 to 2014, introducing younger audiences to classic films. He appeared in The Mindy Project and voiced characters in The Awesomes and as Mr. Peanut in 2013. Bill Hader left SNL in 2013 to focus on his family, with his final episode airing on May 18, 2013. He returned to host SNL in 2014 and 2018.
2014–Present: Film Roles and Barry
In 2014, Bill Hader starred opposite Kristen Wiig in the critically acclaimed film The Skeleton Twins. He voiced Fear in Pixar’s Inside Out (2015) and appeared in Brooklyn Nine-Nine and the IFC mockumentary series Documentary Now! He also voiced characters in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019). Over the years, Bill Hader films have showcased his versatility as an actor, ranging from comedic roles to voice acting in animated features.
In 2018, Hader co-created and starred in the HBO dark comedy series Barry, receiving multiple Emmy nominations and winning for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2018 and 2019. He starred in It: Chapter Two (2019) and voiced characters in Toy Story 4 (2019) and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019).
In 2023, Bill Hader was invited to join The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He had a cameo in the surrealist tragicomedy Beau is Afraid (2023). In March 2024, it was announced that Hader would star in the upcoming animated remake of Dr. Seuss’s The Sneetches.
Influences
Bill Hader’s comedy influences include Woody Allen, Monty Python, Alan Alda, Mel Brooks, and Eddie Murphy. These figures have significantly shaped his comedic style and approach.
Career Statistics
Filmography
| Film | 51 |
| Television | 14 |
| Video Game | 1 |
| Music Video | 4 |
| Total | 70 |
Awards
| Won | / |
| Nominated | / |
| Total | / |
Personal Life
Hader married writer and director Maggie Carey in 2006. They have three daughters together. Unfortunately, the couple divorced in 2018. Bill Hader wife was Maggie Carey. He has since been linked to actress Rachel Bilson, his co-star in The To Do List, and actress Anna Kendrick. As of April 2023, he is in a relationship with comedian and actress Ali Wong.
Interests
Hader is an avid reader, attributing his love for reading to his lack of a traditional college experience. He enjoys works by authors such as Tobias Wolff, Fyodor Dostoevsky, William Faulkner, Richard Ford, George Saunders, and Jun’ichirō Tanizaki. He is also a fan of the Chicago Cubs and a dedicated cinephile, with a particular fondness for films from the Golden Age of Hollywood, as well as those directed by the Coen Brothers, Stanley Kubrick, and Akira Kurosawa.
Health Issues
Filmography
- Jenny Clone
- You, Me and Dupree
- Maggie’s Plan Tony
- Riley’s First Date?
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- Beau Is Afraid
- IF
- The Cat in the Hat
Television
- Punk’d
- Saturday Night Live
- Comedy Central Roast of James Franco
- Arcade Fire in Here Comes The Night Time
- Barry
- John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in LA
