Cecily Legler Strong (born February 8, 1984) is an American actress, voice actress, and comedian, known as a cast member of Saturday Night Live, having joined the show in 2012.

Early life

Strong was born in Springfield, Illinois, and was raised in Oak Park, Illinois. She is the daughter of Penelope and Bill Strong, who worked as an Associated Press bureau chief and is now managing partner at a Chicago public relations firm.[2][6] Strong's parents are divorced. She has a younger brother.[7] Strong grew up adoring SNL as a child, reenacting sketches with her friend[8] and watching old SNL commercials on VHS frequently. "I had a tape of the best commercials, and I wore it out, every day." She has stated that she was inspired by Phil Hartman.

She attended Oak Park and River Forest High School before eventually transferring for her senior year to the Chicago Academy for the Arts, where she graduated in 2002. After high school, Strong attended the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) and studied to become an actress, graduating in 2006 with a BFA in theatre. After graduating from CalArts, Strong returned to Chicago, where she studied at the Second City Conservatory and iO Chicago.

Career

Strong performed regularly at The Second City and iO Chicago. She also appeared at the Chicago Sketch Fest, Chicago Just for Laughs, New York Sketchfest, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In Chicago, Strong has also performed at the Goodman Theater, Bailiwick Theater, and Mercury Theater and with the all-female improv troupe Virgin Daiquiri

Saturday Night Live

On September 15, 2012, Strong made her debut as a featured player on Saturday Night Live. Strong co-anchored the recurring Weekend Update segment with Seth Meyers, beginning with the season 39 premiere. Strong later co-anchored with Colin Jost, and was replaced on Weekend Update with writer Michael Che, beginning with the season 40 premiere in September 2014, but remained a part of the regular cast.

Strong's recurring characters include a ditzy, unnamed pseudo-activist known as "The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation With at a Party",[17] Dana (one half of a pair of retail employees who always insult their coworkers out of fear of being fired), Kyra from "The Girlfriends Talk Show", and an unnamed blond former porn star-turned-model/commercial actress who hawks elegant items. Her celebrity impressions include Allison Williams, Anjelica Huston, Ariana Grande, Sofia Vergara, Brooke Baldwin, Fran Drescher, Jill Kelley, Khloe Kardashian, Lydia Callis, Lana Del Rey, Paula Broadwell, Megyn Kelly, Alanis Morissette, Gloria Estefan, Jeanine Pirro, Maria Bartiromo, Sarah Koenig, Rachel Maddow, Melania Trump, Carly Fiorina, and Michelle Rodriguez.

Other work

Strong served as the featured entertainer at the 2015 White House Correspondents' Association dinner. She lambasted the various news organizations in attendance, politicians of all persuasions, and President Obama. She also took shots at the US Secret Service, host location the Washington Hilton, Brian Williams, Sarah Koenig, and the state of Indiana.


Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Other Notes
2012 How to Sponsor a Uterus Karen Rigsby Short film
2015 The Bronze Janice Townsend
2015 Slow Learners Amber the ex
2015 Staten Island Summer Mary Ellen
2016 The Boss Dana Dandridge
2016 Ghostbusters TBA Post-production
2016 The Meddler TBA Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Other Notes
2005 Mad TV Recurring Extra Recurring role
2012–present Saturday Night Live Herself, Various Main cast
2012 Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday Various 2 episodes
2013–present The Awesomes Various Voices Recurring role
2015 White House Correspondents' Dinner Herself (host) TV special
2016 Angie Tribeca Samantha Stevens Episode: "Tribeca's Day Off"