Did you know that Cheetah, the supervillain of Wonder Woman 1984, is one of the funniest women in Hollywood? Read about her career and Kristen Wiig net worth.
The great thing about comedy is that there are many versions as there are comedians in the entertainment world. Larry the Cable Guy and Hannibal Burress are comparable to a certain extent, but they have unique styles and tackle different genres.
Kristen Wiig’s go-to impressions are famous personalities with notable quirks like Drew Barrymore’s trademark lisp and her original characters like Penelope. She tends to appear out of nowhere and makes ridiculous claims to be on top of any conversation.
Kristen Wiig net worth is $25 million. She began her career in stand-up comedy in 2003. After almost two decades, she has over 100 credits as an actress and won 13 out of 79 nominations.
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Kristen Wiig Short Bio
She was born Kristen Caroll Wiig on August 22, 1973. Her parents, Jon and Laurie, ran a lake marina in Western New York. The couple had two kids, Kristen and her older brother Erik. But after her parents divorced in 1982, Wiig went to live with her mother and older brother.
Her mother was also an artist. This influenced Wiig to attend the University of Arizona to study art, and at the time, becoming a performer was an idea that never crossed her mind. But acting was one of her electives, and she discovered that she was pretty good at it.
Kristen Wiig’s Career
Kristen Wiig got a job at a plastic surgery clinic to draw pictures of people’s post-surgery bodies. Still, a day before she was meant to start working, Wiig decided to skip town and head to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career, following her teacher’s advice back in college.
Wiig worked odd jobs to support her stay in Los Angeles while hunting for a break into the entertainment business. Instead of acting, Wiig realized that her forte was in comedy.
Wiig eventually stumbled upon The Groundlings, an improvisational and sketch comedy troupe, a company with a list of notable alumni like Melissa McCarthy, Will Ferrell, and Pat Morita. Wiig also performed with Empty Stage Comedy Theater.
Saturday Night Live
Kristen Wiig honed her skills with The Groundlings and got a lucky break in 2003. She made her tv debut appearance as Dr. Pat, the quack marriage counselor in Spike TV’s The Joe Schmo Show. Then Wiig landed a slot in Saturday Night Live after taking her manager’s suggestion to send an audition tape. She made her first appearance on November 12, 2005.
She wowed SNL fans with her hilarious impressions of mostly neurotic characters. The overly enthusiastic Target Lady, the character she used to audition for the show, is one of SNL’s favorites. Then there’s Penelope, who can’t help but cut into random conversations and situations, all due to her compulsive urge to one-up everyone in the room.
In 2006, Kristen Wiig became a full cast member on Saturday Night Live. For ten years straight, she remained a regular and was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work from 2009 to 2012.
Kristen Wiig’s Film Career
Kristen Wiig made her film debut in the 2006 Christmas movie, Unaccompanied Minors which was immediately followed by a minor role in Judd Apatow’s 2007 comedy movie Knocked Up. She continued to land multiple, small roles in the years that followed until 2011.
She can proudly say that she built the road of her success by co-writing the film that launched her to stardom. Wiig wrote Bridesmaids with fellow Groundlings alumni Anne Mumolo. Bridesmaids grossed at the box office with $288.4 million with a $32.5 million budget.
The 2011 film Bridesmaids won 25 out of 72 nominations, including two from the Academy Awards for Best Writing, Original Screenplay, two from the Golden Globes for Best Performance By An Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, and Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical. Kristen Wiig received 28 nominations for the film.
From the many movies that followed, Wiig landed roles for notable films like The Martian in 2015, where she starred opposite Matt Damon and Zoolander 2 in 2016. She played Alexanya Atoz, Queen of Haute Couture, and as Dr. Erin Gilbert in Ghostbusters 2016.
Wiig lent her voice to successful animated movies. The Despicable Me franchise is one of them where Wiig gave life to Ms. Hattie in the first film and voiced Agent Lucy Wilde in the following sequels. Wiig also had a part in How To Train Your Dragon as Ruffnut Thorston.
And finally, Kristen Wiig stepped into the world of superheroes by landing the role of Cheetah for the highly anticipated Wonder Woman 1984, or WW84, which came out in 2020.
Wiig’s portrayal of the supervillain was met with mixed reviews, especially when the film failed to make any profit after grossing only $166.5 million against the $200 million production budget. Many labeled the role a casting mistake that led to the film’s failure.
But Warner Bros. and WW84 director Patty Jenkins stood their ground for choosing Wiig to play the part, strongly confirming it by saying that the role was tailored for the comedian. They wanted an actress who could perfectly execute Barbara Minerva’s transition from the gawky scientist with low self-esteem to the terrifying apex predator known as Cheetah.
But did the film fail because of a wrong casting decision, or the audience simply didn’t get why Kristen Wiig was the perfect choice to play this particular villain?
Kristen Wiig Net Worth – Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Is Kristen Wiig Net Worth?
Kristen Wiig net worth is estimated at $25 million. Actress Kristen Wiig started her career with a Los Angeles-based theater group, The Groundlings, in 2003. She grew into fame for her versatility as an actress and notability as one of the funniest women in Hollywood.
How Rich Is Kristen Wiig?
Kristen Wiig net worth comes from her success as an actress, producer, and screenwriter. Her wealth is quoted at $25 million for this year.
Who Is Kristen Wiig Married To?
Kristen Wiig is currently married to actor and writer, Avi Rothman with whom she shares two children through surrogacy. Wiig was also married to actor Hayes Hargrove from 2005 to 2009.
What Is Kristen Wiig’s Relationship With Bill Hader?
Kristen Wiig’s friendship with Bill Hader is noted as one of the enviable relationships formed in the industry, as they are considered two of the most influential personalities in the world of comedy and entertainment. Their brother-sister bond started while doing sketches together in Saturday Night Live.
Kristen Wiig Net Worth – Final Thoughts
Kristen Wiig net worth and profound success in comedy and numerous show business genres are bound to continue in the many years to come. She has never failed to serve the wow factor, regardless of whether it’s in front of the camera or writing behind the scenes.
Who would have thought that a comedienne known for mostly light-hearted films could go head-to-head in elaborate fight scenes with Wonder Woman herself? As a former instructor for the Israeli Defense Force, Gal Gadot was already equipped like a superhero, but Kristen Wiig had to be built for the extreme physical role. If that doesn’t count as awesome, then what does?
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