Keegan-Michael Key

Keegan-Michael Key

Date of Birth

Birthday: March 22
Birthplace: Southfield, MI

Keegan-Michael Key and his former MADtv castmate Jordan Peele star in their own Comedy Central sketch series Key & Peele, which began airing in 2012, and has run for four seasons.

In March 2015, it was announced that Key will reprise his role as Mr. Garvey in a feature length film based on the character portrayed in sketches on the show, while Peele will portray a rival teacher. 

Keegan-Michael Key and his former MADtv castmate Jordan Peele star in their own Comedy Central sketch series Key & Peele, which began airing in 2012, and has run for four seasons.

In March 2015, it was announced that Key will reprise his role as Mr. Garvey in a feature length film based on the character portrayed in sketches on the show, while Peele will portray a rival teacher. 

Key joined the cast of MADtv midway into the ninth season. He and Jordan Peele were cast against each other so that FOX could pick one black cast member, but both ended up being picked after demonstrating great comedic chemistry.

Key played many characters on the show. One of his most famous characters is "Coach Hines", a high school sports coach who frequently disrupts and threatens students and faculty members. On the penultimate episode of MADtv, Hines revealed that he is the long-lost heir to the Heinz Ketchup company and only became a Catholic school coach to help delinquent teenagers like Yamanashi. During seasons 9 and 10, Key appeared as "Dr. Funkenstein" in blaxploitation parodies, with Jordan Peele playing the monster.

Key also portrayed various guests on Real **********ing Talk like the strong African Rollo Johnson and blind victim Stevie Wonder Washington. He often goes "backstage" as Eugene Struthers, an always-ecstatic water- or flower-delivery man who accosts celebrities. There is also "Jovan Muskatelle", a shirtless man with a jheri curl and a shower cap. He interrupts live news broadcasts by a reporter (always played by Ike Barinholtz), annoying him with rapid fire accounts of events that have happened frequently exclaiming "It was crazy as hell!"

Celebrities that Key impersonated on the show include Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Matthew Lillard, Bill Cosby, Al Roker, Terrell Owens, Tyler Perry, Robin Antin, Keith Richards, Eddie Murphy (as his character James "Thunder" Early from the movie Dreamgirls), Sherman Hemsley (as his character George Jefferson on The Jeffersons), Charles Barkley, Sendhil Ramamurthy (as Mohinder Suresh), Tyson Beckford, Seal (originally played by Jordan Peele until Peele left the show at the end of season 13), Sidney Poitier, Lionel Richie, Barack Obama, and Kobe Bryant.

He also played female celebrities, including Phylicia Rashād, and Eva Longoria (as Gabrielle Solis on a "Desperate Housewives" parody).

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Awards & Nominations

10 Nominations | 1 Emmy
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance - 2016
  • Nominee
  • Keegan-Michael Key, American Ranger, Sgt. Agony
  • SuperMansion
  • "Puss in Books"
  • Crackle
  • Stoopid Buddy Stoodios
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series - 2016
  • Nominee
  • Keegan-Michael Key, as Various characters
  • Key & Peele
  • Comedy Central
  • Cindylou, Monkeypaw Productions, Martel & Roberts Productions, Principato-Young Entertainment, Central Productions
Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series - 2016
  • Nominee
  • Keegan-Michael Key, Writer
  • Key & Peele
  • Comedy Central
  • Cindylou, Monkeypaw Productions, Martel & Roberts Productions, Principato-Young Entertainment, Central Productions
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series - 2016
  • Winner
  • Keegan-Michael Key, Executive Producer
  • Key & Peele
  • Comedy Central
  • Cindylou, Monkeypaw Productions, Martel & Roberts Productions, Principato-Young Entertainment, Central Productions
Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special - 2015
Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series - 2015
  • Nominee
  • Keegan-Michael Key, Writer
  • Key & Peele
  • Comedy Central
  • Cindylou, Monkeypaw Productions, Martel & Roberts Productions, Principato-Young Entertainment
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series - 2015
  • Nominee
  • Keegan-Michael Key, as Various characters
  • Key & Peele
  • Comedy Central
  • Cindylou, Monkeypaw Productions, Martel & Roberts Productions, Principato-Young Entertainment
Outstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program - 2015
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series - 2015
  • Nominee
  • Keegan-Michael Key, Executive Producer
  • Key & Peele
  • Comedy Central
  • Cindylou, Monkeypaw Productions, Martel & Roberts Productions, Principato-Young Entertainment
Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series - 2014
  • Nominee
  • Keegan-Michael Key, Writer
  • Key & Peele
  • Comedy Central
  • Central Productions

The Television Academy database lists prime-time Emmy information. Click here to learn more

Keegan-Michael Key and Elisa Pugliese at the 68th Emmys Governors Ball.
Keegan-Michael Key and Elisa Pugliese on the red carpet at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.
Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele accept an award at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.
Damon Wayans presents an award to Keegan-Michael Key at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.
Keegan-Michael Key at the 2016 Creative Arts Ball.
Keegan-Michael Key on the red carpet at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys.
Keegan-Michael Key on the red carpet at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys.
Jordan Peele, John Oliver and Keegan-Michael Key backstage at the 67th Emmy Awards.
Ty Burrell and Keegan-Michael Key on the red carpet at the 67th Emmy Awards.
Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele arrive on the red carpet at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2015.
Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele on the red carpet at the 2015 Creative Arts Emmys.
Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele arrive on the red carpet at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2015.
Keegan-Michael Key (l) and Jordan Peele (r) of Key and Peele at the 66th Emmy Awards.
Presenters Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele at the 2014 Primetime Creative Arts Emmys.
Fill 1
Fill 1
Keegan-Michael Key and Elisa Pugliese at the 68th Emmys Governors Ball.
Camera

Keegan-Michael Key and Elisa Pugliese at the 68th Emmys Governors Ball.

Invision/AP
Keegan-Michael Key and Elisa Pugliese on the red carpet at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.
Camera

Keegan-Michael Key and Elisa Pugliese on the red carpet at the 2016 Primetime Emmys. 

Invision/AP
Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele accept an award at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.
Camera

Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele accept an award at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.

Invision/AP
Damon Wayans presents an award to Keegan-Michael Key at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.
Camera

Damon Wayans presents an award to Keegan-Michael Key at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.

Invision/AP
Keegan-Michael Key at the 2016 Creative Arts Ball.
Camera

Keegan-Michael Key at the 2016 Creative Arts Ball.

Invision/AP
Keegan-Michael Key on the red carpet at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys.
Camera

Keegan-Michael Key on the red carpet at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys.

Invision/AP
Keegan-Michael Key on the red carpet at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys.
Camera

Keegan-Michael Key on the red carpet at the 2016 Creative Arts Emmys.

Invision/AP
Jordan Peele, John Oliver and Keegan-Michael Key backstage at the 67th Emmy Awards.
Camera

Jordan Peele, John Oliver and Keegan-Michael Key backstage at the 67th Emmy Awards.

Invision/AP
Ty Burrell and Keegan-Michael Key on the red carpet at the 67th Emmy Awards.
Camera

Ty Burrell and Keegan-Michael Key on the red carpet at the 67th Emmy Awards.  

Invision/AP
Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele arrive on the red carpet at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2015.
Camera

Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele arrive on the red carpet at the 2015 Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Invision/AP
Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele on the red carpet at the 2015 Creative Arts Emmys.
Camera

Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele on the red carpet at the 2015 Creative Arts Emmys.

Invision/AP
Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele arrive on the red carpet at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2015.
Camera

Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele arrive on the red carpet at the 2015 Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Invision/AP
Keegan-Michael Key (l) and Jordan Peele (r) of Key and Peele at the 66th Emmy Awards.
Camera

Keegan-Michael Key (l) and Jordan Peele (r) of Key and Peele at the 66th Emmy Awards.

Invision/AP
Presenters Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele at the 2014 Primetime Creative Arts Emmys.
Camera

Presenters Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele at the 2014 Primetime Creative Arts Emmys.

Invision/AP
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