Taran Killam is an American actor and comedian best known for his six-year run as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2010 to 2016.
He has also built a strong career in Broadway theatre, appearing as King George III in Hamilton and Sir Lancelot in the Broadway revival of Spamalot, as well as in television dramas and comedies across three decades.
Who is Taran Killam?
Taran Hourie Killam is an American actor, comedian, and writer who grew up in California and began performing professionally as a child in the early 1990s.
He first attracted wider attention through his stint on the Fox sketch comedy series MADtv during its seventh season in 2001 and 2002, then went on to spend six seasons on Saturday Night Live.
His IMDb profile lists credits spanning more than thirty years, from a minor role in Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994) to recurring roles on current network television.
He has worked across sketch comedy, drama, film, voice acting, and Broadway throughout his career.
Beyond sketch comedy, Killam wrote and directed the 2017 mockumentary film Killing Gunther, which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger.
He also voices the title character on the PBS children’s animated series Nature Cat. His range across genres and formats makes him one of the more active alumni of the SNL cast.
Early Life of Taran Killam
Taran Killam was born in Culver City, California, and grew up in Big Bear Lake, a small mountain town in San Bernardino County. He lived there until the age of fifteen, when his family moved to the Los Angeles area.
His mother toured with The Charlie Daniels Band as a singer-songwriter, and his father worked as a contractor while also participating in the City Garage Theatre Group in Los Angeles.
Growing up in a household connected to the arts gave Killam early exposure to performance. He participated in school plays and community productions from a young age.
His great-uncle Robert Stack, the actor known for The Untouchables and Unsolved Mysteries, was also a notable figure in the family’s entertainment world and has been mentioned by Killam as an early influence.
By the time his family moved to Los Angeles, he was ready to pursue professional acting. His first screen credit came in 1994 in Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult, when he was just twelve years old.
Taran Killam Age / Birthday
Taran Killam is 44 years old as of 2026, born on April 1, 1982. His zodiac sign is Aries, a sign often associated with energy and boldness, qualities well-suited to live sketch comedy.
At 44, he is among the more active performers in his generation, balancing television, film, Broadway, and voice work simultaneously.
Taran Killam Ethnicity and Nationality
Killam holds American nationality, born and raised in California. He is of white American ethnicity, with family roots in the entertainment and arts community of Los Angeles.
His family connection to The Charlie Daniels Band and the City Garage Theatre Group reflects a background in American music and theater traditions.
Taran Killam Height and Weight
Taran Killam stands at approximately 6 feet 1 inch tall, or around 185 centimeters. His weight is not publicly confirmed.
He has a lean, tall build that has served him well across physical comedy roles and stage performances requiring presence and projection.
Taran Killam Education
Killam attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, a specialized public school in Los Angeles that focuses on performing and visual arts.
After graduating, he enrolled in the musical theater program at UCLA but left without completing his degree to pursue a professional acting career.
His departure paid off quickly, as work in television followed in short order.
Taran Killam Career
Taran Killam’s career began in earnest in the early 1990s with a small role in Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994).
From there, he worked steadily in television and eventually became a familiar face through sketch comedy, major studio films, Broadway, and the growing world of streaming television.
Early Career and Television Work (1994–2009)
After his film debut, Killam appeared on Nickelodeon’s The Amanda Show from 2000 to 2002 alongside Amanda Bynes. He has spoken warmly about Bynes in interviews, crediting her with giving him one of his first real opportunities in the industry.
In a May 2025 appearance on David Spade and Dana Carvey’s Fly on the Wall podcast, he described her as “one of the most talented people I know.”
In 2001, Killam joined the cast of MADtv on Fox for its seventh season, becoming at the time one of the youngest cast members in the show’s history. He stayed through 2002 before moving on to other projects.
His time on MADtv made him the second person ever to appear as a regular cast member on both MADtv and Saturday Night Live, joining Jeff Richards in that distinction.
Through the mid-2000s, he appeared in several television series including Wild ‘N Out, Drake and Josh, and a recurring role on Scrubs.
His first major film credit in this period came with Big Fat Liar (2002). He also played a teen pop star in the 2004 Disney Channel Original Movie Stuck in the Suburbs.
Saturday Night Live (2010–2016)
Killam joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2010 and spent six seasons there before his contract was not renewed in August 2016.
During that run, he became known for impressions of public figures including Brad Pitt, Eminem, Ted Cruz, and Tom Hanks, as well as original recurring characters such as 19th-century newspaper critic Jebidiah Atkinson.
His final season on SNL in 2015 to 2016 coincided with Donald Trump’s controversial appearance as host in November 2015.
Killam spoke about that episode in an interview with NPR in 2017, describing a tense table read during which protesters outside the building could be heard chanting through the walls.
During his time at SNL, he also appeared in major films. His role in Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave (2013) drew critical attention, and he appeared in Paul Feig’s comedy The Heat (2013) alongside Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy.
He also appeared in the 2014 blockbuster Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Broadway, Film, and Television (2017–Present)
After leaving SNL, Killam moved directly into Broadway. He joined the cast of Hamilton at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on January 17, 2017, playing King George III through April 13, 2017.
Taran wrote and directed the mockumentary Killing Gunther (2017), which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and gave him his first feature directing credit.
He played a main cast role in the ABC sitcom Single Parents from 2018 to 2020, then appeared in American Crime Story: Impeachment (2021).
In 2023, he appeared in River Wild, and in 2023 to 2024 he played Sir Lancelot in the Broadway revival of Spamalot at the St. James Theatre, running from opening night on November 16, 2023 through January 7, 2024.
Killam joined the ABC drama High Potential in 2024 in a major recurring role as Ludo Radovic, the ex-husband of Kaitlin Olson’s character Morgan.
The series, created by Drew Goddard and based on a French show, also stars Daniel Sunjata. It premiered on September 17, 2024 on ABC and continues into 2026.
In 2025, Killam joined the NBC mockumentary comedy Stumble as Boone E. Potter, a cheerleading coach. The series airs on NBC on Friday nights and streams on Peacock.
As of 2026, both High Potential and Stumble are active projects for him.
Taran Killam Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult | — | Film |
| 2000–2002 | The Amanda Show | — | TV Series |
| 2001–2002 | MADtv | Cast Member | TV Series |
| 2002 | Big Fat Liar | — | Film |
| 2004 | Stuck in the Suburbs | Teen Pop Star | Disney Channel Film |
| 2006–2007 | Scrubs | — | TV Series |
| 2010–2016 | Saturday Night Live | Cast Member | TV Series |
| 2013 | 12 Years a Slave | — | Film |
| 2013 | The Heat | — | Film |
| 2014 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | — | Film |
| 2017 | Hamilton (Broadway) | King George III | Stage |
| 2017 | Killing Gunther | Writer / Director / Actor | Film |
| 2018–2020 | Single Parents | Main Cast | TV Series |
| 2021 | American Crime Story: Impeachment | — | TV Series |
| 2023 | River Wild | — | Film |
| 2023–2024 | Spamalot (Broadway) | Sir Lancelot | Stage |
| 2023–present | Nature Cat | Title Character (voice) | TV Series |
| 2024–2026 | High Potential | Ludo Radovic | TV Series |
| 2025–2026 | Stumble | Boone E. Potter | TV Series |
Taran Killam Awards and Recognition
Killam received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2013 for his work on Saturday Night Live.
He also appeared in the cast of 12 Years a Slave, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2014. He received the Visionary Filmmaker Award in 2017 in connection with Killing Gunther.
His Broadway work in both Hamilton and Spamalot brought additional critical attention to his stage skills. The Kennedy Center has listed him among its featured artists in connection with his stage work.
Taran Killam Wife
Taran Killam is married to Canadian actress Cobie Smulders, best known for her role as Robin Scherbatsky on How I Met Your Mother and as Maria Hill in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The two got engaged in January 2009 and married on September 8, 2012. They have two daughters, Shaelyn Cado Killam and a second daughter whose public name has not been consistently confirmed across sources.
Both Killam and Smulders have maintained active careers since their marriage, and the two have appeared together publicly at events over the years.
Killam briefly appeared as a guest on How I Met Your Mother during Smulders’ run on that series. Their family is based in Los Angeles.
Smulders has spoken publicly about surviving ovarian cancer in her early twenties, before she became well-known. Killam has spoken supportively of her experience in multiple interviews over the years.
Taran Killam Net Worth
Taran Killam’s estimated net worth is $8 million as of 2026. His income comes from his long career in television, film, Broadway, and voice acting, spanning more than three decades of active work.
His main television earnings have come from Saturday Night Live, where he spent six seasons from 2010 to 2016, followed by Single Parents (2018 to 2020), High Potential (2024 to 2026), and Stumble (2025 to 2026).
Each of those network series provided both salary income and elevated his market value for subsequent projects.
His Broadway work in Hamilton (2017) and Spamalot (2023 to 2024), along with his off-Broadway appearance in Little Shop of Horrors at New York City Center, added stage performance fees to his career earnings.
Writing and directing Killing Gunther (2017) also contributed additional income from that project’s production and distribution.
Voice work on Nature Cat for PBS has provided another ongoing revenue stream. His film credits, including 12 Years a Slave and The Heat, represent additional earnings from major studio releases.
Real estate in Los Angeles is also a reported part of his asset portfolio.
Taran Killam Social Media
Killam maintains an active presence on Instagram, where he can be found at @tarankillam.
He also posts on X (formerly Twitter) under the handle @tarankillam, where he has shared updates about his projects and personal life over the years.
Summary
Taran Killam built one of the more durable careers to come out of the Saturday Night Live class of 2010, moving from sketch comedy to Broadway, from studio films to network drama, with active projects running into 2026.
His roles in High Potential and Stumble show a performer still in consistent demand thirty years after his first screen credit.
