Beck Bennett

Beck Bennett (born October 1, 1984) is an American actor, writer, and comedian known for the AT&T "It's Not Complicated" commercials where he interviews kids^[1] and his sketch videos with the comedy group Good Neighbor.^[2][3][4] Bennett appeared in Arrested Development,^[5] and is currently a cast member on Saturday Night Live.

Early life

Beck Bennett was born in Wilmette, Illinois, the son of Sarah and Andy Bennett. He performed in multiple shows at Children’s Theatre of Winnetka.^[6] He graduated from New Trier High School in 2003 where he played Jean Valjean in his school's production of Les Miserables.^[7] Beck attended the USC School of Dramatic Arts in the B.F.A. Acting program.^[7]

Career

In 2003, Bennett joined the improv/sketch group Commedus Interruptus along with Kyle Mooney and Nick Rutherford. In 2007, after graduation, Mooney, Rutherford, and Bennett joined with editor/director Dave McCary to form the sketch group Good Neighbor.^[7] The group received praise from comedian Louis C.K.^[8] and director Steven Spielberg, who sent Mooney, Bennett, Rutherford, and McCary a personal acknowledgement after being impressed with the Hook parody, Unbelievable Dinner. He complimented the sketch and encouraged the group to continue making funny movies.^[9][10]

In 2011, Bennett created the fake news political talk show Fresh Perspectives,^[11][12][13] which helped him land his AT&T commercials interviewing children.^[14]

In 2012, he appeared in the film Kill Me Now,^[15] a film starring multiple internet sketch-comedy groups and Beside Still Waters^[16] by writer/director Chris Lowell.

In March 2013, Bennett appeared in an episode of Last Man Standing, and that August voiced a character for FOX ADHD's Axe Cop. That same year Good Neighbor produced a pilot for Comedy Central with Adam McKay's Gary Sanchez production company, though it was not picked up as a series, in light of the move of three of the troupe's four members to New York City to star on Saturday Night Live.^[17] They debuted on SNL in September of that year, along with McCary as a director.^[17]

That same year Bennett completed work on the independent film Balls Out,^[18] and co-created the web series Theatre of Life,^[19] in which he and Rutherford film unsuspecting pedestrians and voice-over their thoughts and dialogue.^[20]

Recurring characters

• Mr. Patterson, a successful business executive who has the body and awkward movements of a baby.
• Casey, co-host of Inside SoCal.
• Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida
• Jake Tapper, CNN anchor
• Mike Pence, Governor of Indiana
• Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation

Filmography

• Balls Out (2014)
• Zoolander No. 2 (2016)
• The Late Bloomer (2016)
• Sing (2016)

References

External links

• Beck Bennett at the Internet Movie Database