Keegan-Michael Key is an American comedian, actor, producer, writer, and voice artist. He’s best known for starring in the Comedy Central sketch series Key & Peele from 2012 to 2015 alongside Jordan Peele. Key spent six seasons as a cast member on Mad TV (2004–2009) and has made several guest appearances on Whose Line is it Anyway?. He hosted the U.S. version of The Planet’s Funniest Animals on Animal Planet from 2005 until the series’ end in 2008. The talented Key has been onscreen as a host, actor, and comedian for almost two decades.
Keegan-Michael Key Net Worth As Of 2018: $7 Million
Key has carved out a successful and lucrative career for himself and his multi-faceted performing talents. Let’s take a look back at how he became one of Hollywood’s most well-known comedians.
Early Life
Key was born in Detroit, Michigan on March 22, 1971. He was adopted as a child by Patricia Walsh and Michael Key, both social workers. His biological and adoptive fathers are both African-American, and his biological and adoptive mothers are both Caucasian. Key attended the University of Detroit Mercy as an undergraduate, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theater in 1993, followed by a Master of Fine Arts in Theater at Pennsylvania State University in 1996. While at the University of Detroit Mercy, he was a brother of Phi Kappa Theta.
1999-2009
Key’s first acting credit listed on IMDB is playing the role of “J” in the 1999 film Get The Hell Out Of Hamtown. Five years later in 2004, Key joined the cast of Mad TV midway into its 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 appeared on 109 episodes of the sketch comedy show. His most famous character on Mad TV was “Coach Hines”, a high school teacher who frequently berates students and faculty members.
2010-2015
Key and his former Mad TV castmate Jordan Peele starred in their own Comedy Central sketch series Key & Peele. The show was wildly popular, running for five seasons (2012-2015) and won two Primetime Emmys. Key was introduced by President Barack Obama at the 2015 White House Correspondents’ Dinner as Luther, Obama’s Anger Translator, one of Key’s characters from the show.
2016-Present
Key has had several prominent roles in both television and film since the end of Key & Peele. He starred alongside Jordan Peele in the action-comedy film Keanu in 2016. He plays the most prominent male character, Ethan Turner, on the Netflix ensemble comedy Friends from College, about a group of Harvard University graduates and friends now in their late 30s living in New York City. The show is currently in its second season. He’s also slated to be the voice of “Kamari” in the Disney’s live-action remake of The Lion King.