Chris Parnell was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, where he developed a passion for drama from a young age. He attended Germantown High School, where he took drama classes and auditioned for every play, earning him the title of "Most Talented" among his classmates in 1985.
After graduating high school, Chris pursued his passion for acting by attending the North Carolina School of Arts in Winston-Salem, where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama. He then went on to perform with the Berkshire Theatre in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas.
However, Chris soon found himself feeling unfulfilled and moved back to Tennessee, where he taught acting, film, and video at his alma mater, Germantown High School. Although he enjoyed teaching, he eventually became bored and made the decision to move to Los Angeles.
In LA, Chris took a job at FAO Schwartz in Beverly Center, where he quickly rose through the ranks to become Operations Manager. During this time, he began taking classes at The Groundlings Main Company, a renowned improv comedy troupe that has launched the careers of many Saturday Night Live (1975) cast members.
It was at The Groundlings that Chris was discovered by talent scouts from Saturday Night Live (1975),who asked him to audition for the show. Chris was shocked and thrilled by the opportunity and soon found himself joining the cast as a featured player in the 1998-99 season.
As a member of Saturday Night Live (1975),Chris has performed numerous impressions of famous figures, including NBC News' Tom Brokaw, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Tom Hanks, Senator John McCain, and Eminem. He has also appeared as a member of the show's resident boy band, "Seven Degrees Celsius."
One of Chris's most memorable moments on the show was when he performed a hardcore gansta rap fantasy about a dream date with Britney Spears on Weekend Update. Since leaving Saturday Night Live (1975),Chris has continued to work in the entertainment industry, often spending his summers in LA, where he owns his own car and apartment.
