John William Ferrell was born in Irvine, California, to Betty Kay (Overman),a dedicated teacher, and Roy Lee Ferrell, Jr., a talented musician, who originally hailed from Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina.
During his high school years at University High School in Irvine, Ferrell developed an interest in performing, making daily morning announcements over the public address system in various disguised voices. This sparked his passion for comedy, which would later lead him to join the renowned Los Angeles comedy/improvisation group The Groundlings.
At The Groundlings, Ferrell had the opportunity to hone his craft alongside fellow cast members Ana Gasteyer, Maya Rudolph, and former Saturday Night Live (1975) repertory players such as Laraine Newman, Jon Lovitz, and Phil Hartman, all of whom began their careers at this esteemed institution. It was here that he met Chris Kattan, with whom he formed a lasting friendship, and they both went on to join the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975) later on.
Ferrell's impressive resume also includes appearances on various television programs, including Strangers with Candy (1999),Grace Under Fire (1993),and Living Single (1993),during his time at The Groundlings. He also lent his voice to the cartoon series "The Oblongs", playing the role of the armless and legless dad of the Oblong family.
In 1995, Ferrell became a feature cast member on Saturday Night Live (1975),during the show's rapid re-casting period. Initially, he was met with criticism, being dubbed "possibly the worst cast member ever" during his first season. However, his remarkable talents for impersonations and his impressive range of characters propelled him to become arguably the greatest Saturday Night Live (1975) cast member of all time.
Throughout his seven-year tenure on the show, Ferrell was one of the few cast members to be nominated for an Emmy Award for his performance, and he played the role of George W. Bush during the 2000 elections. He has appeared in every Saturday Night Live (1975) movie since his premiere on the show in 1995.
In 2002, Ferrell left Saturday Night Live (1975) and was the only cast member to receive a farewell from all the current cast members at the end of the season finale show. Since leaving the show, Ferrell has pursued a successful career in films.
In 2000, Ferrell married Viveca Paulin, and the couple resides in Los Angeles.
