Kate Elizabeth Méndez Berlant (born 1987) is an American comedian, actress, and writer. Her stand-up comedy and improvisational work are often
surrealist and
absurdist.
Early life
Kate Elizabeth Méndez Berlant was born in
Los Angeles in 1987,
the daughter of performer Helen (née Méndez) and artist
Tony Berlant. She is of Cuban and Spanish descent on her mother's side, while her father is Jewish. She received a master's degree in performance studies from
New York University.
Career
Berlant first appeared on television in a 2002 episode of ''
Lizzie McGuire''. She has since had roles in various comedy series, as well as films including ''
Sorry to Bother You'' (2018), ''
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
''Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'' is a 2019 comedy-drama film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Produced by Columbia Pictures, Bona Film Group, Heyday Films, and Visiona Romantica and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is a ...
'' (2019), and ''
Don't Worry Darling
''Don't Worry Darling'' is a 2022 American psychological thriller film directed by Olivia Wilde from a screenplay by Katie Silberman, based on a spec script by Carey Van Dyke, Shane Van Dyke, and Silberman. The film stars Florence Pugh, Harry ...
'' (2022). She has performed stand-up on ''
The Tonight Show'' and ''
The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail'', and starred in two episodes of the
Netflix sketch comedy series ''
The Characters
''Netflix Presents: The Characters'' is an American streaming television comedy sketch show that premiered on Netflix on March 11, 2016. It features eight up-and-coming comedians, who each write and star in their own 30-minute show. The comedians ...
'' in 2016. She has performed regularly at the
Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival. She has also performed at (and collaborated with) arts institutions including
MoMA PS1,
White Columns
White Columns is New York City’s oldest alternative non-profit art space. White Columns is known as a showcase for up-and-coming artists, and is primarily devoted to emerging artists who are not affiliated with galleries. All work submitted is ...
, the
Getty Center
The Getty Center, in Los Angeles, California, is a campus of the Getty Museum and other programs of the Getty Trust. The $1.3 billion center opened to the public on December 16, 1997 and is well known for its architecture, gardens, and views over ...
, and the
Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. She won the American version of ''
Taskmaster'' in 2018. She and
John Early John Early may refer to:
*John Early (educator) (1814–1873), Irish-American Jesuit educator
*John Early (politician) (1828–1877), Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
*John Early (bishop) (1786–1873), American Methodist prelate
*John Early (comedi ...
created the
Vimeo original series ''555'', which was produced by
Abso Lutely Productions
Abso Lutely Productions is a film and television production company owned by actor-producers Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim and producer Dave Kneebone. It is known for producing TV shows such as ''Tom Goes to the Mayor''; '' Nathan For You''; '' ...
.
In June 2022, Berlant and Early released the one-hour sketch comedy special ''Would It Kill You to Laugh?'' on
Peacock. It was directed by Andrew DeYoung and co-starred Berlant and Early, who play fictionalized versions of themselves in the future who had previously been on the sitcom ''He's Gay, She's Half-Jewish'' and are reunited by
Meredith Vieira after a bitter falling out.
They use the framing device of the reunion to display short skits with absurdist characters that they liked and built upon over a decade of creating and filming short comedy videos,
and structured the special around shorter, digestable segments that would be consistent with the popularity of short-form video,
but aimed to use comedy that would be timeless.
Some of the sketches had been planned for years, but were not filmed until Berlant and Early secured the budget for them. ''Would It Kill You to Laugh?'' was backed by both Peacock and
A24.
''
Paste'' positively compared ''Would It Kill You to Laugh?'' to
Bo Burnham
Robert Pickering "Bo" Burnham (born 1990) is an American comedian, musician, songwriter, actor, and filmmaker. His comedy work often combines musical, sketch, and stand-up elements with filmmaking.
Following his success as one of the earliest ...
's special ''
Inside'' for the way that both use identity in comedy to cause audience reflection,
and praised its "no-holds-barred surrealism".
''Vulture'' praised the work as a "thoughtful and striking about partnerships and, in particular, about male–female relationships" and considered it "darker and more alarming" than Berlant and Early's previous collaborations.
''Decider'' recommended that audiences view it for the pair's ability to mine the "rich comedic tradition for overconfident characters who find themselves in way over their heads but cannot seem to get themselves out of the situation without making things worse".
The special was nominated for Best Comedy Special at the
28th Critics' Choice Awards
The 28th Critics' Choice Awards will be presented on January 15, 2023, at the The Century Plaza Hotel, Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, California, honoring the finest achievements of filmmaking and television programming in 2022. T ...
.
''Cinnamon in the Wind'', Berlant's largely improvised
[''Late Night with Seth Meyers'', September 15, 2022] debut stand-up special,
was recorded in March 2019 at the
Upright Citizens Brigade for
FX.
It was directed by Burnham,
who first suggested that Berlant film a special after going to see one of her performances.
Due to reasons that were never explained,
the special remained unreleased for over three years until debuting on
Hulu
Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television serie ...
in September 2022, coincidentally while Berlant's next Burnham-directed one-woman show ''Kate'' was running in New York City.
A ''Decider'' review praised ''Cinnamon in the Wind'' and pointed out the meta-textual element of the comedy.
''
The New Yorker'' similarly praised Berlant's comedy for "breaking down the typical relationship between performer, ego, and audience".
Personal life
Berlant lives in the
Silver Lake neighborhood of
Los Angeles.
She is a member of the
Democratic Socialists of America.
Filmography
Film
Television
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berlant, Kate
1987 births
Living people
21st-century American actresses
21st-century American comedians
21st-century American Jews
American film actresses
American people of Cuban descent
American people of Spanish descent
American sketch comedians
American stand-up comedians
American television actresses
American voice actresses
American women comedians
California socialists
Jewish American artists
Members of the Democratic Socialists of America
Upright Citizens Brigade Theater performers