Acting · Memphis, Tennessee, USA · Born February 5, 1967
Thomas Christopher "Chris" Parnell (born February 5, 1967) is an American comic actor best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1998–2006 and currently for his recurring role as Dr. Leo Spaceman on NBC's Emmy Award-winning comedy series 30 Rock. Parnell is currently one of the lead voices on the FX animated comedy Archer. In 2010, Parnell starred alongside his former SNL castmate Horatio Sanz in the Comedy Central series Big Lake. After performing as a company player with The Groundlings for a number of years, Parnell was hired to join the cast of Saturday Night Live as a featured player on September 26, 1998, and was promoted to repertory player the following season. In the summer of 2001, budget cuts and hiring four new cast members required Lorne Michaels to dismiss two cast members; he chose to lay off Parnell and Jerry Minor over Horatio Sanz, Rachel Dratch, and Maya Rudolph. While on SNL, Parnell appeared in numerous sketches, and commercial parodies, and performed memorable impressions of various celebrities. One of his most popular sketches is Lazy Sunday, a rap video he shot with Andy Samberg about buying cupcakes and going to see The Chronicles of Narnia. He has also performed raps about hosts Jennifer Garner, Britney Spears, Kirsten Dunst and Ashton Kutcher. In the summer of 2006, Lorne Michaels announced that four cast members would be fired due to budget cuts, but he did not say who. On September 22, 2006 it was announced that three cast members had been fired: Parnell, Horatio Sanz, and Finesse Mitchell. This effectively made him the only SNL performer to have been fired twice by Lorne Michaels, though Parnell did say in a 2008 interview with The Sound of Young America podcast that he was okay with being let go this time, because he was considering leaving after that season anyway, but added that he probably would have stayed one last season if he was asked back. He had been with SNL for eight seasons; at the time only four people (Darrell Hammond, Tim Meadows, Kevin Nealon, and Al Franken) have been cast members longer. He has since made uncredited cameo appearances on the show, most recently in 2008 parodying newscasters Tom Brokaw, Jim Lehrer, and Bob Schieffer. Parnell and his former SNL castmate Horatio Sanz recently starred together in Big Lake, a 2010 sitcom on Comedy Central from executive producers Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. He also recently appeared as Dr. Drummer/Santa in the SyFy Holiday Special episode from the television show Eureka, which aired on December 7, 2010 (Season 4 Episode 10).
TVBreaking Bear
2026
as (voice)
MovieThe Dink
2026
TVThe Hawk
2026
as Anton Floyd
TVLife, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An almost History of America
2026
as Benjamin Franklin
MovieStop! That! Train!
2026
as Conductor Davenport
MovieLorne
2026
as Narrator
MovieMicro Budget
2026
as Toby
MovieMimics
2026
as Jack Conrad
MovieA Loud House Christmas Movie: Naughty or Nice
2025
as Gerald (voice)
TVOh My God... Yes! A Series of Extremely Relatable Circumstances
2025
as Ted (voice)
MovieSNL50: The Homecoming Concert
2025
as Self
MovieLadies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
2025
as Self (archive footage)
TVSNL50: Beyond Saturday Night
2025
as Self
MovieOur Little Secret
2024
as Veterinarian
MovieIn Fidelity
2024
as Lyle Ayker
TVFallout
2024
as Overseer Benjamin
TVRock, Paper, Scissors
2024
as Parchment Paper (voice)
MovieAs We Know It
2023
as Ted Sommers
TVKrapopolis
2023
as Ares (voice)
MovieMillennial Hunter
2023
as John (voice)
TVMy Adventures with Superman
2023
as Agent Slade Wilson (voice)
MovieNight at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again
2022
as Washington (voice)
MovieChip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
2022
as Dave Bollinari (voice)
MovieSenior Year
2022
as Jim Conway
MovieHot Mess Holiday
2021
as Mike
TVDogs in Space
2021
as Ed (voice)
MovieYung Punx: A Punk Parable
2021
as therapist (voice)
MovieHome Sweet Home Alone
2021
as Uncle Stu
TVMarvel's M.O.D.O.K.
2021
as Alvin Healy / Tenpin (voice)
MovieFinding ʻOhana
2021
as Brown
TVName That Tune
2021
as Self - Contestant
MovieI Am Woman
2020
as Artie Mogull
TVClose Enough
2020
as Ron (voice)
MovieUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend
2020
as Junior
TVDummy
2020
as Agent Chett
MovieThe Laundromat
2019
as Doomed Gringo #2
TVLove, Death & Robots
2019
as The Cat (voice)
TVAlien News Desk
2019
TVMiracle Workers
2019
as God's Dad
MovieThe Last Laugh
2019
as Charlie Green
MovieGoosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween
2018
as Walter
TVHappy Together
2018
as Wayne
MovieSlice
2018
as Mayor Tracy
MovieHotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation
2018
as Stan / Fish Man (voice)
MovieLife of the Party
2018
as Mr. Truzack (Wayne)
TVgrown-ish
2018
as Dean Burt Parker
TVWill & Grace
2017
as Dr. DiLorenzo
MovieBattle of the Sexes
2017
as DJ
MovieElena of Avalor: Realm of the Jaquins
2017
as Migs (voice)
MovieAustin Found
2017
as Alan Dickinson
TVGreat News
2017
as Gerald
MovieMichael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special
2017
as Dr. Vince Harbert
MovieElena and the Secret of Avalor
2016
as Migs (voice)
TVRhett & Link's Buddy System
2016
as Vice Chairman
TVAsk the Storybots
2016
TVElena of Avalor
2016
as Migs (voice)
TVThe $100,000 Pyramid
2016
as Self
TVMatch Game
2016
as Self - Panelist
TVBajillion Dollar Propertie$
2016
as Walton Rothchild
TVDawn of the Croods
2015
as Snoot / Dub (voice)
MovieSisters
2015
as Phil
MovieThe Better Half
2015
as Daniel
MovieThe Ridiculous 6
2015
as Bank Manager
TVHighston
2015
as Wilbur Liggetts
TVThe Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show
2015
as Mr. Peabody (voice)
TVBe Cool, Scooby-Doo!
2015
as Dustin Wallswreath / Jim McCoy / Cop (voice)
TVAdam Ruins Everything
2015
MovieHotel Transylvania 2
2015
as Fly (voice)
MovieJeff Dunham: Unhinged in Hollywood
2015
as Self
TVThe Spoils Before Dying
2015
as Bebop Jones
TVAnother Period
2015
as Dr. Sigmund Freudas
TVUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
2015
as Junior
TVPenn Zero: Part-Time Hero
2014
as Judge Blort Clooney (voice)
TVBenched
2014
as Mitch
TVBad Judge
2014
as Douglas Riller
TVblack-ish
2014
as Dean Parker
TVBoJack Horseman
2014
as Klaus / News Reporter (voice)
TVGarfunkel and Oates
2014
as Stan
MovieThe Maya Rudolph Show
2014
as Self
MovieAJ's Infinite Summer
2014
as Dad (voice)
TVLast Week Tonight with John Oliver
2014
as HOA Ambassador
TVThe Tom and Jerry Show
2014
as Narrator (voice)
MovieBreak Point
2014
as Jay LaRoche
TVLate Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self - Guest
MovieAnchorman 2: The Legend Continues
2013
as Garth Holliday
TVRick and Morty
2013
as Jerry Smith (voice)
TVThe Goldbergs
2013
as Harrison Whitby
TVBrooklyn Nine-Nine
2013
as Geoffrey Hoytsman
MovieTurbo
2013
as Announcer #2 (voice)
TVDrunk History
2013
as Thomas Edison
MovieEscape from Planet Earth
2013
as Hammer (voice)
MovieHotel Transylvania
2012
as Mr. Fly (voice)
TVGravity Falls
2012
as Additional Voices (voice)
TVComedy Bang! Bang!
2012
as Poseidon
MovieThe Dictator
2012
as News Anchor
MovieThe Five-Year Engagement
2012
as Bill
Movie21 Jump Street
2012
as Mr. Gordon
MovieWordGirl: The Rise of Miss Power
2012
MoviePrep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice
2011
as Mr. Thistleton (voice)
MovieAnswer This!
2011
as Brian Collins
TVSuburgatory
2011
as Fred Shay
TVI Just Want My Pants Back
2011
as JB
TVLove Bites
2011
as Chad Banks (segment "A Sexual Haunting")
MovieHollywood & Wine
2011
as Peter West
TVWorkaholics
2011
as Bruce Benson
TVMad Love
2011
as Officer Barrett
TVBob's Burgers
2011
as Warren Fitzgerald (voice)
TVConan
2010
as Self
MovieThe Women of SNL
2010
as Various (archive footage)
TVT.U.F.F. Puppy
2010
as Caped Cod (voice)
TVFish Hooks
2010
as Announcer / Allibut (voice)
TVBig Lake
2010
as Chris Henkel
MovieKung Fu Magoo
2010
as Cole Fusion / Ninja (voice)
Saturday Night Live in the 2000s: Time and Again
2010
as Self
MovieThe Dogfather
2010
as Brian Franks
TVArcher
2009
as Cyril Figgis (voice)
TVGlenn Martin, DDS
2009
MovieLabor Pains
2009
as Jerry Steinwald
MoviePaper Man
2009
as Peter
TVGlee
2009
as Mario
MovieSaturday Night Live: The Best of Amy Poehler
2009
as Edward Turlington (archive footage)
TVBetter Off Ted
2009
as Walter
TVChildrens Hospital
2008
as Ron Pippin
TVSaturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday
2008
TVThe Life & Times of Tim
2008
as William (voice)
MovieEavesdrop
2008
as Terrence
MovieHarold
2008
as Coach Vanderpool
TVMiss Guided
2008
as Bruce Terry
MovieWalk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
2007
as Theo
TVWordGirl
2007
MovieHot Rod
2007
as Barry Pasternack
MovieSunny and Share Love You
2007
as Kevin Keith Baker
MovieKabluey
2007
as Frank
MovieThe Grand
2007
as Harold Melvin
MovieI'm Reed Fish
2007
as Ralph
TV30 Rock
2006
as Dr. Leo Spaceman
TVEureka
2006
as Dr. Noah Drummer
MovieIra & Abby
2006
as Dr. Ronald Silverberg
MovieSaturday Night Live: The Best of Commercial Parodies
2006
TVRobot Chicken
2005
as Scooter / Major Nelson (voice)
TVAmerican Dad!
2005
as Doctor (voice)
MovieWake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie
2004
as Garth Holliday
MovieAnchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
2004
as Garth Holliday
MovieLooking for Kitty
2004
as Guy Borne
MovieEvil Alien Conquerors
2003
as Du-ug
MovieBarely Legal
2003
as Mr. Ronald Greitzer
MovieDown with Love
2003
as TV Emcee
Farm Sluts
2003
as Larry
MovieA Freezerburnt Christmas
2002
MovieThe Religetables
2002
MovieSaturday Night Live: The Best of Will Ferrell
2002
as Self / Various (archive footage)
TVTV Funhouse
2000
as James Brolin (voice)
TVCurb Your Enthusiasm
2000
as Hank
MovieThe Ladies Man
2000
as Phil Swanson
TVEd
2000
as DJ Curtis Morris
TVFamily Guy
1999
as Joe Paterno (voice)
TVThe Hughleys
1998
as Rick
TVConrad Bloom
1998
as Simpson
TVUnion Square
1997
as Don
MovieJingle All the Way
1996
as Toy Store Sales Clerk
TVSuddenly Susan
1996
as Waiter
TVThe Jamie Foxx Show
1996
as Director
TVCaroline in the City
1995
as Gene
TVHope and Gloria
1995
as Howard
TVFriends
1994
as Bob
TVLate Night with Conan O'Brien
1993
as Self - Guest
TVThe Simpsons
1989
as Surgeon fiancé (voice)
TVSeinfeld
1989
as NBC Executive
TVMurphy Brown
1988
MovieShadows on the Wall
1986
as Charlie
TVSaturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Various Characters
Harry and the Mutant Mid-Century Furniture
Wake
Crohnie
