Kenan Thompson has been reflecting publicly on both his career and personal life in recent years, particularly following the release of his memoir, When I Was Your Age. In the book, the longtime Saturday Night Live star opens up about his rise in comedy, his early doubts on the show, and his split from ex-wife Christina Evangeline after more than a decade of marriage.
“I had no idea if I was doing a good job or not,” Thompson wrote, per PEOPLE, recalling his early years at SNL. “When the season finished, I didn’t even think I’d be asked back. I knew I needed to get better at writing my own characters, and prayed I’d get another season to take a stab at it.” Thompson joined the series in 2003 and has since become its longest-tenured cast member.
Thompson’s personal life has been in the spotlight again in early 2026 after former SNL castmate Chris Redd publicly addressed his past romantic relationship with Evangeline in an Instagram video, saying the connection formed during a difficult time and insisting there was never any malicious intent. Redd’s comments have renewed interest in Thompson’s previous marriage and how the split unfolded.
Kenan Thompson @kenanthompson is opening up to @hodakotb about his new memoir “When I Was Your Age” where he talks about navigating being a child actor, his separation with Kel Mitchell, being a girl dad, and more. pic.twitter.com/PbaUJDHO9F
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) December 4, 2023
As Thompson continues his historic run on SNL and navigates renewed public attention on his private life, here’s everything to know about his previous marriage, their split, and his two children.
The Good Burger star and Christina began dating in 2007 and later tied the knot in 2011, as reported by E! News. Although the former lovebirds kept their romance primarily out of the spotlight, Kenan and his now ex did attend a few red-carpet events together over the years. Christina was by his side at the 2018 Emmy Awards and once more at the same ceremony in 2019.
News broke of the couple’s split in April 2022. However, a source close to the star told TMZ that Kenan and Christina had actually called it quits over a year prior. The insider said that the two had “made the difficult decision to end their marriage.” They were married for over a decade and together for over 15 years. Kenan filed for divorce from Christina in June 2022 and requested 50/50 custody of their two daughters, as reported by PEOPLE.
