# Kerri Kenney-Silver
**Kerri Kenney-Silver** (born 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, and musician best known as the co-creator and star of the mockumentary sitcom *Reno 911!*, in which she plays Deputy Trudy Wiegel, and as a founding member of the 1990s MTV sketch comedy group The State.[1](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621224577) • [2](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/tv-shows/the-four-seasons-cast/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1970, Westport, Connecticut; daughter of voice-over actor Larry Kenney[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kerri-kenney/bio/3000907886/) |
| Signature character | Deputy Trudy Wiegel on *Reno 911!*, which she co-created and starred in[2](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/tv-shows/the-four-seasons-cast/) |
| Comedy troupe | Founding, and only female, member of The State at New York University; the group landed an MTV show (1993–1996)[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kerri-kenney/bio/3000907886/) • [4](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/reno-911s-kerri-kenney-silver-cant-believe-tina-fey-takes-her-seriously/) |
| Music | Plays bass guitar and sings in the all-female rock band Cake Like[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kerri-kenney/bio/3000907886/) |
| Emmy nominations | Five: Outstanding Actress and Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (2020 and 2021, for *Reno 911!* on Quibi), and Outstanding Television Movie in 2022 as executive producer of *Reno 911!: The Hunt for QAnon*[5](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/kerri-kenney-silver) |
| Recent lead role | Anne, a divorcée in *The Four Seasons* (Netflix, 2025), an adaptation of Alan Alda's 1981 film[6](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/kerri-kenney-silver-the-four-seasons-interview?inapp=true) |
## Early life and The State
Kenney-Silver was born in [Westport, Connecticut](https://www.edgepedia.org/westport-connecticut), the daughter of the widely recognized voice-over actor Larry Kenney.[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kerri-kenney/bio/3000907886/) While studying at New York University, she was the only female member of the comedy troupe The Slate, the group that became The State; she later described the early troupe as overly "cocky," and its members as convinced from day one that comedy would be their careers.[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kerri-kenney/bio/3000907886/) • [4](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/reno-911s-kerri-kenney-silver-cant-believe-tina-fey-takes-her-seriously/)
The State formed at NYU in the late 1980s and landed an MTV sketch series after graduation, running from 1993 to 1996.[4](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/reno-911s-kerri-kenney-silver-cant-believe-tina-fey-takes-her-seriously/) Its members went on to substantial careers in comedy: *Reno 911!* co-creators [Thomas Lennon](https://www.edgepedia.org/thomas-lennon) and [Robert Ben Garant](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-ben-garant), *Wet Hot American Summer* director [David Wain](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-wain) and writer-star Michael Showalter, and comedy actors Ken Marino, Joe Lo Truglio, and Michael Ian Black.[4](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/reno-911s-kerri-kenney-silver-cant-believe-tina-fey-takes-her-seriously/)
## Viva Variety and Reno 911!
After The State ended, Kenney-Silver wrote and starred with Lennon and Garant in *Viva Variety*, a Euro-variety spoof on [Comedy Central](https://www.edgepedia.org/comedy-central) that ran from 1996 to 1999 and earned her CableACE nominations (Comedy Series and Actress in a Comedy Series).[7](https://asitecalledfred.com/2007/02/19/interview-kerri-kenney-silver/) • [3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kerri-kenney/bio/3000907886/)
Deputy Trudy Wiegel, the character she created for *Reno 911!*, has proved unusually durable: Kenney-Silver created the role in the early 2000s and was still playing her roughly 25 years later, across the original Comedy Central run, a seventh season on Quibi, the 2022 *Reno 911! Defunded* continuation, and the television movies *Reno 911!: Miami* (2007, which she also wrote and executive produced), *Reno 911!: The Hunt for QAnon* (2021, which she produced), and *Reno 911!: It's a Wonderful Heist* (2022, which she also wrote and executive produced).[4](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/reno-911s-kerri-kenney-silver-cant-believe-tina-fey-takes-her-seriously/) • [8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kerri-kenney/) • [1](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621224577) The Quibi revival brought her four Primetime Emmy nominations, two as performer and two as executive producer of the short form series.[5](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/kerri-kenney-silver)
## Music
Kenney-Silver plays bass guitar and sings in Cake Like, an all-female rock band.[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kerri-kenney/bio/3000907886/) She distinguishes the band's sound from general singing: "People will say to me, 'Oh, you're a singer.' And I'll go, 'No, I sang in Cake Like.' It's a very specific sound, and I'm proud of it."[6](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/kerri-kenney-silver-the-four-seasons-interview?inapp=true)
## Film, voice work, and guest roles
Her film credits include *National Lampoon's Pledge This!* (2005), *Reno 911!: Miami* (2007), *The Ten* (2007), *[Balls of Fury](https://www.edgepedia.org/balls-of-fury)* (2007), *Role Models* (2008), *Wanderlust* (2012), *Fun Size* (2012), and *Dealin' With Idiots* (2013).[8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kerri-kenney/) • [1](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621224577) On television she has appeared as a guest in sitcoms including *The Ellen Show*, *2 Broke Girls*, *Superstore* (as Jerusha), *New Girl*, *Comedy Bang! Bang!*, *[Love](https://www.edgepedia.org/love-tv-series)*, *Big Little Lies*, and *Santa Clarita Diet*.[8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kerri-kenney/) • [9](https://www.adorocinema.com/personalidades/personalidade-108499/filmografia/) • [6](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/kerri-kenney-silver-the-four-seasons-interview?inapp=true) She has worked extensively as a voice actress, with credits on *Buzz Lightyear of Star Command*, *Invader Zim*, *Kim Possible*, *Adventure Time*, *Harvey Beaks*, and *The Great North*.[2](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/tv-shows/the-four-seasons-cast/)
## The Four Seasons
In 2025 Kenney-Silver took her first substantial dramatic comedy role as Anne in *The Four Seasons*, a Netflix series created by [Tina Fey](https://www.edgepedia.org/tina-fey), Lang Fisher, and Tracey Wigfield and adapted from [Alan Alda](https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-alda)'s 1981 film. The show follows three couples, longtime friends who vacation together each season of the year; Anne, a ceramicist, is left by her husband Nick ([Steve Carell](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-carell)) of 25 years in the first episode, and the series follows her grief and rediscovery across eight episodes.[6](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/kerri-kenney-silver-the-four-seasons-interview?inapp=true) The role carries a personal connection: Kenney-Silver met Alan Alda on the set of *Wanderlust*, they stayed in correspondence, and Alda appears in the series as her character's on-screen father.[6](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/kerri-kenney-silver-the-four-seasons-interview?inapp=true)
She described the part as unprecedented in her career: "No one's allowed me to do dramatic scenes," she said, "ever, or cast me, or seen me in that light at all."[6](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/kerri-kenney-silver-the-four-seasons-interview?inapp=true) Co-star Colman Domingo told Netflix, "She's just incredible. I feel like she can do anything."[6](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/kerri-kenney-silver-the-four-seasons-interview?inapp=true) A second season was released in 2026, with Kenney-Silver returning as Anne.[10](https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/brooklyn-nine-nine-writer-reflects-iconic-backstreet-boys-cold-open-going-viral)
## Personal life
She married cinematographer Steven V. Silver in 2004.[3](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kerri-kenney/bio/3000907886/)
## References
1. [Kerri Kenney-Silver, Apple Snapshot](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621224577)
2. [Meet the Cast of Netflix's 'The Four Seasons', Marie Claire](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/tv-shows/the-four-seasons-cast/)
3. [Kerri Kenney Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kerri-kenney/bio/3000907886/)
4. ['Reno 911!'s' Kerri Kenney-Silver Can't Believe Tina Fey Takes Her Seriously, The Daily Beast](https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/reno-911s-kerri-kenney-silver-cant-believe-tina-fey-takes-her-seriously/)
5. [Kerri Kenney-Silver, Emmy Awards and Nominations, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/kerri-kenney-silver)
6. [Kerri Kenney-Silver Talks The Four Seasons, Anne's journey and Alan Alda, Netflix Tudum](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/kerri-kenney-silver-the-four-seasons-interview?inapp=true)
7. [Interview: Kerri Kenney-Silver, A Site Called Fred Entertainment](https://asitecalledfred.com/2007/02/19/interview-kerri-kenney-silver/)
8. [Kerri Kenney, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kerri-kenney/)
9. [Kerri Kenney-Silver: Filmografia, AdoroCinema](https://www.adorocinema.com/personalidades/personalidade-108499/filmografia/)
10. [Brooklyn Nine-Nine Writer Reflects On The 'Really Classic' Backstreet Boys Cold Open, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/brooklyn-nine-nine-writer-reflects-iconic-backstreet-boys-cold-open-going-viral)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames I to Kh*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license