Who Is Emily Lynne Berthold? Her Life, Career, and Close Bond with Kate McKinnon

Many people first hear about Emily Lynne Berthold because she is the younger sister of comedian and actress Kate McKinnon. But once you learn more about her, it becomes clear that she has her own story to tell. She has worked as a comedian, actress, writer, and voice-over artist while building a creative career of her own.

Emily has spent years making people laugh. She has appeared in comedy shows, worked behind the scenes, and teamed up with Kate on several fun projects. Their close bond has also made many fans curious about Emily’s life outside of the spotlight.

There is more to Emily than family connections. She has followed her own path, tried different creative jobs, and built a happy personal life. She is also known for her love of horror movies, funny online videos, and sharing moments with the people she cares about.

In this article, you’ll learn about Emily Lynne Berthold’s early life, family, career, relationship with Kate McKinnon, and much more. We’ll also look at her acting work, comedy projects, and the personal moments that have shaped her journey.

Emily Lynne Berthold’s Quick Bio

Who Is Emily Lynne Berthold?

Emily Lynne Berthold is an American comedian, actress, writer, and voice-over artist. While many people know her because of Kate McKinnon, she has spent years creating her own work in comedy and entertainment. She enjoys making people laugh and has worked on both screen and audio projects.

Emily was born on November 18 and grew up in Sea Cliff, Long Island, New York. Her exact birth year has not been publicly shared, so most trusted sources only mention her birthday. She prefers to keep parts of her private life away from the public.

Over the years, Emily has worn many hats. She has written comedy, acted in television shows, voiced animated characters, and created funny online videos. She also studied film, giving her a strong background in storytelling and creative work.

Outside of work, Emily enjoys sharing pieces of her everyday life with her followers. She is a big horror movie fan, loves animals, and often posts funny updates online. These small moments help fans see her fun and down-to-earth personality.

Emily Lynne Berthold’s Early Life and Family

Emily Lynne Berthold grew up in a creative home on Long Island with her older sister, Kate McKinnon. Their parents encouraged both girls to enjoy movies, comedy, and storytelling from a young age. This playful home helped both sisters discover their love for making people laugh.

Her mother, Laura Campbell, worked as a family support advocate and public speaker. She even made a few small appearances on Saturday Night Live while Kate was part of the cast. Laura supported her daughters’ creative dreams from an early age.

Emily’s father, Michael Thomas Berthold, was a respected architect. He worked on many home and business building projects across Long Island. Sadly, he was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in 1999 and passed away in January 2002.

Losing their father was a heartbreaking moment for the family. Even after that difficult time, Emily and Kate remained very close and continued supporting one another. Their shared love of comedy helped them move forward while staying connected as sisters.

Emily later studied Film at SUNY Purchase College in New York. Her education gave her practical skills in filmmaking and storytelling, which later helped her in acting, writing, voice work, and other creative projects.

Her Close Bond with Kate McKinnon

One of the most special parts of Emily’s story is her relationship with Kate McKinnon. The sisters have shared a close bond since childhood and have often described each other as best friends. Their friendship has remained strong as their careers have grown.

As children, Emily and Kate loved making funny home videos together. They spent hours creating silly characters, telling jokes, and acting out scenes. Looking back, those playful moments became the beginning of the creative work they would later do as adults.

Kate has spoken warmly about Emily in interviews. In 2025, she described her younger sister as her “best friend” and said Emily is “my everything.” Those words show just how much the sisters mean to each other both personally and professionally.

Emily also enjoys sharing old family photos online. She has posted funny childhood pictures of herself and Kate, often adding playful captions. In one post, she joked that Kate looked like actor Macaulay Culkin as a child. In another, she laughed about how uncomfortable they felt during an old photo shoot.

She also celebrated National Siblings Day by posting another childhood picture and joking about her own abs, Kate’s hairstyle, and even a cheeseburger sitting in the background. These lighthearted posts show the fun and easy friendship they still share today.

Their close relationship goes beyond family life. Emily and Kate have worked together on several creative projects, proving that they are not only sisters but also trusted teammates. Their shared sense of humor has made their collaborations enjoyable for both them and their fans.

Emily Lynne Berthold’s Career

Emily Lynne Berthold has built a career around making people smile. She has worked as a comedian, actress, writer, and voice-over artist. Although she is not as widely known as Kate, she has earned respect for her own creative work.

She first became interested in comedy while growing up with her sister. Their love of funny stories and creative ideas naturally led Emily toward entertainment. Instead of following only one path, she explored many different parts of the industry.

Emily also performed stand-up comedy for several years. Many people noticed that her voice sounded very similar to Kate McKinnon’s. Some viewers even commented that if they closed their eyes, they could easily mistake one sister for the other.

In 2023, Emily shared that she had stepped away from stand-up comedy. She explained that leaving live performances made her happier and gave her more freedom to create comedy in other ways. Today, she focuses more on making funny videos and creative sketches for social media.

Her career continues to grow because she is willing to try different projects. From acting and writing to voice work and online comedy, Emily has shown that she enjoys exploring many creative ideas instead of staying in just one role.

Movies, TV Shows, and Comedy Projects

Emily Lynne Berthold has worked on several comedy projects that show her wide range of talent. One of her best-known projects is Notary Publix, a comedy web series released in 2015. She co-wrote the series with Kate McKinnon, and the sisters also starred in all six episodes together.

In Notary Publix, Emily and Kate played the funny Fra Diavolo sisters, Gina and Teresa, who worked as notaries. The series was created for Above Average, and comedian Aidy Bryant appeared as their rival. The project gave fans an early look at the sisters’ natural comedy together.

Another popular collaboration came in 2019 with the Audible comedy series Heads Will Roll. Kate voiced the selfish Queen Mortuana, while Emily played JoJo, the queen’s loyal but silly raven helper. The sisters even appeared together on the Today show to talk about the project.

Emily has also appeared in television shows. She played a bridesmaid in Friends from College in 2017. Later, she voiced Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump in the animated comedy Our Cartoon President, which aired from 2018 to 2020. In 2020, she appeared in The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show, playing the characters Rachel and Scuzz.

Emily has also explored other creative work. She runs a YouTube channel where she has shared comedy videos and sketches, including clips featuring Kate. In addition, she helped Kate record the audiobook for Secrets of the Purple Pearl in 2024, showing that the sisters continue to enjoy creating new projects together.

Why Emily Stopped Doing Stand-Up Comedy

Emily Lynne Berthold spent several years performing stand-up comedy. It helped her grow as a writer and performer, and many people enjoyed her funny style. Some fans also noticed that her voice sounded very similar to Kate McKinnon’s, which often became a fun topic in the comments.

Even though stand-up gave her valuable experience, Emily later decided it was time for a change. In a social media post shared in 2023, she explained that stepping away from live comedy made her feel happier and more comfortable with her creative work.

Instead of performing on stage, Emily began putting more energy into short comedy videos, online sketches, and creative projects. This allowed her to write, act, and share ideas in a way that better matched her personality and creative goals.

Her choice also shows that success can look different for everyone. Rather than following one path forever, Emily found the style of comedy that worked best for her. Today, she continues creating funny content while exploring new opportunities in entertainment.

Emily Lynne Berthold’s Husband and Love Life

Emily Lynne Berthold is married to Matt Leary, an illustrator, designer, former comedian, and creative business owner. He is also the co-owner of Jampson Films, a visual production company based in Brooklyn, New York.

The couple dated for several years before taking the next step. Emily often shared cheerful photos of them together on social media, while Matt also posted loving birthday messages that showed his support and admiration for her.

In August 2024, Matt surprised Emily with a marriage proposal surrounded by family and close friends, including Kate McKinnon. Emily later shared beautiful photos from the special day and wrote a heartfelt message about how much Matt had supported her through both happy and difficult times.

In her message, Emily shared that she never thought she would get married. She thanked Matt for accepting every part of her and helping her become more confident and comfortable in life. Many readers connected with her honest and thoughtful words.

The couple married in September 2025 and later shared photos and videos from their wedding. Their relationship is built on love, creativity, laughter, and support. They continue to enjoy life together while working on their own creative projects.

Her Hobbies, Pets, and Social Media

Away from work, Emily enjoys a simple and creative life. One of her biggest interests is horror movies, and she proudly calls herself a horror fan on her social media profile. She also enjoys voice acting and often shares updates about her creative work.

Animals are another important part of her life. Earlier posts mentioned that she cared for two cats, including one with heart disease and another with asthma. In more recent years, she has also shared photos of her cat Ruth and her puppy, showing how much she enjoys spending time with her pets.

Emily’s Instagram gives fans a look at her everyday life. She posts funny videos, creative ideas, behind-the-scenes moments, and family memories. She also enjoys sharing old childhood pictures with Kate, often adding playful captions that make her followers smile.

Her social media is not only about work. It also reflects her personality. Whether she is joking with Matt, sharing pet photos, or remembering childhood moments, Emily keeps her posts fun, honest, and easy to enjoy.

She also runs a YouTube channel where she has uploaded comedy clips and sketches. Although she does not post regularly, the channel gives fans another chance to see her unique style of humor and creative ideas.

Bottom Line

Emily Lynne Berthold may first catch people’s attention because she is Kate McKinnon’s sister, but her story goes much further than that. She has built a career through comedy, acting, writing, and voice work while staying true to her own creative style.

Her close bond with Kate remains one of the most loved parts of her story, but Emily has also shown that she can succeed on her own. From Notary Publix and Heads Will Roll to television roles, voice acting, and online comedy, she has created an impressive body of work.

Her happy marriage to Matt Leary, her love for animals, and her honest social media posts also give fans a better picture of who she is beyond the screen. As of 2026, Emily Lynne Berthold continues to explore new creative projects while enjoying a life filled with humor, family, and meaningful work.

(FAQs)

Is Emily Lynne Berthold married?

Yes. Emily married illustrator and designer Matt Leary in September 2025 after getting engaged in August 2024.

What does Emily Lynne Berthold do?

She works in entertainment as a comedian, actress, writer, and voice-over artist. She also creates comedy videos and online sketches.

What shows has Emily Lynne Berthold appeared in?

She is known for Notary Publix, Heads Will Roll, Friends from College, Our Cartoon President, and The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show.

Why did Emily Lynne Berthold stop doing stand-up comedy?

Emily shared in 2023 that leaving stand-up comedy made her feel happier. She now focuses more on creating comedy videos, writing, voice work, and other creative projects.

How is Emily Lynne Berthold related to Kate McKinnon?

Emily is Kate McKinnon’s younger sister. They have been close since childhood and have worked together on several comedy and audio projects.

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