Bowen Yang

Bowen Yang is an American comedian, actor, podcaster, and writer born in Brisbane, Australia, and raised in part in Canada and the United States.

Bowen Yang is an American comedian, actor, podcaster, and writer. He was born in Brisbane, Australia, and raised in part in Canada and the United States. He became widely known as a cast member and writer on Saturday Night Live and later gained recognition for roles in film, television, and podcasting.

Early life and background

Bowen Yang was born on November 6, 1990, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, to Chinese immigrant parents. Sources describe him as having spent part of his childhood in Canada and Colorado, before later building his career in the United States.

Saturday Night Live

Yang joined the SNL writing staff in 2018 and became a featured player in 2019. He later advanced to repertory status and was noted for memorable characters and impressions. He was the first SNL featured player to receive a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for acting.

Other work

Outside SNL, Yang has worked in acting, podcasting, and writing. He is known as the co-host of the podcast Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers. He has appeared in film and television projects including Wicked, High Maintenance, Isn’t It Romantic, and Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens.

Recognition

Yang received major recognition for his work on SNL, including becoming the first featured player on the show to earn an Emmy acting nomination. He was also named among Time's 100 most influential people in 2021.