You Probably Recognize Abby Elliott’s Dad From “Schitt’s Creek” and “Saturday Night Live”

Abby’s parents have led impressive careers. Her father, Chris, was both a writer and cast member on “Late Night With David Letterman” during the 1980s before he went on to join the cast of “Saturday Night Live” in 1994. After leaving the show in 1995, Chris appeared in hit shows like “Everybody Loves Raymond” and “How I Met Your Mother,” as well as films like “Nutty Professor II,” “Scary Movie 2,” and “Scary Movie 4.” Most recently, he played Roland Schitt on “Schitt’s Creek” from 2015 to 2020.

As for Abby’s mother, Paula has acted in movies like “Clara’s Ghost” and “Paper Anchor” and has also worked behind the scenes as a talent coordinator on “Late Night With David Letterman,” where she met Chris. Since the talk show helped bring the couple together, Chris said he “cried” when he heard that Letterman was stepping down from “The Late Show” in 2015. “It was the end of an era for me,” Chris told The Daily Beast in December 2018. “I met my wife at ‘Letterman.’ I started my career there. I met my best friend [and writing partner] Adam Resnick there. Dave gave me the job, gave me the income to, at a very young age, to set up a household, to own a home, to get married, to have kids.”

After Chris and Paula fell in love on the show, the stars got married in 1986 and then welcomed Abby on June 16, 1987. Their second daughter, Bridey, arrived on July 27, 1990.

While making an appearance on “Larry King Now” in January 2020, Abby said she had “the best” childhood because her father would always make her and her sister laugh. “He was so funny at home,” she said. “He used to pick us up from school with a sign that said ‘Elliot’ like he was our chauffeur.”

As a kid, Abby also remembered often visiting her dad on the set of his sitcoms. “I remember it being the most exciting thing in the world,” the actor said in a May 2020 interview with Backstage. “He shot ‘Get a Life’ – I don’t think he shot it in front of a live audience, but in my memory, there were a million people around. In reality, it was probably a very chill atmosphere, but as a kid, I interpreted it as the most exciting, glittery experience.”

Naturally, Abby had the urge to become an actor, too. She told the publication she got her first acting experience by appearing on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” as well as doing voiceover work on “King of the Hill.” Afterward, she auditioned for “SNL” to get more experience, but didn’t think she would land the role due to her being so young. So, when she actually got cast, Abby was shocked, to say the least. “I skipped a couple of steps. I didn’t have 10 years of Groundlings experience, I was 21 and got thrown into this crazy, fast-paced environment,” she said. Abby was the youngest woman to ever be hired as a cast member on the show.

After Abby nailed her audition for “SNL” and got offered a role in the show, Chris warned his daughter that she would see a “sh*tstorm of nepotism bullsh*t online” since he was an alum. While he was proud of her getting cast, he also told Abby that she shouldn’t feel pressured to accept the job if she wasn’t totally up for it. “I remember telling her, it’s so great you got this job, you got this offer, it’s all wonderful. But you don’t have to do it,” he told The Daily Beast in December 2018. “Of course, she wanted to do it and of course, she was going to do it, but that’s really the only advice I’ve ever given her. And Bridey, too.”

The 2018 comedy drama “Clara’s Ghost” was a family affair for the Elliotts. Abby, Bridey, Chris, and Paula all starred in the movie, which was also written and directed by Bridey. The film, which was shot at Chris and Paula’s real-life home, centers around a woman named Clara who is surrounded by her self-absorbed, famous husband and daughters. After being constantly belittled by her family, Clara finds comfort in a ghost that’s haunting her. “It’s definitely semi-autobiographical about our lives and us being three actors in the business and my mom is our caretaker,” Abby told The Hollywood Reporter in December 2017.

According to CBS News, “Clara’s Ghost” marked Paula’s first acting role in 30 years. Since she has mainly worked behind the scenes, Paula said starring in the film was a “very intimidating” experience for her. “I told Bridey she could fire me if I sucked. I meant it and I wouldn’t have any hard feelings about it,” Paula told Cultured Vultures in February 2018. However, Paula said her daughter was “very supportive” of her picking up acting again.

While working with family members can sometimes be complicated, the Elliotts genuinely enjoyed having each other in the film. “There’s no one we’d rather do press with or hang out all day and have a good shorthand with,” Abby said about her experience teaming up with her parents and sister.