Bill Hader Biography 2026: Age, Height, Wife, Career, Saturday Night Live, Barry & The Cat in the Hat Net Worth

Bill Hader is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and director best known for his eight seasons on Saturday Night Live, his Emmy-winning HBO series Barry, and his voice work across Pixar and DreamWorks animation. In 2026, Hader is back in the spotlight as the voice of the titular feline in the animated remake of The Cat in the Hat, while also preparing his feature directorial debut, the horror film They Know. From Tulsa, Oklahoma to Hollywood’s A-list, here is everything to know about his age, height, family, career, awards, and net worth.

Quick Facts

Fans who follow Bill Hader often also search for Fred Armisen, Seth Meyers, John Mulaney, Kristen Wiig, Andy Samberg, Amy Schumer, Quinta Brunson, and Bowen Yang — fellow Saturday Night Live alumni, collaborators, and contemporary comedy voices.

Early Life & Education

William Thomas Hader Jr. was born on June 7, 1978, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His father, Bill Hader Sr., worked in air cargo, managed restaurants, drove trucks, and occasionally performed stand-up comedy. His mother, Sherri, was a dance teacher. He has two younger sisters, Katie and Kara. His ancestry includes Danish, English, German, and Irish roots.

Hader attended Patrick Henry Elementary School, Edison Junior High, and Cascia Hall Preparatory School in Tulsa. He says he “had a hard time focusing in class” and “was always joking around,” filling his time watching movies and reading. He loved Monty Python, British comedy, and the films of Woody Allen and Mel Brooks, many of which his father showed him. He made short films with friends and starred in a school production of The Glass Menagerie.

Unable to gain admission to top film schools because of what he called his “abysmal” grades, Hader enrolled at The Art Institute of Phoenix and later Scottsdale Community College. At Scottsdale, he met Nicholas Jasenovec, who later directed Paper Heart (2009). His first job was as a Christmas tree salesman, and he worked as an usher at a Tempe cinema — until he was fired for spoiling the ending of Titanic (1997) for unruly viewers.

In May 2024, Hader gave the commencement speech at Chapman University and received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree.

Career Journey

From Production Assistant to SNL

Hader moved to Los Angeles in 1999 to pursue filmmaking, working as a production assistant on films including James Dean (2001), Spider-Man (2002), and Collateral Damage (2002), and on the documentary Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy (2004). He also worked as a post-production assistant on VH1’s The Surreal Life and briefly as a PA and stage manager on Playboy TV’s Night Calls, a job he soon quit.

After a bad experience shooting The Scorpion King (2002), Hader quit being a PA altogether. He took a night-time assistant editor job at Triage Entertainment and invested in his own short film, which he was too embarrassed to release. Desperate for a change, he began attending improvisational comedy classes at the Second City in Los Angeles in March 2003. There he formed a sketch group called Animals From The Future with Matt Offerman, Eric Filipkowski, and Mel Cowan. Matt’s brother, actor Nick Offerman, told his wife Megan Mullally about the group. Mullally saw one of their backyard shows and recommended Hader to Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels.

Breakthrough on Saturday Night Live

Hader joined Saturday Night Live as a featured player in 2005, debuting on October 1, 2005. He spent eight seasons on the show, through 2013, and received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations. He became known as the show’s “impressions guy,” impersonating figures including Vincent Price, Keith Morrison, Al Pacino, Clint Eastwood, and Charlie Sheen. His most famous creation was Stefon, the flamboyant Weekend Update New York City nightclub tour guide — originally based on people he and writer John Mulaney met in New York.

Hader made his film debut in You, Me and Dupree (2006) and followed with supporting roles in Superbad (2007), Knocked Up (2007), Hot Rod (2007), Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), Adventureland (2009), and The BFG (2016). He had leading roles in The Skeleton Twins (2014) and Trainwreck (2015), and played adult Richie Tozier in It Chapter Two (2019).

Voice Acting and Barry

Hader’s extensive voice work includes Flint Lockwood in the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs films, a gazelle in Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Professor Impossible in The Venture Brothers, Fear in Pixar’s Inside Out (2015), and BB-8 vocal consulting on Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). He also voiced characters in Monsters University, Finding Dory, Sausage Party, Toy Story 4, Lightyear, and The Angry Birds Movie franchise.

In 2018, Hader co-created and began starring in the HBO dark comedy Barry with Alec Berg, playing the title role of Barry Berkman while also serving as writer, director, and producer. He received eight Emmy nominations for the series and won two for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, in 2018 and 2019. He also co-created and starred in the IFC mockumentary Documentary Now! (2015–2022) with Fred Armisen and Seth Meyers, and earned an Emmy nomination for a guest role in Curb Your Enthusiasm (2022).

The Cat in the Hat and They Know

In March 2024, it was announced that Hader would star in and executive produce an animated remake of Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat, voicing the titular character. The film also stars Quinta Brunson, Xochitl Gomez, and Bowen Yang. In 2026, Hader appeared at press events for the film, including a rare comment about his daughters’ reactions to seeing it. He had previously played a version of the Cat in a dark 2014 SNL sketch that he had nearly forgotten.

On April 13, 2026, Hader began production on his feature directorial debut, They Know, a horror film he also wrote and will star in. He was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in June 2023. In February 2025, he declined an invitation to appear on the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special due to scheduling conflicts.

Career Stats

• First screen credit: Production assistant, Empire of Dreams (2004)
• Breakthrough role: Cast member, Saturday Night Live (2005–2013)
• Signature character: Stefon on Weekend Update
• Major series: Barry (2018–2023), Documentary Now! (2015–2022)
• Emmy wins: 2 (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Barry, 2018 and 2019)
• Emmy nominations: 12+ across SNL, Barry, and Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Peabody Award: 2008, for Saturday Night Live
• Upcoming projects: The Cat in the Hat (2026), They Know (2026)

Personal Life

• Marital status: Divorced; married Maggie Carey from 2006 to 2018.
• Children: Three daughters with Maggie Carey.
• Parents: Bill Hader Sr. and Sherri Hader.
• Siblings: Sisters Katie and Kara.
• Home base: Los Angeles, California.

Dating History and Affairs

After his divorce from Maggie Carey was finalized in 2018, Hader has kept his romantic life largely private. He has not publicly confirmed any serious relationship since then. As of late 2026, there is no publicly known partner, and his dating status remains private.

Controversies

Hader has no major scandals on record through 2026. He has spoken openly about the difficulty of leaving Saturday Night Live after eight seasons, telling reporters in 2013, “Maybe it’s just time to go,” and adding, “It was a hard decision, but it has to happen at some point.” He left because the constant travel between New York and Los Angeles was difficult for his children. Aside from that, he declined the SNL 50th Anniversary Special in 2025 due to scheduling conflicts, which drew some fan attention but no lasting controversy.

Awards & Achievements

• Primetime Emmy Award (2018): Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Barry.
• Primetime Emmy Award (2019): Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Barry.
• Peabody Award (2008): For Saturday Night Live.
• Primetime Emmy Nominations: Four for Saturday Night Live; eight for Barry; one for Curb Your Enthusiasm (2022).
• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: Invited to join in June 2023.
• Chapman University: Honorary Doctor of Arts and commencement speaker, May 2024.

Physical Statistics

• Height: Not publicly disclosed
• Weight: Not publicly disclosed
• Hair color: Brown
• Eye color: Blue
• Build: Average; known for his expressive face and physical comedy

Quotes

“Maybe it’s just time to go.”

— Bill Hader, on leaving Saturday Night Live (2013)

“It was a hard decision, but it has to happen at some point.”

— Bill Hader, on leaving Saturday Night Live (2013)

He also described his comedy approach as being “always joking around” growing up, using humor as a way to fit in.

Favorites

• Comedy influences: Woody Allen, Monty Python, Mel Brooks, Eddie Murphy
• Collaborators: Fred Armisen, Seth Meyers, John Mulaney, Alec Berg
• Directorial influences: Billy Wilder, Akira Kurosawa, Robert Altman
• Creative outlet: Improvisational comedy at the Second City

Earnings

Bill Hader’s exact salary and net worth have not been made public. His income comes from acting fees, writing and directing work, producing credits, and voice acting. With Barry‘s success, his Emmy wins, and his role in The Cat in the Hat (2026), his earning power remains substantial, though no confirmed net worth figure is available.

He does not appear to run a major side business, though his production and directing work on Barry, Documentary Now!, and They Know add to his revenue streams beyond acting fees.

Interesting Facts

• He was fired from a cinema job for spoiling the ending of Titanic for customers.
• He formed a sketch comedy group called Animals From The Future that performed backyard shows in Van Nuys.
• He was a production assistant on Spider-Man (2002) and Collateral Damage (2002).
• He supplied BB-8 vocal consulting for Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).
• He declined the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special in 2025.
• He received an honorary Doctor of Arts from Chapman University in 2024.
• He voiced Fear in Pixar’s Inside Out (2015) but did not return for Inside Out 2.

Did You Know Already?

• His full name is William Thomas Hader Jr., and he was born on June 7, 1978, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
• He is 48 years old in 2026.
• He was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2005 to 2013.
• He co-created, wrote, directed, and starred in HBO’s Barry.
• He won two consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
• He voices the Cat in the 2026 animated remake of The Cat in the Hat.

Social Media Links

• IMDb: imdb.com/name/nm0358418
• Instagram: Private; no official handle has been confirmed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Bill Hader has built one of the most versatile careers in modern comedy, moving from Saturday Night Live impressions to Emmy-winning drama on Barry and now to family animation with The Cat in the Hat and horror directing with They Know. With his directorial debut arriving in 2026 and a steady stream of projects ahead, Hader’s Hollywood journey is far from over.

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