Vanessa Bayer (born November 14, 1981) is an American actress and comedian, widely known for her work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live (SNL) from 2010 to 2017. During her time on the show, she was nominated for an Emmy Award. Bayer co-created and co-executive produced the Showtime comedy I Love That for You, in which she also starred, drawing on her personal experience as a childhood leukemia survivor.
In addition to her work on SNL, Bayer has appeared in several films, including Trainwreck (2015), Office Christmas Party (2016), Carrie Pilby (2016), Ibiza (2018), and Wander Darkly (2020).
Born in Orange, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, Bayer was raised in Moreland Hills. She is of Jewish descent, and has mentioned that her upbringing had a strong influence on both her life and comedy. At the age of 15, she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and her experience with the disease gave her a unique perspective on humor and its ability to provide relief during tough times.
Bayer graduated from Orange High School in 2000 and went on to study communications and French at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 2004.
