Biography
Who is Akiva Schaffer?
Early Life and Education
Akiva Schaffer was born in Berkeley, California, in the United States, on December 1, 1977. His parents were Jewish and came from New York. He attended Berkeley High School during his younger years.
Akiva furthered his education at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He graduated from the university in 2000 with a degree focused on film. After his college graduation, he moved to Los Angeles with childhood friends Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone.
The Lonely Island's Origins
In Los Angeles, Akiva and his friends began creating comedy videos. The trio formed the comedy music group called The Lonely Island. The name was inspired by a play Akiva wrote, which was named after their apartment.
Akiva started his career directing videos for Channel 101, including The Lonely Island's record-breaking contribution, The 'Bu. This project was a parody of The OC, featuring Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and actress Sarah Chalke. Akiva also contributed to several other Channel 101 productions with The Lonely Island.
Saturday Night Live and Digital Shorts
In the fall of 2005, Akiva Schaffer was hired by Saturday Night Live. He joined the show as a writer, and the trio pioneered the digital short format during their time there. He directed, co-wrote, and edited most of the SNL Digital Shorts.
Akiva helped create many popular sketches and songs for Saturday Night Live. These included "Lazy Sunday," "I Just Had Sex," "I'm on a Boat," and "Dick in a Box." He won an Emmy Award in 2007 for his work on "Dick in a Box" and was nominated for another Emmy for the song "Motherlover." He also received two Writers Guild of America Awards and a Peabody Award for his contributions to the show.
Film and Television Career
After his time at Saturday Night Live, Akiva Schaffer directed several films. These include "Hot Rod" in 2007, "The Watch" starring Ben Stiller, and "Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping," which he also co-wrote and co-starred in. More recently, he directed the Disney film "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers," released in 2022. He is also set to direct "The Naked Gun."
Akiva has produced numerous TV shows and movies. His producing credits include "MacGruber," "Pen15," "I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson," and "Palm Springs." The Lonely Island also released albums such as "Incredibad," "Turtleneck & Chain," and "The Wack Album." Their song "Everything is Awesome" from The Lego Movie was certified platinum and nominated for an Oscar in 2015. Akiva also directed music videos for We Are Scientists and Eagles of Death Metal. He co-directed "Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special" for Netflix.
Personal Life and Family
Akiva Schaffer is married to comedy writer and actress Liz Cackowski. Together, they have two children. He also co-hosts The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast with Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Seth Meyers, where they discuss the SNL Digital Shorts.
Birthday and age
Akiva Schaffer was born on December 1, 1977, which makes Akiva 48 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Akiva shares the date with 50 other famous people.
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