Kel Mitchell is an actor, comedian, dancer, and rapper from the United States who is best known for his work in films and the Nickelodeon comedic sketch series ‘All That.’ Kel began his acting career at the age of 12 with the ETA Creative Arts Foundation and has since wowed audiences in Chicago with his comedic and dramatic performances. He landed a role on Nickelodeon’s Kid series ‘All That’s at the age of 14, where he honed his acting skills and established himself as one of the most sought-after young comic actors. Soon after, the roles began to pour in, and one big break came in the form of ‘Mystery Man,’ a satirical superhero film starring Geoffrey Rush and Ben Stiller, and Hollywood welcomed this great powerhouse of talent with open arms. He wasn’t content to just perform in TV series and movies. He’s also done voice work for a number of animated comedies and has starred in a number of music videos, including Kanye West’s ‘All Falls Down.’
Childhood and Adolescence
Kel Mitchell was born on August 25, 1978, in Chicago, Illinois. He had an interest in the performing arts since he was a child, and he used to entertain the other students at school with his mimics and other antics. His parents recognized his talent and encouraged him to pursue his ambition of becoming an actor.
The Career of Kel
Kel Mitchell began seriously studying acting at the age of 12 when he was accepted into the ETA Creative Arts Foundation, which nurtured and developed young actors like him.
His mesmerizing performances in plays like ‘Kasimu and the Coconut Palm’ and ‘Dirt’ enticed audiences in his early theatrical productions, which took place in his hometown of Chicago.
However, no performance of his would make him as well-known as his role in the Victory Gardens Theatre’s production of ‘Eden.’
One of the most well-known talent agents was in the audience and immediately contacted him. Kel was 14 years old at the time, and he was given the opportunity to fly to Florida to be a part of a Nickelodeon show. Thousands of kids attended the auditions, and Kel beat out everyone for the part that would change his life.
Kel was a part of the show ‘All That’s from its inception in 1994 to its conclusion in 1999. His on-screen chemistry with Kenan Thompson, his co-star on the show, was so popular that they were cast together in a spin-off of ‘All That’ called ‘Kenan and Kel,’ and later in a full-length feature film called ‘Good Burger.’ The film was essentially an extended version of one of the show’s best sketches.
Kel began his career as a rising Hollywood star, landing roles in films such as ‘Sister Sister’ and ‘The Steve Harvey Show,’ before landing his first major Hollywood role as the Invisible Man in the film ‘Mystery Men’ in 1999.
He starred alongside Robert De Nero, Jason Alexander, and Rene Russo in the 2000 film ‘The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle.’
As T-dog, a mild-mannered and playful dog, he provided his vocal talent for ‘Clifford the Big Red Dog.’ He was approached by Kanye West to appear in the music video for his song “All Falls Don,” in which he played a luggage collecting valet.
Kel also co-hosted a show called ‘Dance-360’ with Fredro Starr, which lasted only one season but received a lot of praise.
Kel played Manny Sellers in the popular sitcom ‘One on One,’ and then appeared in BET’s new series ‘Take the Cake’ the following year. His other notable work around the mid-decade period includes a key role in the film Honeydripper.’
He also showed up for a ‘Saturday Night Live’ audition but was passed over by Kenan Thompson. However, in 2006, an unusual incident occurred, causing death rumors to spread across social media.
In March 2008, he wrote and produced his first feature film, ‘Dance Fu,’ and later that year, he appeared in two Detroit-based productions, ‘Laundromat’ and ‘Affairs,’ alongside some well-known comics.
Other appearances around that time include G4’s ‘Attack of the Show!,’ in which he played several characters, and later in the children’s show ‘Curious George,’ in which he played a recurring character.
Mitchell made his Nickelodeon comeback with the show ‘Sam & Cat,’ in which he played a rap artist named Peezy B, and he is currently a cast member of the sitcom ‘Game Shakers,’ in which he also plays a rap superstar.
Kel made an appearance on ‘The Jimmy Fallon Show’ in September 2015, where the host forced him to reenact his role from ‘Good Burger.’
Aside from his TV appearances, he is in talks to appear in a number of films, both comedies, and musicals. In terms of his musical career, he has a number of rap singles to his credit, including ‘Watch Me Do My Thing,’ ‘We’re All Dudes,’ and ‘Pedal to the Steel.’
His songs are extremely popular among children, and he has become something of a celebrity among them thanks to his catchy lyrics.
His Personal Experiences
Kel Mitchell married Tyisha Hampton-Mitchell, his longtime girlfriend, in 2000, but the couple divorced in 2005 due to personal issues. He claims to be close to Kyra and Kenyatta, two of his sisters.
Kel married Asia Lee, his then-girlfriend, in 2012.
Kel is also a motivational speaker who gives speeches at a number of schools and colleges, encouraging students to pursue their dreams.
He’s done parodies of songs by 50 Cent and Michael Jackson, among others.
Estimated net worth
Kel Mitchell has a net worth of $3 million and is an American actor, comedian, rapper, screenwriter, producer, parodist, dancer, and musician. Mitchell’s acting job is his primary source of income.