Kate McKinnon: Relationship, Diagnosis, SNL Exit, and Projects

You’ve probably seen Kate McKinnon transform into Hillary Clinton or belt out a sci-fi parody on Saturday Night Live. But beyond the impressions and the Emmy awards, there’s a lot that people wonder about her personal life and her next moves. This article gathers verified answers to the most searched questions about McKinnon—from her relationship status and health diagnosis to why she really left SNL and what she’s up to now.

Born: January 6, 1984 ·
SNL tenure: 2012–2022 ·
Emmy Awards: 2 ·
First openly lesbian SNL cast member: Yes ·
Known for: Impressions of Hillary Clinton, Ellen DeGeneres, Justin Bieber

Five key facts, one takeaway: McKinnon built a career on transformation—from her early improv days to a decade of iconic SNL characters—while fiercely guarding her personal life.

The facts below confirm the pattern of a performer who controls her narrative.

Who is Kate McKinnon in a relationship with?

Current relationship status

As of 2026, Kate McKinnon has not publicly confirmed a current partner. She has consistently kept her romantic life private, a stance she’s maintained throughout her career. According to Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia), there is no confirmed information about a current relationship.

Past relationships

• McKinnon was in a long-term relationship with writer Jackie Abbott from 2017 to 2021 (PEOPLE, celebrity news magazine).
• She separates her private life from public attention, rarely discussing her dating history in interviews (Variety, entertainment news outlet).

The pattern: McKinnon’s romantic life remains a deliberately guarded topic—fans know less about her partner than about her characters.

What was Kate McKinnon diagnosed with?

Geographic tongue diagnosis explained

McKinnon revealed she was diagnosed with geographic tongue, a harmless inflammatory condition that makes the tongue shed in patches and look like an atlas (PEOPLE, celebrity news magazine).

How Kate McKinnon revealed her condition

She discussed the diagnosis in a 2023 interview with Allure, as reported by PEOPLE (celebrity news magazine). Geographic tongue is a benign inflammatory condition affecting the tongue’s surface—it causes no serious health risks.

The catch: by sharing her diagnosis, McKinnon turned a little-known condition into a teachable moment—and removed any stigma for others living with it.

Why did SNL get rid of Kate McKinnon?

End of SNL tenure in 2022

• She left SNL after 10 seasons in 2022 (Variety, entertainment news outlet).
• McKinnon explained in 2022 that she left because her body was tired (Variety, entertainment news outlet).

Reasons for leaving

The departure was mutual as part of regular cast turnover—she was not fired. McKinnon chose to pursue other opportunities in film and television, according to Variety (entertainment news outlet). She departed alongside Pete Davidson, Aidy Bryant, and Kyle Mooney.

The implication: the “body was tired” comment reveals the sheer physical toll of sketch comedy—McKinnon’s exit was about burnout, not bad blood.

What is Kate McKinnon doing today?

Post-SNL projects

Since leaving SNL, McKinnon has kept busy. She starred in the 2023 film Barbie as Weird Barbie and voiced a role in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Deadline, film industry news outlet). In 2025, she promoted the children’s book Secrets of the Purple Pearl, the second book in her Millicent Quibb series (PEOPLE, celebrity news magazine).

Upcoming movies and shows

• She stars in The Roses alongside Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch (Deadline, film industry news outlet).
• Her drama In the Blink of an Eye, directed by Andrew Stanton, premiered at Sundance 2026 and streams on February 27, 2026 (Deadline, film industry news outlet).
• Future projects include The Wrong Girls and a third season of Disney+’s Jackson and Olymp (Deadline, film industry news outlet).

Why this matters: McKinnon is building a post-SNL identity that spans film, animation, and children’s literature—a deliberate shift from weekly sketch comedy to long-form storytelling.

Are Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon friends?

Their collaboration in The Spy Who Dumped Me

McKinnon co-starred with Mila Kunis in the 2018 action comedy The Spy Who Dumped Me (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

Real-life friendship

Both have expressed mutual admiration in interviews. Mila Kunis described Kate as “one of the funniest and most genuine people I’ve ever worked with” (Time interview, 2018, as cited in Variety, entertainment news outlet). They remain on good terms and occasionally promote each other’s work.

The trade-off: a movie friendship that began on set has evolved into a genuine Hollywood bond—rare in an industry where co-star relationships often end after the final take.

Timeline of Kate McKinnon’s career and health

Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

• Kate McKinnon was a cast member on SNL from 2012 to 2022 (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
• She is openly lesbian (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
• She was diagnosed with geographic tongue and spoke about it publicly in 2023 (PEOPLE, celebrity news magazine)
• She co-starred with Mila Kunis in The Spy Who Dumped Me (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

What’s unclear

• Current romantic relationship status is not publicly known (Variety, entertainment news outlet)
• Specific reasons for leaving SNL beyond “my body was tired” and desire to pursue new projects are not officially detailed (Variety, entertainment news outlet)

Perspectives from colleagues and McKinnon herself

“I’m so tired. My body is tired.”

Kate McKinnon on her SNL departure, Live With Kelly and Ryan, as reported by Variety, entertainment news outlet

“One of the funniest and most genuine people I’ve ever worked with.”

Mila Kunis on working with Kate McKinnon, Time, as cited by Variety, entertainment news outlet

“It makes your tongue shed in patches. It looks like an atlas.”

Kate McKinnon on geographic tongue, PEOPLE, celebrity news magazine

For fans hoping for a return to SNL, McKinnon’s packed slate makes one thing clear: her future is in film and books, not sketch comedy. The decision to leave after a decade was physically driven, and the projects she’s chosen since show a deliberate move toward long-form storytelling. McKinnon has turned the page on live sketch comedy for good.

Kate McKinnon has been open about her geographic tongue diagnosis, and Kate McKinnons geographic tongue diagnosis explores that alongside her SNL departure.

Frequently asked questions