Before SNL 25, Molly Shannon had a struggling career in films. She gained notice as Meg in the present day sequences in the horror film remake of Phantom of the Opera: The Motion Picture with Robert Englund and Jill Schoelen, which was a major hit in 1989. Her big break came in 1995 when she joined the cast of SNL 25, where she played various characters, the best known of which was Mary Katharine Gallagher. After her departure from SNL she refocused on a film career. She again played Mary Katharine Gallagher in Superstar and had a supporting role in Never Been Kissed. Her more recent films include How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Shallow Hal, The Santa Clause 2: The Mrs. Clause, Serendipity and Osmosis Jones.
Presented at the 2000 GLAAD Media Awards for films and TV shows that accurately portray gay and lesbian characters. Graduated from Hawken School in Chesterland, Ohio, June 1983, where she was a classmate of actress Greer Goodman. Was in a car crash at age 4 that killed her 34 year old mother, her 3 year old sister, and a 25 year old cousin. She has used that as a motivation for her life. Graduated from NYU in 1987. Dated songwriter and guitarist James Patrick Whalen Jr.. Appeared in Sheryl Crow's 1997 video "A Change Would Do You Good" Had a uncredited cameo in Shallow Hal as Hal's mother. Became engaged to Fritz Chesnut - an artist. [March 2003] Molly & Fritz welcomed their first child, a girl named Stella Shannon Chestnut. [28 September 2003] BFA in Drama - New York University, Tisch School of the Arts (1987) Broke up with longtime boyfriend screenwriter Neal Brennan. [1998] Had a second baby, a boy, named Nolan Shannon Chesnut [15 March 2005] Wore an off-white "garden dress" designed by SNL wardrobe department head Dale Richards in her May 2004 wedding to Fritz Chesnut. She is from the neighborhood in Ohio as Paul Newman, Fred Willard and David Wain.