Molly Shannon’s Husband Fritz Chestnut: Meet the ‘SNL’ Star’s Spouse

Former ‘Saturday Night Live’ cast member Molly Shannon has been married to her spouse since 2004. Get to know him here. Molly Shannon is an actress and comedian best known for her long stint on “Saturday Night Live.”

Molly was a member of the main cast of the hit comedy series from 1995 to 2001. Since leaving “SNL,” she has continued acting and started a family with her husband, Fritz Chestnut.

Molly Shannon returns to her old stomping grounds on April 8 to host Saturday Night Live, and she was so excited that she appeared in a fun new promotional video days before.

In the video, the 58-year-old actress and comedian entered the famous set, only to discover that it was empty. “Where is everybody?” she asked.

A crew worker then noticed Molly and informed her that the cast didn’t show up at Studio 8H, NBC Studios, in Manhattan until Saturday. Molly decided to stay at the venue until Saturday to make sure she was “ready… for the big show” after the good man ushered her out.

Molly was part of the main cast of Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2001, playing the neurotic and accident-prone Mary Katherine Gallagher.

After leaving, she continued to pursue entertainment through acting and film, with 2004’s Scary Movie 4, The Other Two, and 2023’s A Good Person, in which she played Florence Pugh’s mother, among her most notable projects.

After her time on SNL, Molly began a new chapter by getting married and starting a family. Read on to learn more about Molly Shannon’s spouse of nearly two decades, Fritz Chestnut.

Fritz is an artist

According to his website, Fritz was born in 1973 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 1995, he earned his BA from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and in 1997, he earned his MFA from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.

Fritz doesn’t often share content on social media, but when he does, it’s usually his artwork. His Instagram page shows that he likes to make abstract art on canvas using acrylic and enamel.

Participated in the 2022 UCSC Arts Advocacy Council Summit as an arts advocate.

According to its official description, the council represents all artistic disciplines and works to ensure that the University of California, Santa Cruz is “at the forefront of necessary change in the creative industries.”

Fritz is an involved father

Molly and Fritz married in 2004 after being introduced by Jane Pratt, a mutual acquaintance, in 2000.

“The whole time I was on SNL, I never thought about the kids. I was focused on my work. In a late 2000s interview with Page Six magazine, Molly revealed that she was looking for a “serious boyfriend who could become my husband and with whom she could have children.”

They welcomed their first daughter, Stella, before their wedding in 2003. In 2005, Molly and Fritz welcomed a son named Nolan.

Fritz seemed to enjoy being a father and was actively involved in his education. As seen below, Molly marked Father’s Day in June 2022 on Instagram by posting a throwback photo of her husband reading Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham to her kids before bed.

Fritz also helped Stella catch waves in 2020 and uploaded a video of her success online.

“Yes, Estela!!!! Wow!! “Proud dad moment!” he captioned the video of her riding a wave to land.

Fritz supports social causes

Fritz supported the Black Lives Matter movement during the 2020 protests.

“Listening more than talking right now,” he said in the caption accompanying a BLM sign. “I have a lot to learn and I intend to change my perspective to help in my children’s education. Neutrality is insufficient.”

At the time, he attended a peaceful march with Stella and vowed to teach his children about white privilege.

“My 16-year-old daughter and I marched for Black Lives Matter in Hollywood yesterday for an hour and a half,” he explained. “Only a peaceful demonstration was observed. I intend to teach my children the meaning of systemic racism and white privilege. The white silence must end. Racist Trump must resign.”