"Orville Willis Forte IV, renowned American comedian and actor, rose to prominence during his eight-season tenure on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" (2002-2010). His iconic recurring character, "MacGruber," transitioned from the sketch show to a feature film in 2010 and a streaming series in 2021. Forte's creative genius extended to creating and starring in the sitcom "The Last Man on Earth" (2015-2018), garnering him three Primetime Emmy Award nominations."
June 17, 1970: Birth of Will Forte
On June 17, 1970, Orville Willis Forte IV, known professionally as Will Forte, was born. He would go on to have a successful career as a comedian and actor.
1988: Forte Graduates High School
Will Forte graduates from Acalanes High School, where he was voted "Best Personality" by his peers.
2001: Forte Discovered by Lorne Michaels
While performing with The Groundlings, Will Forte was spotted by "Saturday Night Live" creator Lorne Michaels, leading to his eventual casting on the show.
2002: Start of Saturday Night Live Tenure and "Clone High"
Will Forte joined the cast of "Saturday Night Live" at the beginning of its twenty-eighth season. He also began voicing Abraham Lincoln on the animated series "Clone High" this year.
2004: Forte Nearly Fired from "Saturday Night Live"
After struggling to find his footing on the show, Will Forte was almost fired from "Saturday Night Live" after his third season.
January 2007: First "MacGruber" Sketch Airs
The world was introduced to Will Forte's now-iconic character MacGruber when the first sketch featuring the bumbling special operative aired.
2007: "The Brothers Solomon" and Forte's Early Film Career
Will Forte co-starred in and wrote the film "The Brothers Solomon", released this year. The film's origins can be traced back to a pilot for Carsey-Werner.
2009: "MacGruber" Super Bowl Commercials
"MacGruber" transitioned from "Saturday Night Live" sketch to Super Bowl commercial with a series of Pepsi ads featuring the character, increasing his popularity.
2009: Filming of "MacGruber"
Will Forte and his collaborators shot the "MacGruber" film in Albuquerque, New Mexico, juggling the production with their ongoing work on "Saturday Night Live".
May 2010: Release of "MacGruber"
The "MacGruber" film premiered in theaters, but unfortunately, it received mixed reviews and performed poorly at the box office.
2010: "MacGruber" Film Release and Departure from "Saturday Night Live"
May 2010 saw the release of "MacGruber", a film based on Forte's popular "Saturday Night Live" sketch. Forte also departed from "Saturday Night Live" this year after an eight-season run.
2010: Forte Experiences "Lost Period" After "Saturday Night Live"
Will Forte left "Saturday Night Live", a decision that he later admitted came with regret and a period of uncertainty about his career path.
2013: Forte Stars in "Nebraska"
Breaking away from his comedic roles, Will Forte starred in the drama film "Nebraska".
2013: Run & Jump Film Debut
In 2013, Will Forte took on his first dramatic role in the film "Run & Jump," directed by Steph Green.
2013: The Last Man on Earth Beginnings
Will Forte began working on the sitcom "The Last Man on Earth" in 2013 with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
2014: The Last Man on Earth Picked Up
In 2014, "The Last Man on Earth" was picked up by Fox.
February 2015: OCD Discussion
In February 2015, Will Forte discussed his experiences with OCD in an article about him and "The Last Man on Earth."
2015: The Last Man on Earth Premieres
"The Last Man on Earth" premiered in 2015 to positive responses and was renewed for three more seasons.
2015: Relationship with January Jones
Will Forte dated his "Last Man on Earth" co-star January Jones in 2015.
2015: Premiere of "The Last Man on Earth"
Will Forte created and began starring in the sitcom "The Last Man on Earth", which premiered this year.
2016: Keanu Role
Will Forte played Hulka in the comedy "Keanu" in 2016.
2018: Conclusion of "The Last Man on Earth"
After a successful run, "The Last Man on Earth", the sitcom created by and starring Will Forte, concluded this year.
2018: A Futile and Stupid Gesture and Scoob!
In 2018, Will Forte starred as Doug Kenney in the Netflix film "A Futile and Stupid Gesture" and voiced Shaggy Rogers in "Scoob!".
2018: Meeting Olivia Modling
Will Forte met Olivia Modling in 2018.
2019: Engagement to Olivia Modling
Will Forte became engaged to Olivia Modling in 2019.
February 2021: Birth of Daughter
Will Forte's daughter was born in February 2021.
July 31, 2021: Marriage to Olivia Modling
Will Forte married Olivia Modling on July 31, 2021.
2021: "MacGruber" TV Series Premiere
"MacGruber" returned to screens as a streaming television limited series this year.
2021: Sweet Tooth, MacGruber, and The Great North
Will Forte starred in "Sweet Tooth," reprised his role as MacGruber in a TV series, and began voicing Wolf Tobin in "The Great North," all in 2021.
2022: Win or Lose Announced
Will Forte was announced as the voice of Coach Dan in Disney and Pixar's "Win or Lose" in 2022.
2023: Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
Will Forte voices an older version of the titular character in "Scott Pilgrim Takes Off," released in late 2023.
2024: Win or Lose Premiere
"Win or Lose" is set to premiere on Disney+ in 2024.