Kate McKinnon first made her relationship with photographer and actress Jackie Abbott public at the 2017 Emmy Awards. Everything to know about Jackie, here!
Even America’s Funniest Woman doesn’t do it alone. Kate McKinnon, who captivates audience each week on Saturday Night Live playing everyone from Laura Ingraham to Lindsey Graham, has built an adoring, wide-ranging fan base with her unabashed character work and comedic dedication. She’ll even soon take on the role of Carole Baskin in an upcoming adaptation of the wildly popular 2020 Netflix series Tiger King; Kate is currently filming the project opposite John Cameron Mitchell as Joe Exotic.
Kate McKinnon is in a relationship with photographer and actress Jackie Abbott. (Rob Latour/Shutterstock)Kate has also become a celebrated member of the LGBTQ+ community in Hollywood since she came out in 2020. She first publicly spoke about her sexual orientation in a heartwarming moment at the 2020 Golden Globe Awards, where she presented Ellen DeGeneres with the Carol Burnett award. Holding back tears, Kate spoke about how when she was growing up in 1997 and coming to terms with her lesbian identity, watching Ellen on TV was “the only thing that made it less scary.”
Today, Kate is out, proud, and happily in love with photographer and actress Jackie Abbott. The pair, who first revealed their relationship in 2017, are both fairly private, and Kate has even spoken about her discomfort sharing personal details. But in the small moments the couple do choose to share with the world, their sweet connection is clear. Everything to know about Jackie, here!
Who Is Jackie Abbott?
Born in Stamford, Connecticut, Jackie describes herself as a “New York City actor and artist” on her website. The multi-talented creative studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she worked for Susan Sarandon and studied with Olympia Dukakis. Throughout her career, Jackie has had roles in films like Murder, My Tweet, and Sugar Tit. She even has experience clowning.
Jackie also has a passion and talent for photography, evident in her professional Instagram. With ‘JMA Photography’ Jackie captures both stunningly intimate film moments and studio-quality headshots, showing her diverse abilities with a camera. Every once in a while she even shares a sweet self-portrait like this one, where her trademark brown pixie cut always stands out.
How Did Jackie Abbott and Kate McKinnon Meet?
Though it’s unclear when Kate and Jackie first got together, Kate herself got her degree in New York City, receiving a BA in theater from Columbia University while participating in various comedy groups and theater troupes. Jackie and Kate were first seen publicly together at the Emmy Awards in 2017, where they exchanged a sweet hug after Kate was honored for her work on SNL.
The same year, they were confirmed as a couple by none other than RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage, who shared a photo of the duo and the whole Drag Race crew after Kate made an appearance on the show in 2017. Michelle described Jackie as “so sweet,” and the couple looked comfortable and relaxed with their arms around each other in the photo.
What Has Kate Said About Their Relationship?
The truth is, Kate has spoken very rarely about Jackie, but she’s spoken often about her desire to be a private person. In a cover story with GQ, she opened up about her decision to stop sharing as much from her personal life. “I just… I decided in my mid-20s that I didn’t feel comfortable sharing personal details like I had in the previous few years,” she shared. “And I just have run with that ever since.”
