Maya Rudolph’s parents are entertainment legends, but “didn’t have a direct line” to making it big

When you think about it, everyone is someone’s nepo baby, including Saturday night live icon Maya Rudolph. However, as she shared in an episode Dax Shepard‘S Armchair expert podcast published on Monday, it doesn’t really matter if you didn’t study the same subject your parents excelled at.

Rudolph, 51, is the daughter of a successful musician and songwriter Richard Rudolph and the late Minnie Riperton, best known for her single “Lovin’ You.”

“They were musicians,” she said, explaining that despite her parents’ success, she was still unsuccessful. “They are not actors.”

“My trajectory was, I wanted to get to New York and I wanted to continue Saturday night live.”

“It was a huge undertaking,” she said. “I didn’t think, ‘Oh, my dad writes songs, that’s going to make me a comedian.’ There is no direct line. I knew I had to get there myself.”

Rudolph was only six years old when Riperton died of breast cancer in 1979 at the age of 31. “So when I started working SNL, people didn’t really know she was my mother and then they found out,” Rudolph said. “So look, when you’re a kid and your mom dies, you don’t want people to know that.”

“I will never forget her youth,” she added.

Rudolph began his early career with the legendary improv group The Groundlings after a seven-year run. Saturday night livefrom 2000 to 2007, starring in films such as bridesmaidsand is currently leading PillageThe second season will premiere in May on Apple TV+.

However, one place where Rudolph’s relationships and friendships came in handy was in having the best co-workers ever. She discusses working with old friends like Melissa McCarthy And Nat Faxonas SNL costar Tina Fey And Amy Poehlerfor what she describes as “play” and “team sport” with teammates she knows and trusts.

“As much as I want to feel good, I want to feel safe,” she said. “I think I improved after having Pearl when I had my oldest daughter. I remember thinking how difficult it was to work away from home when I had children at home and how painful it was. If you’re doing something that doesn’t feel good. And so I remember teaching myself, when you’re out in the world, make sure you’re happy with what you’re doing because you’d rather be home with her. It must be worth it. And that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to achieve, but it’s certainly the goal. And if you can do that, it will make a world of difference. Furthermore, we also had the opportunity to meet a lot of funny people.”