Kelli Ogmundson gives comedy gold opposite superstar Joel McHale in FOX’s new workplace comedy Animal Control. The show showcases animals like ostriches, lions, kangaroos, and alpacas alongside an all-star cast including Michael Rowland, Vella Lovell, Ravi Patel, Grace Palmer, Gerry Dee, and Alvina August. Her role entails playing the receptionist Dolores Stubbs at the Animal Control precinct. When Kelli first got the news she had been cast, she was ecstatic, “I did my classic move, which is to just stand on my couch. I’m very short, so I like to get up high for good news.” Before landing on the hit comedy series, Kelli had been working hard to get her career to this point, performing and making people laugh from a young age. Growing up near Vancouver, BC, she started doing Improv in high school and participated and played at the National Canadian Improv Games tournament. That same year she started doing musical theater after watching her best friend do a musical with a local performing arts program. Kelli was hooked and went on to attend university after high school, graduating with honors from the Musical Theatre Program. “Theatre school was great and definitely affirmed that this is exactly what I want to do with my life,” she says. “I also have been doing improv just as long, and I have found it such a helpful tool in my career. For the last 7 years, I was able to do a weekly improv show in Vancouver, which was both fun and a great way to keep up performing in between jobs!”
Kelli’s first notable project was appearing in the 200th episode of The CW’s massively successful series Supernatural, which was a love letter to the fans titled “Fan Fiction.” The episode was about a high school putting on a Supernatural musical, and Kelli played the dad, John Winchester. Kelli’s career took off from there, and she would land roles on such projects as Netflix’s Haters Back Off starring Colleen Ballinger, a series lead as the villain Cleo on Netflix’s Phantom Pups, and a recurring guest star on Global TV/CW’s Family Law working alongside Canadian icons Jewel Staite and Victor Garber. In 2019, Kelli happened to be in Toronto for a comedy festival when they were auditioning for CBC’s Cavendish and booked the series lead role of Bryn, the odd and deadpan niece of Mark and Andy’s new girlfriend who has a passion for drawing soft-core wolf manga. When asked about her most memorable projects to date, she states, “Animal Control is such an amazing opportunity and already has taken a special place in my heart. There was also a Canadian television series on CBC that was my first series lead, Cavendish. We had just one season, but I am still so massively proud of the work I did on that show, and it was such a fantastic team that really valued our input. We tried different jokes in between takes and had so much room to improvise. I’m still so grateful for that job!”
Kelli is setting the tone for her characters on television and film; however, one of the inspirations for her career was Amy Sedaris. She remembers watching her as a teenager and thinking this is it. “I love a blend of comedy, weirdo, and some heart. In general, the weirdos in my life, that I grew up with, that I see on TV,” she says. When asked what acting means to her, Kelli answer’s “a little bringing a character to life, a little creating a reality, a little being a court jester.” Kelli has had numerous successful projects to date but dreams of being in a series such as White Lotus, as she’s a massive fan of Mike White. “I’d love to work with him on White Lotus or whatever endeavor he works on next. That and the new A League of Their Own series. I love every single actor on that show, and I want to work with them all.”
In an industry that can be unforgiving sometimes, Kelli stresses the importance of self-care. “I’m a huge fan of therapy. Taking care of your mental health is so important in a business that can really be hard on your self-esteem and the whole system. Also, don’t read reviews, drink a diet coke, go for a walk.”
Kelli is currently riding the highs of being on a hugely successful series, but admits she takes pleasure in the little things. “I’m a simple gal. Friends, family, doing silly little watercolors, The Real Housewives, Richard Kind cameo appearances, painting my doors pink, my chubby ol’ rescue cat Bruce, and when it’s sunny outside, but cold!”
Catch Kelli Ogmundson on Animal Control Thursdays on FOX and follow her on Instagram @kelliogs.
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Kelli Ogmundson of FOX’s “Animal Control” Jokes about Working with a Host of Critters, What Self-Care Means to Her, and the Joys of Doing Improv. Photo Credit: The Portrait Sessions.
