Emily Lynne Berthold is an American stand-up comedian and voiceover artist who works under the name Emily Lynne. She is the sister of actress and comedian Kate McKinnon, and the two have written and performed together since childhood. Their best-known joint project is the 2019 Audible comedy series Heads Will Roll.
Emily keeps a much lower profile than her sister, so details about her life are limited. This article covers what her projects, press coverage and public posts show. It also marks any detail that no reliable source confirms. That approach keeps the story accurate and respects her privacy.
Emily Lynne Berthold Bio at a Glance
Emily Lynne Berthold has a short but clear public record. The table below sums it up.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Emily Lynne Berthold |
| Professional name | Emily Lynne |
| Profession | Stand-up comedian, writer and voiceover artist |
| Known for | Co-creating and starring in Heads Will Roll (2019) |
| Famous sibling | Kate McKinnon, born Kathryn McKinnon Berthold |
| Earlier project | Notary Publix, a web series made with her sister |
| Role in Heads Will Roll | JoJo, a cursed princess turned raven |
| Series format | Audible Original comedy, 10 episodes |
| Series debut | May 2, 2019 |
| Produced by | Broadway Video, in a deal with Audible |
| Birthday | Reported as November 18, birth year not confirmed |
| Social media | Active on Instagram, mainly for personal and comedy posts |
| Net worth | Not publicly confirmed |
Several fields stay vague because Emily has not shared them in major interviews. Numbers such as net worth appear on many websites, but none cite a reliable source.
Early Life and Family Background
Emily grew up in the Berthold family and her sister Kate was born Kathryn McKinnon Berthold. Kate later used McKinnon as her professional surname. Emily performs under the name Emily Lynne.
Public sources say little about their parents, schools or hometown routines. Kate has often spoken about growing up on Long Island in New York. Emily has shared far less. This article does not fill that gap with guesses. Readers who see detailed claims about her school, hometown or early jobs on other websites should look for a reliable named source before they believe them.
What the record does show is a close sibling bond. Both sisters have said in interviews that they were making videos together long before either had a career in comedy.
Growing Up and Making Videos With Kate
The sisters loved Disney films and fairy tales as children. They also loved Faerie Tale Theatre, the 1980s television series hosted by Shelley Duvall. Those stories later fed straight into Heads Will Roll.
A 2019 newspaper feature says the two made videos together from a young age. They played characters, invented stories and performed for each other. That habit built the shorthand they still use when they write.
Many comedy duos start as friends or colleagues. This pair started as siblings. They already knew each other’s timing, which helps in sketch writing where a single beat can make or break a joke.
That history explains why their joint work sounds so natural. Writers who grow up inventing stories together often develop shared jokes, favourite characters and a feel for each other’s rhythm. The jokes feel like two people who have shared a private language for decades.
Emily Lynne’s Career in Comedy
Emily works as a stand-up comedian and voiceover artist. Reports describe her as a performer who also writes. Her projects show a taste for fantasy, horror and sharp-edged humour.
She has said online that she is a horror fan, which fits the playful gothic style of her best-known series. Her comedy leans on silly characters in strange situations, delivered with a straight face.
Her public stage work is less documented than her screen and audio work. No major source lists her tour dates or special releases, so any claim about specific stand-up shows should be treated with care.
Voice acting suits her well, since it lets her play several moods in one scene without a costume or a set. An audio performance relies on tone and timing, and those are the skills she shows as JoJo in Heads Will Roll.
Notary Publix and the Early Web Series
Before the Audible series Emily and Kate made a web series called Notary Publix. It was a project connected to Broadway Video, the production company founded by Lorne Michaels. One report says it ran for six episodes in 2015.
The show gave the sisters a first taste of writing and starring in a project of their own. It was small and low-budget and it let them test ideas without studio pressure.
Web series like this often act as proving grounds. A creator can try a voice and learn what works. Then she can pitch something bigger. For the sisters, that bigger idea turned out to be an audio fantasy.
The Story of Heads Will Roll
Heads Will Roll debuted on Audible on May 2, 2019. It was the first project from a deal between Audible and Broadway Video. The series has 10 episodes and runs for about four hours.
The main character is Queen Mortuana of the Night Realm, played by Kate McKinnon. She is an evil queen who secretly doubts whether she wants to rule. Her companion is JoJo, a princess cursed into a raven. Emily plays that part.
The plot starts when the queen and JoJo receive a prophecy about a peasant uprising. To stop it, they must find a magical item called the Shard of Acquiescence. Along the way, they meet a string of comic obstacles.
The series is aimed at adult listeners. It includes strong language, sexual jokes and violence, all played for satire. Reviewers called it silly, ridiculous and very funny.
Writing, Songs and the Star Cast
The listing names both sisters as authors of the series. They also wrote its original songs, which gives the show a musical flavour on top of the comedy.
The cast is large for an audio project. Meryl Streep plays an actress who turns into a rebel leader. Tim Gunn, Peter Dinklage, Andrea Martin, Carol Kane and Audra McDonald also appear.
Other performers include Aidy Bryant, Alex Moffat, Heidi Gardner, Chris Redd, Steve Higgins and Bob the Drag Queen. The cast of Queer Eye joins in and so does the therapist Esther Perel.
Many of these guests are connected to Kate’s work in television and film. Even so, Emily holds her own as a co-lead. The series credits her as a co-creator, co-author and narrator.
What Makes Heads Will Roll Stand Out
The series arrived at a time when audio comedy was growing fast, and it stood out for its mix of fairy-tale fantasy and modern humour. The villains worry about public opinion and the heroes argue about rules. The kingdom runs like a badly managed office.
One early reviewer wrote in May 2019 that the show was silly, ridiculous and very funny. She named it a highlight of her week. That kind of reaction shows the sisters reached the listeners they wanted: adults who enjoy sharp, strange comedy.
The format helps too. With 10 episodes and a runtime of just over four hours, the story moves quickly. Each episode adds a new obstacle for the queen and her raven, and the songs break up the plot.
Audible presents the series as an Audible Original, not a traditional audiobook. That label matters, because the show works more like a full-cast radio play than a book read aloud.
For Emily, the project also gave her a lead role in a show with a large audience. Voice work lets a performer build a character through sound alone, and her JoJo is a good example of that craft.
Why the Sisters Chose Audio
In the 2019 press coverage, Kate explained the appeal of audio. A podcast-style show has no limits from budget or special effects. A castle, a dragon or an army can appear with a single sound.
The format also has a downside. Listeners cannot see a smirk or a raised eyebrow, so the writers must put those cues into words and sound. That challenge pushed the sisters to be more inventive.
The sisters were also avid podcast listeners, which made the idea feel exciting to them. Kate had long wanted to write about a villainous queen who is unsure about ruling, in the spirit of Maleficent. They combined that idea with everyday modern life and that mix became the heart of the show.
Relationship With Kate McKinnon
Emily and Kate describe a warm and playful bond. Their joint projects show trust. A writer who shares credit with a famous sibling takes a risk, and Emily clearly did not just ride along.
Kate has become one of the best-known comedic actresses of her generation, with years on Saturday Night Live and a long film career. Emily has taken a quieter path and she has not tried to copy her sister’s route.
That contrast is part of what makes the partnership work. Kate brings a big public platform and Emily brings her own voice and sense of humour. Together, they create work that neither would make alone.
Their shared projects also show a clear division of effort. Both sisters wrote and performed, and both sang on the original songs credited to the series. Neither appears to take a back seat, which is rare in a pairing where one name is far better known.
Press coverage from 2019 described the series as a family project in the best sense. The sisters were playing with ideas they had loved since childhood, and they could trust each other to say when a joke did not land.
Life Away From the Spotlight
Emily keeps most of her life private. She posts on Instagram and her following is modest compared with her sister’s. Her YouTube channel is small and her last clip from 2017 featured Kate.
Her personal life is not a matter of public record. Websites that list her relationships, home or income often rely on guesses. This article leaves those details out.
Staying private is a common choice for comedians whose sibling is famous. It lets her work stand on its own. For fans who want more of her work, the best step is to listen to Heads Will Roll and watch for new announcements from her and from Broadway Video.
Conclusion
Emily Lynne Berthold has built a creative life around humour, fairy tales and a lifelong partnership with her sister. Her work on Heads Will Roll shows a performer with a sharp ear for comic timing and a taste for the weird and the whimsical. Her public record is short but clear, and it belongs to her.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Emily Lynne Berthold?
Emily Lynne Berthold is a stand-up comedian, writer and voiceover artist who performs as Emily Lynne. She is the sister of actress Kate McKinnon. She is best known for co-creating and starring in the 2019 Audible series Heads Will Roll.
Is Emily Lynne related to Kate McKinnon?
Yes, Emily Lynne is Kate McKinnon’s sister. Kate was born Kathryn McKinnon Berthold, and the sisters have made videos and shows together since childhood. They co-created Notary Publix and Heads Will Roll.
What is Heads Will Roll about?
Heads Will Roll is an adult fantasy comedy on Audible. Kate McKinnon plays Queen Mortuana and Emily Lynne plays her raven minion JoJo. Together they try to stop a peasant uprising by finding a magical shard. The cast includes Meryl Streep and Peter Dinklage.
What does Emily Lynne do for a living?
Emily Lynne works as a stand-up comedian and voiceover artist, and she also writes. She co-wrote Heads Will Roll and its original songs. Reliable sources do not list any other full-time job.
Is Emily Lynne active on social media?
Yes, Emily Lynne posts on Instagram, mainly about comedy, horror and daily life. Her following is smaller than her sister’s. She shares few personal details, so fans should treat claims about her private life with care.
