Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele met in 2004 while both acting and writing on MadTV. Originally, they were competing against each other for a spot on the show, but once the producers recognized their chemistry, they both stayed. They've used that chemistry to launch their own show, Key & Peele, now in its third season on Comedy Central. Both biracial, they talk about their role as 'cultural referees,' playing characters of every race and gender and proving that black culture isn't a monolith. Plus, why a devotion to the craft of acting is at the heart of every sketch they do, and how Martin Lawrence, In Living Color, and Chappelle's Show paved the way for them to do something completely different.
Banner image: Larry Hirshowitz