Akiva Schaffer


Akiva Daniel Shebar Schaffer is an American writer, producer, director, comedian, actor, and rapper. He is a member of the comedy music group The Lonely Island, along with childhood friends Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone. Schaffer began his career with The Lonely Island making videos for Channel 101. In 2005, Saturday Night Live hired the trio, with Schaffer joining as a writer. In their time at SNL, The Lonely Island pioneered the digital short format, creating popular sketches such as "Lazy Sunday", "I Just Had Sex", "I'm on a Boat", and "Dick in a Box". After SNL, Schaffer went on to direct movies including Hot Rod, The Watch, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers, and The Naked Gun. The Lonely Island has made albums such as Incredibad, Turtleneck & Chain, and The Wack Album. Schaffer also produced a number of TV shows and movies, including MacGruber, Pen15, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, and Palm Springs.

Early life

Schaffer was born in Berkeley, California to Jewish parents from New York.
In 2000, he graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a degree in film.

Career

After college, he and his childhood friends, Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone, moved to Los Angeles and began making comedy movies. Theater director Tony Taccone brought home the film Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, a choice the other men teased as being "too theatrical". The film, however, inspired Schaffer to write an overwrought play, in the style of Tennessee Williams, called The Lonely Island, in reference to their apartment. The name eventually extended to the comedy group itself. On the Internet, Schaffer got his start directing The Lonely Island's The 'Bu, the group's record-breaking contribution to Channel 101, which was a parody of The OC and starred Sarah Chalke as Melissa, as well as Samberg and Taccone. Schaffer has contributed to several other Channel 101 productions as part of the Lonely Island.
In the fall of 2005, Schaffer was hired for Saturday Night Live where he directed, co-wrote, and edited the majority of the SNL Digital Shorts. Some notable shorts/songs include "Lazy Sunday", "I Just Had Sex", "Natalie's Rap", "Dick in a Box", "Peyton Manning for the United Way", "Iran So Far", "Jizz in My Pants", "Boombox", "I'm on a Boat", "Great Day", "Threw It on the Ground", "Jack Sparrow", "Like A Boss", "YOLO", "Semicolon", "Dear Sister", "Spring Break Anthem", "Shy Ronnie", "Ras Trent" and "Motherlover", the sequel to "Dick in a Box".
In 2007, Schaffer directed and acted in the film Hot Rod, which starred Samberg, Taccone, Bill Hader, Danny McBride, Isla Fisher, Ian McShane, and Sissy Spacek, which was produced by SNLs Lorne Michaels.
Schaffer directed the film The Watch starring Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill and Richard Ayoade, and written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.
The Lonely Island has released three albums along with two full soundtracks. In 2014, the group co-wrote "Everything is Awesome", the theme song to the film, The Lego Movie. It was nominated for Best Original Song which they performed at the 2015 Oscars. That same year, Everything Is Awesome was certified platinum by the RIAA, joining their previous platinum singles, "I'm on a Boat", "I Just Had Sex", "Jizz in My Pants", and the gold-certified single "Like a Boss".
Schaffer was credited as an executive producer on the film MacGruber. The film was co-written and directed by Jorma Taccone.
In 2016 Schaffer co-wrote, co-directed, and co-starred in the Judd Apatow produced feature film, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. The film focuses on pop/rap superstar Conner4Real, who goes into a major tailspin and watches his celebrity high life collapse after his new album fails to sell records.
He also co-directed/created Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special for Netflix with Scott Aukerman.
Schaffer directed four music videos for the band We Are Scientists and one for the Eagles of Death Metal.
In 2018, Schaffer guest-starred on NBC sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, portraying Brett Booth in the episode Show me Going.
The Lonely Island co-produced both seasons of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, most episodes of which Schaffer has co-directed with Alice Mathias. Also in 2019, they released Netflix's The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience, a visual poem about former Oakland A's legends Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire. That summer, The Lonely Island embarked on their first ever live tour, instantly selling out venues across the United States and drawing some of the biggest crowds of the weekend at the Bonnaroo Festival and Milwaukee's Summerfest.
Schaffer produced the film Palm Springs, which debuted on Hulu in July 2020 and delivered the largest opening weekend viewership ever for a film on the platform. Prior to launching on Hulu, NEON/Hulu acquired the film for a record-setting $17,500,000.69 at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, making it the biggest deal in the festival's history. Most recently, the film and cast were nominated for five Super Critics Choice Awards, a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Picture, Musical or Comedy, as well as a Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy nomination for Samberg. The film also won a Critics' Choice Movie Awards in the category of Best Comedy and garnered a Writers Guild of America Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Schaffer also executive produces Hulu's Emmy nominated show, PEN15, starring Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle.
Schaffer directed the Disney film Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers. The film stars Andy Samberg and John Mulaney and is a combination of live action and computer animation. It was released in Spring 2022.
Schaffer hosts The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast with Samberg, Taccone and Seth Meyers, which discusses The Lonely Island's SNL Digital Shorts.

Personal life

Schaffer is married to comedy writer and actress Liz Cackowski; they have two children.

Discography

Filmography

Film

Acting credits
YearTitleRole
2007Hot RodDerek
2012The WatchCasual Wanker #3
2013Grown Ups 2Male Cheerleader
2014NeighborsToga #2
2016Popstar: Never Stop Never StoppingLawrence
20187 Splinters in TimeMcFly
2022Chip 'n Dale: Rescue RangersRescue Rangers director,
Voices of E.T, Colonel, Harold, Mr. Natural, Officer Chameleon, Officer Puppet Sock,
Black and White Cartoon Shoeshiner, Hungry Mouse, Pig in a Sauna
2022Weird: The Al Yankovic StoryAlice Cooper

Television

TV specials
YearTitleDirectorProducerWriterNotes
20042004 MTV Movie Awards
2004Channel 101Segment "Football Town";
Also editor
20052005 MTV Movie Awards
20092009 MTV Movie Awards
2015Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special
2017Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day SpecialCo-directed with Scott Aukerman
201976th Golden Globe AwardsSpecial material
2019The Unauthorized Bash Brothers ExperienceAlso editor

TV movies
YearTitleDirectorProducerWriterNotes
2003Regarding ArdyAlso editor
2004G-Phoria 2004Documentary
2017Home for the Weekend

Acting credits
YearTitleRoleNotes
2008–2024Saturday Night LiveVarious characters9 episodes
2016Party Over HereThe Lonely Island Episode "Suffragettes"
2017Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day SpecialAlanTV special
2018Brooklyn Nine-NineBrett BoothEpisode "Show Me Going"
2019The Unauthorized Bash Brothers ExperienceMark McGwire

Awards

In 2007, Schaffer won an Emmy for his participation in the production of "Dick in a Box". He was nominated for an Emmy for the song "Motherlover." He was featured in People's Sexiest Bachelor with Andy Samberg, as Sexiest Best Friends. He has also won two Writers Guild of America Awards and a Peabody Award for his work on Saturday Night Live. The Lonely Island was nominated in 2009 for a People's Choice Award and a Grammy Award.
YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2007Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Original Music and Lyrics
for the song "Dick In A Box"		Saturday Night LiveWon
2007Writers Guild of America AwardComedy/Variety - SeriesSaturday Night LiveWon
2008Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy ProgramSaturday Night LiveNomitated
2009Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy SeriesSaturday Night LiveNomitated
2009Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Original Music and Lyrics
for the song "Motherlover"		Saturday Night LiveNomitated
2009Writers Guild of America AwardComedy/Variety - SeriesSaturday Night LiveWon
2010Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Original Music and Lyrics
for the song "Shy Ronnie"		Saturday Night LiveNomitated
2010Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy SeriesSaturday Night LiveNomitated
2010Grammy AwardBest Rap/Sung Collaboration"I'm on a Boat"Nomitated
2010Writers Guild of America AwardComedy/Variety - SeriesSaturday Night LiveWon
2011Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Original Music and Lyrics
for the song "Jack Sparrow"		Saturday Night LiveNomitated
2011Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Original Music and Lyrics
for the song "3-Way "		Saturday Night LiveNomitated
2011Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Original Music and Lyrics
for the song "I Just Had Sex"		Saturday Night LiveNomitated
2011Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy SeriesSaturday Night LiveNomitated
2012Grammy AwardBest Comedy AlbumTurtleneck & ChainNomitated
2012Improvisation News New York Awards
Best Comedy VideoSaturday Night LiveWon
2012Writers Guild of America AwardComedy/Variety - SeriesSaturday Night LiveNomitated
2014Hollywood Music In Media Awards
Best Song - Animated Film
for the song "Everything Is Awesome"		The Lego MovieWon
2014Online Film & Television Association
Best Direction in a Comedy SeriesBrooklyn Nine-NineNomitated
2014Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards
Best Original Song
for the song "Everything Is Awesome"		The Lego MovieWon
2015Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Writing for a Variety SpecialSaturday Night Live 40th Anniversary SpecialNomitated
2015Grammy AwardBest Song Written for Visual Media
for the song "Everything Is Awesome"		The Lego MovieNomitated
2015International Online Cinema Awards
Best Original Song
for the song "Everything Is Awesome"		The Lego MovieNomitated
2015Iowa Film Critics AwardsBest Song
for the song "Everything Is Awesome"		The Lego MovieNomitated
2015Satellite AwardsBest Original Song
for the song "Everything Is Awesome"		The Lego MovieNomitated
2016Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards
Best Song
for the song "Finest Girl "		Popstar: Never Stop Never StoppingNomitated
2018Writers Guild of America AwardComedy/Variety - SpecialsMichael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day SpecialNomitated
2019Gotham Independent Film AwardBreakthrough Series - ShortformPEN15Won
2021Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Comedy SeriesPEN15Nomitated