Cecily Legler Strong, born on February 8, 1984, in Springfield, Illinois, is an American actress and comedian best known for her long tenure on "Saturday Night Live" (SNL) from 2012 to 2022. She is the longest-tenured female cast member in the show's history.

She grew up in Oak Park, an inner ring suburb of Chicago, and was raised by her parents, Penelope and William "Bill" Strong. Her father worked as an Associated Press bureau chief and later ran his own public-relations firm, while her mother was a nurse practitioner.

Cecily Strong developed a love for comedy at a young age, often reenacting SNL sketches with her friends and watching old SNL commercials on VHS. She attended Oak Park and River Forest High School until her sophomore year, when she was expelled for bringing marijuana to school.

She then transferred to a private Catholic school and later graduated from the Chicago Academy for the Arts in 2002. She went on to study acting at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), graduating in 2006 with a BFA in theatre.

After graduating, she returned to Chicago and studied at the Second City Conservatory and iO Chicago, where she honed her improv skills. She performed regularly at The Second City and iO Chicago, and even performed on a cruise ship with other Second City members for four months.

She made her big break in 2012 when she debuted on SNL as a featured cast member, co-anchoring the Weekend Update segment first with Seth Meyers and later with Colin Jost. Her most defining moment on the show was her character in "The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation With at a Party".

In addition to her work on SNL, she has appeared in films such as "Ghostbusters" (2016), "The Female Brain" (2017), and "The Boss" (2016) alongside Melissa McCarthy. She also lent her voice to animated shows like "The Awesomes" and "The Simpsons."

She starred in the Apple TV+ musical comedy series "Schmigadoon!" (2021-2023), which she also co-produced. In 2021, she published her memoir, "This Will All Be Over Soon," which reflects on her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cecily Strong is married to fellow comedian and writer, Mike Birbiglia, and they have one child together.