Heidi Gardner Net Worth

What is Heidi Gardner's Net Worth?

Heidi Gardner is an American actress, comedian, and writer who has a net worth of $4 million. Heidi Gardner is best known for being a cast member on the NBC television sketch comedy series "Saturday Night Live" from 2017 to 2025. Among her other acting work, she had a recurring role in the Apple TV+ series "Shrinking" and has appeared in such films as "Life of the Party," "Otherhood," "Hustle," and "Leo."

Early Life and Education

Heidi Gardner was born on July 27, 1983 in Kansas City, Missouri. She has an older brother named Justin. As a youth, she worked part-time at the Tivoli Theater selling tickets and making popcorn. Gardner attended the all-girls Notre Dame de Sion School, where she performed as a flautist in the school band and did comedy sketches in talent shows. After graduating in 2001, she attended the University of Kansas for two years before transferring to the University of Missouri. However, she spent only one semester at the latter before dropping out of college to pursue a career as a hairdresser.

Career Beginnings

After dropping out of college, Gardner moved to Los Angeles and worked at a hair salon for nine years. Encouraged by a friend to attend a performance by the sketch comedy troupe the Groundlings, she became inspired to pursue acting and subsequently enrolled in community improv workshops. Gardner went on to join the Groundlings, eventually making her way up to the main company.

Saturday Night Live

Gardner had her career breakthrough in 2017 when she joined the cast of NBC's "Saturday Night Live" for its 43rd season. She served as a featured player for two seasons before being promoted to repertory status in season 45. Gardner played several colorful recurring characters on "SNL," including Angel (Every Boxer's Girlfriend from Every Movie About Boxing Ever); awkward teen film critic Bailey Gismert; insecure Goop employee Baskin Johns; and Crystal (Your Co-Worker Who is Extremely Busy Doing Seemingly Nothing). Gardner gained widespread praise for her ability to immerse herself in these and other characters. She only broke character once during her tenure, during a "Beavis and Butt-Head"-themed sketch in season 49. Gardner left "SNL" following the end of season 50 in 2025, having spent a total of eight years on the show.

Saturday Night Live Salary

There are 21 episodes in a Saturday Night Live season. First-year cast members make $3,000 per episode. That works out to $63,000 for the season. Second-year cast members get a $1,000 per episode raise to $4,000 per episode. That's $84,000 per season. Fourth season cast members make $7,000 per episode/$ 147,000 for the season. If a cast member makes it to their fifth season, they make $15,000 per episode. That's $315,000 per season. The highest salary that can be reached at SNL is for people who've been there the longest or are the most important to the show. They make $25,000 per episode, which is $525,000 per year. It is likely that Heidi reached that higher-level salary echelon due to her tenure.

(Photo by John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images)

Other Television Roles

Before her tenure on "SNL," Gardner began voicing the main character Cooch on the adult stop-motion animated sitcom "SuperMansion." She also wrote for the show, which ran from 2015 to 2019. In the latter year, Gardner had guest roles on "The Other Two," "Veep," and "Superstore" and voiced Tuva Van Void in the short-lived Syfy adult animated series "Alien News Desk." Kicking off the 2020s, she appeared in the Netflix interactive special "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend," a sequel to the sitcom "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt." After that, Gardner lent her voice to episodes of the adult animated sitcom "Close Enough" and the puppet sketch comedy show "Crank Yankers." In 2022, she appeared as a guest judge on the Netflix game show "Is it Cake?," hosted by her "SNL" cast mate Mikey Day, and also appeared in episodes of "Girls5eva" and "That Damn Michael Che," the latter with another "SNL" cast mate. From 2023 to 2024, Gardner played the recurring role of Grace in the Apple TV+ series "Shrinking," and in 2025 she had a guest role in the psychological thriller series "You."

Film Career

Gardner had her first major film role in the 2018 comedy "Life of the Party," playing the friend of Melissa McCarthy's protagonist. Also that year, she appeared in the comedy "Making Babies." Gardner went on to appear in the Netflix comedy "Otherhood" in 2019. She had her next film role in 2022, playing the daughter of Robert Duvall's character in the Netflix basketball dramedy "Hustle." Gardner reunited with that film's star, Adam Sandler, in the 2023 Netflix animated musical comedy "Leo."

Web Series and Podcasts

In 2015, Gardner voiced Yasmin in the stop-motion animated web series "Bratz," based on the line of fashion dolls. She also wrote some episodes of the series. Later, in 2020, Gardner voiced characters on the fantasy podcast "Heads Will Roll," featuring several "SNL" alumni. In 2021, she voiced Harley Quinn on the podcast "Batman: The Audio Adventures."

Theater Career

In 2019, Gardner made her theater debut in a production of the farce "Noises Off" at the Cape Playhouse in Dennis, Massachusetts. She played Brooke Ashton and her character in the play-within-the-play, Vicki.

Personal Life

In 2010, Gardner married Zeb Wells, a comic book writer, screenwriter, director, and voice actor known for his work with Marvel Comics. The couple divorced in 2023.

In 2021, Gardner bought a mid-century modern home in Leawood, Kansas. Her closing price was not disclosed, but just before the sale, the home was listed for a little under $1 million. There, she hosts watch parties for her beloved Kansas City Chiefs.

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