Riki Lindhome
Riki Lindhome — Life, Career & Voice
Discover Riki Lindhome — the multifaceted American actress, comedian, and musician behind Garfunkel & Oates, Wednesday, and more. Explore her biography, key works, style, memorable quotes, and lessons from her creative journey.
Introduction
Erika “Riki” Lindhome (born March 5, 1979) is an American actress, comedian, musician, writer, and producer. She is widely recognized for her comedic folk duo Garfunkel & Oates (with Kate Micucci), her acting roles in television and film, and her more recent work in musical theater.
Lindhome’s career is notable for blending humor, vulnerability, and versatility—she moves between acting, songwriting, comedic performance, and deeply personal artistic projects.
Early Life & Education
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Lindhome was born in Coudersport, Pennsylvania, and grew up mainly in Portville, New York.
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She graduated from Portville High School in 1997.
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She went on to attend Syracuse University, majoring in communications and film, completing her degree around 2000.
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Early in high school or college, Lindhome won first prize in the JFK Profiles in Courage essay contest (1997) with an essay about Rep. Carolyn McCarthy.
These early achievements and her film/comms training laid a foundation for her creative ambitions in writing, performance, and media.
Career & Major Works
Acting & Television
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Lindhome’s television debut came in 2002 with small roles in Titus and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
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She guest-starred on shows like Gilmore Girls, The Big Bang Theory, Enlightened, among others.
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In 2015 she co-created and starred in the Comedy Central period sitcom Another Period (with Natasha Leggero), playing Beatrice Bellacourt.
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In more recent years, she played Dr. Valerie Kinbott in Netflix’s Wednesday (2022) as a comedy-horror role.
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She also voices Kimberly Harris in the animated sitcom Duncanville.
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She has had roles in The Muppets Mayhem, and guest spots across other TV series.
Film & Voice Work
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Her feature film debut was in Million Dollar Baby (2004), playing Mardell Fitzgerald.
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She appeared in Pulse (2006), My Best Friend’s Girl (2008), The Last House on the Left (2009), Much Ado About Nothing (2012), Fun Size (2012), Under the Silver Lake (2018), Knives Out (2019), The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020), and other films.
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On the animation / voice side, she voiced Poison Ivy in The Lego Batman Movie (2017), Royal Assistant Beep Beep in King Tweety (2022), and more.
Music, Comedy & Other Creative Ventures
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In 2007, Lindhome formed Garfunkel & Oates with Kate Micucci. The duo produces comedic folk music, blending funny and serious songs.
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They created a TV series for IFC based on their duo, and their special Garfunkel & Oates: Trying to Be Special (2016) was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Original Music & Lyrics.
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In 2024–2025, Lindhome premiered a one-woman musical Dead Inside, about her personal struggles with fertility and motherhood, combining songs, storytelling, and personal reflection.
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She plans / has worked on an album based on Dead Inside.
Thus, her work is not limited to acting: she’s deeply invested in music, comedic writing, and theater.
Personality, Style & Voice
Riki Lindhome’s public persona is often defined by:
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Humor + emotional authenticity — She uses comedy but often carries vulnerability, especially in recent personal work.
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Meta awareness — As a comedian and writer, she frequently reflects on the mechanics of humor, performance, and creation.
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Versatility — She moves comfortably between acting in genre & dramatic roles, musical comedy, and one-woman shows.
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Brutal honesty — Her newer artistic projects are noted for their candidness about sensitive topics (infertility, loss).
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Creative control — She often writes or co-writes works she performs, showing investment in shaping her own artistic narrative.
Notable Quotes
Here are some remarks attributed to Riki Lindhome that reflect her approach to art, humor, and personal life:
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“Those are my favorite kind of jokes.”
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“I might have lost an acquaintance because of ‘Pregnant Women Are Smug.’ But we weren’t close. Actually, I don’t know if the woman knows the song is about her. I have a feeling she might.”
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“The biggest trap that all performers and writers find is that when something really crazy, really bad happens, your mind immediately goes to, ‘Can I write about this?’ — which is good and bad.”
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“It’s great to get to make something in your own voice.”
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“Sometimes I find myself in this super-raw place onstage where I’m like, ‘Maybe that’s not the best thing. Maybe I need to shut down a little.’”
These quotes show that she’s reflective about process, risk, and the tension between creative honesty and vulnerability.
Personal Life & Recent Developments
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Lindhome married Fred Armisen on June 1, 2022, in a private courthouse ceremony.
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She has a son, Keaton, born via surrogacy on March 1, 2022.
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In interviews, Lindhome has shared that the path to motherhood was difficult—years of infertility, surgeries, and loss—and that Dead Inside is a way of working through and sharing that experience.
Her personal challenges have informed her newer creative work in powerful ways, making her art more intimate.
Lessons & Takeaways
From Riki Lindhome’s career and life, several insights emerge:
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Blend genres, don’t stay in boxes — She illustrates how combining acting, music, comedy, writing, and theater can enrich creative identity.
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Speak your truth through art — Dead Inside shows how deeply personal experiences can be reshaped into meaningful art.
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Vulnerability is part of the craft — She embraces risk and emotional exposure as part of creative growth.
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Persistence and humor go hand in hand — Her path shows steady work, reinvention, and continuing to create even when the mainstream spotlight is fleeting.
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Creative control matters — She often writes or shapes the work she performs, reinforcing authorship of her own narrative.
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Life and art inform each other — Her motherhood journey is not a side note, but a powerful impetus in her recent work.