Keegan-Michael Key Movies and TV Shows: Full List & Roles

If you’ve ever watched a sketch comedy so sharp it made you pause the replay, Keegan-Michael Key probably had something to do with it. After five seasons of Key & Peele redefined Comedy Central, he built a filmography that spans blockbusters, voice work, and surprising dramatic turns.

Known for Wonka: 6.9 rating · The Super Mario Bros. Movie role: Toad (voice) · Key & Peele era: 2012–2015 · Mad TV years: 2004–2009 · Pitch Perfect series: Recurring

The table below consolidates Key’s verified filmography data and external reference sources.

Keegan-Michael Key TV shows

Key’s television career spans sketch comedy origins, breakthrough series, and versatile scripted appearances. After cutting his teeth on ensemble sketch comedy, he built a resume that reads like a tour through modern comedy’s evolution.

Mad TV (2004–2009)

His professional launch came on Mad TV, where five seasons gave him the stage presence and character work that would later define his partnership with Jordan Peele. Per Wikipedia, his tenure ran from 2004 to 2009.

Key & Peele sketches

The series that made him a household name arrived on Comedy Central in 2012, running through 2015 with 53 episodes. The show featured iconic characters including Obama’s Anger Translator, and sketch topics ranged from Gremlins 2 to systemic racism. The Substitute Teacher sketch—featuring Mr. Garvey as an inner-city substitute teacher confronting a classroom of students with names like “Jay-Quillin”—became one of the series’ most replayed moments.

“While taking attendance, inner-city substitute teacher Mr. Garvey has trouble adjusting to a classroom full of middle-class white students.”

— Key & Peele Official Description, YouTube

Playing House (2014–2017)

A sharp tonal shift toward scripted comedy brought him into the starring role of Playing House, where he played a physical therapist alongside Jessica St. Clair. The series ran three seasons and showcased his ability to anchor a half-hour comedy, per Wikipedia.

Friends from College (2017–2019)

Two seasons on Netflix let him stretch into more dramatic comedy territory. Though the show lasted only two seasons, Apple TV’s biography notes it was a major critical hit that increased Key’s reputation as not just a gifted comedian but a talented actor.

Keegan-Michael Key movies and TV shows substitute teacher

The Substitute Teacher sketch is arguably the bit that put Key & Peele into the comedy canon. Mr. Garvey’s slow-burning frustration over student names he can’t pronounce became a touchstone of improvised sketch comedy.

Key & Peele substitute teacher sketch

The sketch depicts an inner-city substitute teacher with 20 years of experience facing a classroom of middle-class white students whose names include “Jay-Quillin” and other elaborate inventions. Per Key & Peele Fandom Wiki, the setting is a science class where Garvey systematically loses patience with names he mispronounces. The bit first appeared in early seasons and returned in Season 3 Episode 1, confirming its popularity with both creators and audiences.

Breakout role details

The official Key & Peele description frames it simply: “While taking attendance, inner-city substitute teacher Mr. Garvey has trouble adjusting to a classroom full of middle-class white students.” That basic setup became a masterclass in tension and release.

“Key & Peele showcases the fearless wit of stars Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele as the duo takes on everything from ‘Gremlins 2’ to systemic racism.”

— Key & Peele Channel, YouTube Channel Bio

Keegan-Michael Key movies and TV shows Get Out

Jordan Peele’s directorial debut Get Out (2017) is notable in this context for what it doesn’t contain: Keegan-Michael Key. Despite their celebrated partnership, Key has no credit in the film.

Role in Get Out (2017)

Multiple filmography sources including Wikipedia confirm Key had no involvement in Get Out, which premiered February 24, 2017. This absence is notable because Key and Peele had collaborated extensively on Key & Peele, but Peele chose to direct Get Out with a different ensemble cast.

Other horror-comedy credits

The Get Out absence aside, Key has appeared in comedy-horror adjacent projects. His work in Don’t Think Twice (2016), the Rotten Tomatoes profile shows, positioned him in independent comedy-drama territory rather than studio horror.

Keegan-Michael Key movies and tv shows Pitch Perfect

The a cappella comedy series gave Key recurring roles that let him play straight man to musical chaos, adding another genre to his comedy repertoire.

Pitch Perfect series roles

Per Wikipedia, Key appeared in Pitch Perfect 2 (2015), bringing his comedic timing to a capella competitions. His role fit the series’ energy without dominating it—supportive but memorable.

Musical comedy appearances

The pattern extends to other musical projects: The Prom (2020) featured him in the Netflix musical adaptation, and his starring role in Schmigadoon! (2021–2023) on Apple TV+ let him lead a full musical comedy series. Per Wikipedia, Schmigadoon! ran from July 16, 2021, through 2023, giving him a sustained platform for musical performance.

Keegan-Michael Key directed movies

Directorial credits are limited in Key’s career, but his behind-the-scenes work has appeared in specific projects that blend his performance and creative direction.

Directorial credits

Current filmography sources don’t list extensive directorial credits. Wikipedia and Rotten Tomatoes focus on his performance credits rather than directing. His strongest creative control has come through co-creating and starring in Key & Peele, where his input shaped the creative direction of the series.

Alternating actor-director projects

The pattern of alternating between established franchises and creative collaborations defines his recent career. Projects like The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) showcase him in voice work within major studio productions, while Apple TV profiles show him gravitating toward projects with artistic partners like Jordan Peele, Eddie Murphy, and Apple TV+ original content creators.

Summary

Keegan-Michael Key’s career traces a clear arc: sketch comedy foundation, partnership breakthrough, then expansion into blockbusters and voice work. For comedy fans, his Key & Peele catalog remains the essential watch—the Substitute Teacher sketch alone is worth the subscription. For family audiences, The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Toy Story 4 offer his most accessible work. For those tracking his dramatic growth, Friends from College and Schmigadoon! show an actor still pushing against type. The pattern is clear: wherever he’s working, Key brings the same commitment to character that made Mr. Garvey unforgettable.

Related reading: Keegan-Michael Key Movies and TV Shows: Complete List

From Key & Peele sketches to voicing Toad in Super Mario Bros., his complete filmography spans blockbusters like Wonka and Pitch Perfect with full ratings.