Christy Knowings, the actress and comedian remembered by a generation of Nickelodeon viewers for her three seasons on All That, has passed away at 46.
OTuesday, August 11, at a Los Angeles-area hospital Knowings’ family made the decision to remove her from life support.
A family member explained that Knowings had suffered a severe asthma attack four days earlier, on August 7, which left her with brain damage. She was placed on life support as doctors treated her, but her condition did not improve.
Highlights
- Knowings passed away at 46 after a severe asthma attack.
- The incident left the actress with severe, untreatable brain damage.
- The tragic news was met with condolences from former cast members and fans alike.
The unexpected news has devastated former colleagues, including Saturday Night Live star Kenan Thompson, who worked alongside Knowings when both were young performers on Nickelodeon.
“Man, this one hit hard!” Thompson wrote. “Rest well Christy! Never could have imagined this day!”
Knowings grew up in the Bronx before finding her way to Nickelodeon
Knowings was born on February 25, 1980, in the Bronx, New York.
Her career eventually became closely connected with that of her twin brother, Chris Knowings, who also became an actor and later appeared more frequently on Sesame Street.
Before Christy found her defining television role, she appeared in And Now This, a 1997 Nickelodeon sketch-comedy pilot that failed to develop into a regular series.
That same year, Knowings joined the cast of All That, Nickelodeon’s hugely popular children’s sketch-comedy series.
By then, the show was already developing a reputation as a younger version of Saturday Night Live, combining recurring characters, absurd sketches, celebrity guests, and musical performances while turning its young cast members into recognizable television personalities.
Her years on the program overlapped with performers including Kenan Thompson, Kel Mitchell, Danny Tamberelli, Amanda Bynes, and future television personality Nick Cannon.
She remained with the series for three seasons, appearing in more than 30 episodes between 1997 and 2000.
The actress explained how Nickelodeon created an environment where she could thrive
One of Knowings’ most recognizable roles was Jessica in the recurring Whateverrr!!! segments alongside Amanda Bynes.
The pair played two boy-obsessed girls hosting their own chaotic television program, enthusiastically discussing celebrities and dismissing practically everything with their signature “whatever.”
Knowings later remembered the sketch as an example of something All That did particularly well.
“With Amanda and I doing ‘Whateverrr!’ you didn’t see a Black girl and a white girl, you just saw these two insane girls who loved the same guys,” she said in a 2019 interview.
“We both loved Leonardo DiCaprio and we both loved Kobe Bryant! I think we pushed a lot of boundaries.”
Knowings also played Brenda Stone, a newscaster in the recurring Channel 6 1/2 News sketches, and appeared as an assistant to Bynes’ bizarre dentist character.
Another favorite was Gloria Bankhead, whom Knowings described as an exaggerated version of Martha Stewart.
“She was an over-the-top Martha Stewart,” Knowings once explained. “I had never played any character like her!”
Her manager, Al Hill, remembered that versatility following the tragic news of her passing.
“Christy was a multi-talented lady,” he said. “Whether it was singing, acting, dancing, she was always creating. Always professional and dedicated to her work.”
Knowings believed the diversity of All That had been central to its success
The series placed young performers from different racial and cultural backgrounds together without requiring every sketch to revolve around those differences.
Knowings, who described herself as Afro-Latina and Native American, said the actors were also able to contribute details that the writing staff could not always create on its own.
“The diversity in the cast made a huge difference because there were things that the writers just couldn’t write in,” she said.
There were “little nuances that they were not aware of, especially from myself and Kenan.”
That environment helped make All That one of Nickelodeon’s defining programs of the 1990s and early 2000s. It also became a launching pad for several performers who would remain famous for decades.
Thompson eventually became the longest-serving cast member in Saturday Night Live history. Mitchell went on to Kenan & Kel and Good Burger.
Bynes became the star of The Amanda Show before moving into films, while Cannon eventually built a career across acting, comedy, music, and television hosting.
An asthma attack reportedly left Knowings with severe, untreatable brain damage
According to family sources who spoke with TMZ, she suffered an asthma attack on Friday, August 7.
Knowings was hospitalized in the Los Angeles area and placed on life support, where she remained for approximately four days.
Her passing also marks the second tragedy involving a former All That performer in 2026.
“I loved the sketches she did as the News Anchor that kept sending her field reporters to dangerous places,” one of Knowings’ fans wrote.
“I feel like I’ve never really considered asthma as something you can pass away from, so it's a sobering reminder. Sending love to her family,” another added.
"This one hit hard!" Kenan Thompson wrote
