American actress and comedian Stephnie Weir was born on November 28, 1967 in Odessa, Texas. She attended Odessa College, where she majored in theater and broadcasting. She later decided to transfer to Southern Illinois University’s Edwardsville campus, where she majored in women’s studies and anthropology. She later moved to Chicago, where she began working as a comedian; initially at the Improv Olympic, and later, on The Second City’s main stage. During the time, she also made occasional appearances as a bit player on television and film.
Weir gained popularity in 2000, when she joined the sketch comedy show MADtv as a feature performer. She would later be promoted to a repertory performer in the following season, and held that role until her departure in the middle of the 11th season in 2006. She became one of the program’s most recognizable faces, known for her many characters: among them, na?ve high schooler Angela Wright, happy-go-lucky girl Dot Goddard, teenybopper-acting doctor Kylie Johnson, cat-lover Gail Cinder, and sarcastic elderly woman Leona Campbell. She was also known for her impressions of personalities such as Anna Nicole Smith, Paris Hilton, Laura Bush and the Olsen twins.
During the time, Weir appeared in five films; the most notable include Moonpie and Fun with Dick and Jane. After her departure from MADtv, she started working on television comedies, first getting a guest role in Joey, and later joining the cast of Big Day. The series, which premiered in late 2006, saw her take on the role of Lorna, the wedding planner hired to look after the wedding of Alice (Marla Sokoloff) and Danny (Josh Cooke). The series was cancelled after 12 episodes because of disappointing ratings.