Things You Didn't Know About Lindsay Shookus
Lindsay Shookus is a bit of an enigma, but there's more to her than just a relationship with Oscar-winner Ben Affleck. Get to know the Saturday Night Live producer who may or may not have broken up Affleck's marriage to Jennifer Garner.
Her family is close-knit
According to Hollywood Life, Lindsay Shookus' father is co-owner of Nelson-Heintz & Shookus, of Buffalo, N.Y., and her mother, Christine, is a sales rep for Gilead Sciences, a biotechnology company.
The New York Times reported that one of Shookus' uncles officiated her wedding to then-fellow Saturday Night Live staffer Kevin Miller in 2010 at the Country Club of Buffalo in Williamsville, N.Y. (She and Miller have since separated; he now reportedly works for Late Night With Seth Meyers.)
She discovered Kristen Wiig
Kristen Wiig is a Saturday Night Live legend, and we can all thank Shookus for bringing her into our lives.
Shookus told The Hollywood Reporter, "When I started as an assistant at SNL, I got my eyes on Kristen Wiig and was able to bring her for an audition for Lorne Michaels and the other producers. Turns out, Kristen Wiig can give you some street cred early on."
Shookus also reportedly got Vanessa Bayer and Josh Rudnitsky hired for the show, too.
Her career extends past 'SNL'
Shookus' career started at Saturday Night Live after graduating from college in 2002, but she has worked elsewhere. According to IMDb, she served as an associate producer on 30 Rock from 2008 to 2010 and is credited for 42 episodes. She also produced Adele Live in New York City in 2015, as well as a slew of SNL-related specials and event programs.
She's a two-time Emmy winner
Shookus took home an Emmy in 2017 for outstanding variety sketch series for Saturday Night Life. That was her second win. She earned her first Emmy in 2015 for producing the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special. She was also nominated for two Emmys in 2016 for outstanding variety sketch series for SNL, as well as for outstanding variety special for her role in producing Adele Live in New York City.
She's influential in the music industry
Aside from producing Adele's concert special, Shookus was named one of the 100 Most Powerful Music Executives by Billboard in its 2016 Women In Music special. The magazine applauded Shookus for bookings A Tribe Called Quest the day after it dropped an album, following an 18-year hiatus. Shookus was also honored for booking the then relatively unknown Chance the Rapper on Saturday Night Live.
Shookus was also honored for her Saturday Night Live bookings in 2015. According to Billboard, her booking of Miley Cyrus for the show's fall premiere increased ratings by 14 percent over the prior season's premiere.
Shookus told Billboard, "You get one chance to make the right impression. And people have long memories when you make the wrong one."
Her 'SNL' pals may not be big fans of Ben Affleck
The Saturday Night Live cast and crew is a small, tight group, and some insiders believe that squad was hesitant to welcome Affleck into its circle at the 2017 Emmys, in part because it's protective of Shookus.
"They are a tight bunch and it takes a long time for them to welcome a new person in," a source told Radar Online. "They have all known each other for years and admire talent and comedic skills above fame. Unfortunately, no one has told [Affleck] this. All night long he was trying to crack jokes and show how smart he is. He needs to relax and just take a back seat. It wasn't his night. He can't make everything about him and expect this close group to welcome him in. They all love Lindsay but think she can do better."
She steers clear of social media
Good luck finding Shookus on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. The SNL producer keeps such a low profile that she seems to have no profiles. However, in July 2017, after her romance with Affleck went public, a poser account that many believed at first to be Shookus' took to Twitter to defend herself against affair allegations.
"It's not often one finds themselves having to use social media to address their personal life, but in light of recent media reports I felt it was only necessary that I speak out to set the record straight about my relationship," said a tweet posted by the account (via Page Six). "Relationships can be tricky in the best of times, but that is amplified when the world is watching."