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Knowings was also proud of the diversity represented by the All That cast and spoke about the cultural perspective she and Kenan Thompson brought to the show.
“The diversity in the cast made a huge difference because there were things that the writers just couldn’t write in … little nuances that they were not aware of, especially from myself and Kenan,” she explained. “I’m from the Bronx and Native American Afro-Latina, so I was able to bring so much to the table. We would bring cultural nuances and it was celebrated. With ‘Inconvenience Store,’ there was a cultural aspect that people are more familiar with now, but back then they really weren’t.”
Her creativity extended far beyond comedy. Knowings was a singer and dancer, later appearing on Sesame Street alongside her twin brother, Chris Knowings. She also had a writing credit on the 2009 film Mother and Child and released the folk song “To the World” in 2020.
Looking back on her All That years, Knowings once recalled one particular character with special affection: Gloria Bankhead, an over-the-top Martha Stewart-inspired personality she played during her final season.
“I just remember being on set and being her all-day long,” Knowings recalled in 2019. “Everybody loved it! The writers, the stage managers, everybody was just like, ‘Hi Gloria!’ Gloria Bankhead was my favorite character to play. She was on set like that all the time. It was fun to just be in character like that, even when the cameras weren’t rolling. It’s what I’d do constantly.”
Her former castmates are now mourning the loss of a friend they knew not only as a talented performer, but as someone who could light up a room.
by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)Kenan Thompson shared his heartbreak on Instagram after learning of Knowings’ death.
“Man this one hit hard!!! Rest well Christy!!! Never could have imagined this day!! Sending so much love to her family!! She was a real one and one of the funniest people out here!!! Gonna miss you buddy!!!”
For fans who grew up watching All That, the news is a devastating reminder of the performers who helped shape their childhoods. Knowings brought energy, humor and a unique perspective to the screen, leaving behind memories that continue to live on with the people who watched her.
Her death comes just months after fellow All That alum Kianna Underwood died at 33 after being struck in a hit-and-run incident in New York City.
All That premiered in 1994 and ran for 10 seasons before ending in 2005. Its legacy lives on through stars such as Thompson, Mitchell, Bynes and Cannon, as well as spinoffs including Kenan & Kel and The Amanda Show.