Will Forte is mostly renowned for his work on Saturday Night Live, where he played odd and unforgettable characters that made people laugh for years. His parents supported his comedic career.
In the movie Nebraska, he played a quiet son on a road trip with his dad. He also starred in MacGruber, which has since become a cult favorite.
He also came up with The Last Man on Earth, a strange and funny show about one guy trying to survive after everyone else is gone. It got Emmy nominations and ran for four seasons.
People know a lot about his work, but some are just as curious about his life away from the screen, especially his family and how he grew up.
Who are Will Forte’s Parents?
Will Forte’s parents are Patricia Forte and Orville Willis “Reb” Forte III. He was born as Orville Willis Forte IV on June 17, 1970, in Alameda, California.
Patricia began her career teaching children before switching to art creation. Reb worked differently, handling financial deals as a broker. Their family called Moraga home until Will reached 13, when they relocated to Lafayette.
Michelle, Will’s older sister, shared childhood memories with him. Their parents eventually divorced, splitting the household during Will’s younger years.
Will always had a close bond with his mom. Patricia has visited every set he’s worked on, and once even joined him in a Mother’s Day episode of Saturday Night Live, where he sang to her during the “Weekend Update” segment.
He also performed his sister’s wedding and filmed the births of her children.
In interviews, Will has spoken about a prank he pulled at age 14, where he faked his death to scare his mom. Seeing her panic left a strong impression.
He later said it educated him that not everything is comical and that good comedy shouldn’t upset people.
Will Forte’s Wife and Family Life
Will Forte is married to Olivia Modling, who handles brand partnerships and distribution. Her work is far removed from Hollywood, focusing on business relationships rather than entertainment.
Olivia finished her studies at the University of Alabama in 2013 and later joined SGE Worldwide. A mutual friend brought them together in 2018. Things moved fast – Olivia moved in quickly, and they got engaged in 2019.
Nobody knew about their engagement until Will’s father accidentally spilled it on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in 2020. They had planned to get married in 2020, but the pandemic disrupted those plans.
Opportunity knocked in 2021 when Will’s MacGruber shoot took him to Albuquerque. The couple grabbed the moment and decided to exchange vows right there in New Mexico.
Will Forte’s Children
Will Forte and his wife Olivia have two daughters. Their first, Zoe Douglas Forte, was born in February 2021. Will talked about her on Conan, joking about becoming a dad at 50.
He later appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live with socks that had the face of Zoe on them. He looked proud and happy, even while making jokes.
In 2024, he shared news about his second daughter, Cecilia Forte. He stayed quiet about birth details but couldn’t hide his excitement about fatherhood.
His home life now revolves around his two daughters. He spends his days juggling dad duties, finding joy in the daily adventures that come with raising little girls. Fatherhood has become his most treasured role.
He said they dance together often, especially to songs from Encanto. “We are dancing all the time,” he said. One daughter is about three years old, and the other is close to one and a half.
