Kenan Thompson was “hit hard” by the death of his former “All That” co-star Christy Knowings, who died Tuesday at 46 following an asthma attack.
Thompson, who appeared on the Nickelodeon sketch show with Knowings from 1997 to 1999, paid an emotional tribute hours after news of her death broke Thursday.
“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!!!” the “Saturday Night Live” star wrote on Instagram.
Thompson’s “Kenan & Kel” co-star Kel Mitchell, 47, also remembered their former Nickelodeon castmate as “so naturally funny, incredibly talented, and fearless.”
“Christy was truly one of a kind. So naturally funny, incredibly talented, and fearless when it came to comedy. She had a gift for creating characters that were big, memorable, and completely her own,” he posted alongside clips of them starring together.
“I’ll always be grateful for the laughs, the memories, and the time we shared as part of the All That family,” he continued.
“Christy, thank you for sharing your incredible gift with all of us. Your talent, your characters, and the joy you brought to so many will never be forgotten.”
“Sending my love and deepest condolences to Christy’s family and loved ones. Rest in Heaven, @christyknowings,” he added.
Knowings was hospitalized Aug. 7 after suffering an asthma attack that left her with brain damage and was placed on life support, according to TMZ.
She remained on life support until Tuesday, when her family decided to take her off it.
The Bronx-born actress was a regular on Nickelodeon’s “All That” for three seasons from 1997 to 2000, appearing alongside Thompson, Mitchell, Amanda Bynes, Nick Cannon and others.
The sketch comedy series went on to spawn several spinoffs, including “Kenan & Kel,” “The Amanda Show” and “The Nick Cannon Show.”
Knowings once spoke fondly of working with Thompson in particular, saying they both brought cultural details to the sketches that the writers may not have otherwise captured.
“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 told Bustle in 2019. “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,” she added. “But it’s cool that it was celebrated in that way, it was a lot of fun.”
Knowings also recalled that Thompson and Mitchell made her feel welcome when she joined the cast.
“Kenan, Kel, Lori Beth [Denberg], and all the producers and writers made me feel really welcome,” she told Complex in 2014.
One of Knowings’ best-known “All That” moments was also her recurring “Whatever” catchphrase with Bynes.
After “All That,” she appeared in the 2009 film “Mother and Child,” for which she also received a writing credit.
She later appeared as herself on “Sesame Street” in three episodes between 2008 and 2011 alongside her twin brother, Chris.
Knowings also released the 2020 song “To the World.”
She is the second “All That” cast member to die in the past year.
Kianna Underwood, who appeared on the Nickelodeon series as a child, died in January at 33 after being struck in a hit-and-run while walking in Brooklyn.
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