Cecily Strong Instagram – Thank you Fran Bennett for so many things. Thank you for teaching me my mouth is a “cathedral” which I’ve enjoyed saying for years because not only is it a little cheeky to say, but also because its a reminder your body is sacred and deserves to be treated that way by you and others. Thank you for being the first one to casually let me know I have a higher right hip- “darling do you know your right hip is higher?” while just walking past me- especially because at 19 or 20, I’m more concerned with where I’m “too fat” or not hairless enough or whatever the hell else and who knew I had a crooked back?!? And most of all thank you for that day in February 2002 when I auditioned in California and you asked why not wait for Chicago auditions and I said because it was cold there and I wanted them in a good mood when they saw me. She laughed. It was raining. I had only applied to one college after a roller coaster four years of high school, not knowing if I’d even graduate. Fran smiled at me after my two monologues and said “I’ll make your rainy day better. Welcome to CalArts”. 💜💜💜