Little did the pair know, not only would they become a dynamic duo with their spin-off show, Kenan & Kel, just two years later, but they would become the blueprint for young comedians of the next generation. 

“The life of a performer is very unpredictable, so to be a part of something that continues to bring smiles and good times for people and their families is a real blessing,” Thompson told Blavity’s Shadow and Act as he and Mitchell prepared for the release of the sequel to their smash hit film Good Burger.

The original movie stems from a skit performed in a 1994 episode of All That.

While they weren’t aware of the impact the project would have on the culture at the time, the Saturday Night Live actor said he knew one thing for sure: His partner in crime was highly talented.

“I wasn’t aware that the sketch would echo so loud, but I knew Kel was very talented,” Thompson recalled. “He was one of the first people with his own sketch basically, like he just had characters on deck, and he was one of the early standouts and a force to be reckoned with, so that was pretty obvious to me from Day 1. We didn’t know if the show itself was gonna echo; we just knew that we were serious about being good performers.”

For Mitchell, the sentiment is the same. 

He took Shadow and Act on a trip down memory lane, detailing the first time he met Thompson.

“I don’t know if they planned it, but they had us all coming off of the elevator at the Peabody Hotel in Florida, and all at once, you got to meet these kids coming down,” he said. “And I remember Kenan came down with his Mighty Ducks gear with the rollerblades, and I was like, ‘Oh yeah, I got to hang out with that kid,’ and from there, it’s just been a brotherhood.”

He continued, “We just enjoyed our time together, making each other laugh, and it’s super cool that we’re doing the same thing today. It’s been great.”

Those good times are back for the Good Burger sequel, and Thompson is proud that now, 26 years later, they can bring the generationally loved film to even more children in a way that is authentic to themselves.

“I don’t know if there was a specific aha moment,” Thompson said when asked what led to this specific timing of the film’s return. “It was just jumping over hurdles as they came as far as getting the concept even across the board, you know, instead of doing it in another capacity or something like that and just making sure we did an actual movie. That was a hurdle.”

He added, “Where were we gonna shoot was a hurdle… scheduling. So getting all of those things lined up and now being here in the promotional run, it’s built. The cake is built for everyone to enjoy now.”

From special cameo moments from current stars like Kai Cenat, Easter eggs that pay homage to the original film and even special appearances by children special to the cast, both admit the project is rooted in all of the things that Good Burger had, which is mostly having fun and being family-centered.

“It’s the perfect family movie, and my kids are super excited,” Mitchell said. “My two youngest are in the film, so I’m excited about that; it’s a fun scene… I’m just really happy.”

Good Burger 2 premieres on Paramount+ on Wednesday.