Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres
DeGeneres in 2011
Birth nameEllen Lee DeGeneres
Born (1958-01-26) January 26, 1958 (age 66)
Metairie, Louisiana, U.S.
Medium
  • Stand-up
  • television
  • film
  • books
EducationUniversity of New Orleans (no degree)
Years active1978–2024
Genres
Subject(s)
Spouse
(m. 2008)
Parent(s)Elliott DeGeneres
Betty DeGeneres
Relative(s)Vance DeGeneres (brother)
Signature

Ellen Lee DeGeneres (/dəˈɛnərəs/ də-JEN-ər-əs; born January 26, 1958)[1][2] is an American comedian, actress, television host, writer, and producer. She starred in the television sitcoms Ellen (1994–1998) and The Ellen Show (2001–2002). She also hosted the syndicated television talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003–2022), for which she received 33 Daytime Emmy Awards.

DeGeneres' stand-up comedy career started in the early 1980s and included a 1986 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. As a film actress, she starred in Mr. Wrong (1996), EDtv (1999), and The Love Letter (1999), and voiced Dory in the Disney/Pixar animated films Finding Nemo (2003) and Finding Dory (2016). In 2010, she served as a judge on the ninth season of the Fox competition show American Idol.

DeGeneres has won the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, 20 People's Choice Awards (more than any other person),[3] and numerous other awards for her work and charitable efforts. In 2016, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.[4] In 2020 she received the Carol Burnett Award at the Golden Globes for her work on television, becoming the first recipient after its inaugural namesake Carol Burnett.[5]

As a standup, she has released the HBO specials The Beginning (2000) and Here and Now (2003) as well as the Netflix specials Relatable (2018) and For Your Approval (2024). DeGeneres is also known as an awards host having successfully hosted the Academy Awards twice in 2007 and 2014, the Grammy Awards twice in 1996 and 1997, and the Primetime Emmy Awards twice in 2001 and 2005.[6][7][8]

She has authored four books and started her own record company, Eleveneleven, as well as a production company, A Very Good Production. She also launched a lifestyle brand, ED Ellen DeGeneres, which comprises a collection of apparel, accessories, home, baby, and pet items.[9]

  1. ^ "Ellen Degeneres". Biography.com (FYI/A&E Networks). May 12, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  2. ^ "Try not to get jealous reading about Ellen DeGeneres' star-studded 60th birthday party". USA Today. February 13, 2018. Retrieved May 13, 2021. DeGeneres, who marked the milestone birthday on Jan. 26
  3. ^ Bradley, Bill (January 18, 2017). "Watch Ellen DeGeneres Win More People's Choice Awards Than Anyone". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on January 19, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
  4. ^ Andrea Mandell (November 16, 2016), "Obama awards Springsteen, Redford and DeGeneres Medal of Freedom", USA Today, archived from the original on August 7, 2017, retrieved November 23, 2016
  5. ^ "I've had an incredible life full of wonderful moments". facebook. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
  6. ^ "By the Numbers, Ellen Is the Best Oscar Host Since Ellen". The Atlantic. March 3, 2014. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  7. ^ "Why Ellen Was the Best Oscars Host Since Billy Crystal". Variety. March 3, 2014. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  8. ^ "Look Back: Ellen DeGeneres Tactfully Opens Post-Sept. 11 Emmys". Deadline Hollywood. August 3, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  9. ^ "Sellin' Ellen: How DeGeneres Is Becoming the New Martha". Apartment Therapy. Archived from the original on March 19, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2018.