Ellen DeGeneres facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ellen DeGeneres
DeGeneres in 2011
Born	Ellen Lee DeGeneres (1958-01-26) January 26, 1958 (age 67) Metairie, Louisiana, U.S.
Education	University of New Orleans
Occupation	Comedian actress television host writer producer
Years active	1978–2024
Spouse(s)	Portia de Rossi ​ (m. 2008)​
Parent(s)	Betty DeGeneres (mother)
Relatives	Vance DeGeneres (brother)
Comedy career
Medium	Stand-up television film books
Genres	Observational comedy surreal humor anti-humor deadpan clean comedy satire
Subject(s)	American culture LGBTQ culture everyday life pop culture human relationships current events
Signature

Ellen Lee DeGeneres (born January 26, 1958) is an American comedian, television host, actress, writer, and producer. She is one of the most well-known entertainers in the world.

She started her career doing stand-up comedy in the 1980s. A performance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1986 made her famous across the country. She later starred in her own TV sitcom called Ellen from 1994 to 1998.

For nearly 20 years, she hosted the popular talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003–2022). The show won 33 Daytime Emmy Awards. However, the show ended in 2022 after reports of a negative work environment.

Many people know Ellen as the voice of Dory, the forgetful blue fish in the Disney and Pixar movies Finding Nemo (2003) and Finding Dory (2016). She has won many awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, which is one of the highest honors for a civilian in the United States.

Early Life and Education

Ellen Lee DeGeneres was born and raised in Metairie, Louisiana. Her mother, Betty, was a speech therapist, and her father, Elliott, was an insurance agent. She has an older brother named Vance, who is a musician.

Her parents divorced when she was a teenager. Ellen and her mother moved to Atlanta, Texas, while her brother stayed with their father in Louisiana.

Ellen graduated from Atlanta High School in 1976. She then went to the University of New Orleans to study communications. After one semester, she left college to work. She had many different jobs, including working in a law firm, at a clothing store, and as a waitress. She often uses stories from her childhood and early jobs in her comedy.

Career Journey

Stand-Up Comedy

DeGeneres began performing stand-up comedy in small clubs. By 1981, she was the host at Clyde's Comedy Club in New Orleans. She said that comedians like Woody Allen and Steve Martin were her biggest inspirations at the time.

She started touring the country in the early 1980s. In 1984, the TV channel Showtime named her the "Funniest Person in America." After a 15-year break from stand-up, she returned with a Netflix special in 2018 called Relatable.

Famous Film Roles

DeGeneres in Los Angeles, California, in January 2004

Ellen has appeared in several movies. She starred in films like Mr. Wrong (1996) and EDtv (1999).

Her most famous film role is voicing Dory in the animated movie Finding Nemo. The director, Andrew Stanton, chose her because he thought she was perfect for a character who was funny and changed subjects quickly. Her performance won many awards. She returned to voice the character again in the sequel, Finding Dory, in 2016.

Television Stardom

DeGeneres appeared on the cover of Time magazine in April 1997.

Ellen's first big break on TV was her sitcom Ellen, which started in 1994. The show was very popular and was known for its funny observations about everyday life.

In April 1997, Ellen made history. She announced she was gay on the cover of Time magazine. Her character on the show also came out. This was a major moment for television and for the LGBTQ+ community. The "Puppy Episode" was one of the most-watched episodes of the show.

After Ellen ended, she starred in another sitcom called The Ellen Show, but it only lasted for one season.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

DeGeneres in 2009

In 2003, Ellen launched her daytime talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show. It became a huge success. The show was known for its positive energy, celebrity guests, fun games, and dancing. Ellen often gave prizes to her audience members.

The show won dozens of awards and was on the air for 19 seasons. However, in 2020, some former employees reported that the show had a "toxic" work environment. After an investigation, Ellen apologized to her staff. She announced the show would end in 2022. The final episode aired on May 26, 2022.

Hosting Award Shows

Ellen is also famous for hosting major award ceremonies. She has hosted the Grammy Awards, the Primetime Emmy Awards, and the Academy Awards.

She hosted the Academy Awards in 2007 and 2014. During the 2014 show, she took a selfie with a group of famous actors. The photo quickly became the most retweeted picture on Twitter at the time.

Personal Life

Portia (left) and Ellen (right) in September 2012

In 1997, Ellen publicly shared that she is a lesbian. This was a brave step at the time and helped pave the way for other LGBTQ+ people in entertainment.

Since 2004, she has been in a relationship with Australian actress Portia de Rossi. They got married in August 2008 at their home in Beverly Hills, California.

Ellen is a big animal lover and has spoken out for animal rights. For many years, she followed a vegan diet, which means she did not eat any animal products. She has since said that she now eats fish. She has worked with organizations like Farm Sanctuary to protect animals.

In 2024, Ellen and Portia moved from California to the Cotswolds region of England.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Ellen DeGeneres para niños