Ellen DeGeneres facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen in 2011
Birth name	Ellen Lee DeGeneres
Born	(1958-01-26) January 26, 1958 (age 67) Metairie, Louisiana, U.S.
Medium	Stand-up television film books
Education	University of New Orleans
Genres	Observational comedy surreal humor anti-humor deadpan clean comedy satire
Subject(s)	American culture LGBT culture everyday life pop culture current events
Spouse	Portia de Rossi ​ (m. 2008)​
Parent(s)	Elliott DeGeneres Betty DeGeneres
Relative(s)	Vance DeGeneres (brother)
Signature

Ellen Lee DeGeneres (born January 26, 1958) is an American comedian, actress, and TV host. Many people know her simply as Ellen. She became famous for her TV shows Ellen (1994–1998) and The Ellen Show (2001–2002).

She also hosted the popular talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003–2022). For this show, she won an amazing 33 Daytime Emmy Awards. Ellen started her stand-up comedy career in the early 1980s. She even appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1986.

As a film actress, she starred in movies like Mr. Wrong (1996) and EDtv (1999). She is also the voice of Dory, a beloved fish, in the Disney/Pixar animated films Finding Nemo (2003) and Finding Dory (2016). In 2010, she was a judge on American Idol.

Ellen has won many awards for her work and charity efforts. These include the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and 20 People's Choice Awards. In 2016, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She also hosted the Academy Awards twice and the Grammy Awards twice.

She has written four books and started her own record company, eleveneleven. She also has a production company called A Very Good Production. Ellen even launched a lifestyle brand, ED Ellen DeGeneres, which sells clothes, home items, and pet products.

Early Life and Education

Ellen DeGeneres was born in Metairie, Louisiana. Her mother, Betty, was a speech therapist. Her father, Elliott, was an insurance agent. Ellen has one brother named Vance, who is a musician.

Her parents separated in 1973 and divorced a year later. Ellen and her mother moved to Atlanta, Texas. Vance stayed with his father.

Ellen finished high school in Atlanta, Texas, in 1976. She then went to the University of New Orleans. She studied communication for one semester. After that, she left college.

Ellen worked many different jobs early in her life. She worked at J.C. Penney, as a waitress at TGI Fridays, and as a house painter. She also worked as a hostess and a bartender. She often uses these early experiences in her comedy.

Ellen's Career Journey

Stand-Up Comedy Beginnings

Ellen started her comedy career in small clubs. She performed in coffee houses too. By 1981, she was the main host at Clyde's Comedy Club in New Orleans. She looked up to comedians like Woody Allen and Steve Martin.

In the early 1980s, Ellen began touring all over the country. In 1984, Showtime named her the funniest person in America. She also admired Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, and Bob Newhart.

After a break from stand-up, Ellen returned in 2018. She released a Netflix special called Relatable. She released another special, For Your Approval, in 2024.

Film Roles and Voice Acting

Ellen appeared in the film Coneheads in 1993. She also starred in a series of films for an attraction at Walt Disney World's Epcot. This show was called Ellen's Energy Adventure. It featured other stars like Bill Nye and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Ellen is most famous for voicing Dory. Dory is a friendly fish with short-term memory loss. She voiced Dory in the 2003 Disney/Pixar film Finding Nemo. The director chose Ellen because of her unique way of changing topics quickly.

For her role as Dory, Ellen won several awards. These include a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also won the Annie Award for Outstanding Voice Acting. She returned to voice Dory in the sequel, Finding Dory, in 2016.

Television Career Highlights

Early TV Shows (1989–2002)

Ellen's first regular TV role was in a show called Open House. She played a receptionist named Margo Van Meter. In 1992, she was cast as Nurse Nancy MacIntyre in Laurie Hill.

Later, she starred in a show called These Friends of Mine. After the first season, it was renamed Ellen. This show became very popular. It was known for Ellen's funny observations about everyday life.

In April 1997, Ellen's character on Ellen shared a personal story. This episode, called "The Puppy Episode", was very popular. The show returned for a fifth season but was later cancelled.

Ellen came back to TV in 2001 with a new show, The Ellen Show. This show was on CBS but only lasted for 13 episodes. After her sitcoms, Ellen became a very successful talk show host.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003–2017)

Ellen in Los Angeles, California, in 2004

Ellen in 2009

Ellen launched her daytime talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, in September 2003. Her show quickly became very popular. It won many awards, including Daytime Emmy Awards for Best Talk Show.

Ellen was known for dancing with her audience at the start of each show. She also gave away many free prizes and trips. She later said she stopped dancing because it became an expectation.

In 2006, Ellen flew her entire high school graduating class to California. They were guests on her show. She also gave her old high school a new electronic sign. Ellen gave two commencement speeches at Tulane University in New Orleans.

In 2010, Ellen became a judge on American Idol. She joined the show after the auditions. However, she left after one season. She said the show "didn't feel like the right fit for me."

Ellen also hosted the NBC game show Ellen's Game of Games. This show started in 2017 and was based on games from her talk show. It ran for four seasons until 2021.

Later Years and Retirement (2018–2022)

In 2018, The New York Times wrote about Ellen. They noted she felt pressured by her "nice" image. She wanted to explore other creative projects.

On May 12, 2021, Ellen announced that her talk show would end. The final episode aired on May 26, 2022. Guests included Jennifer Aniston and Pink.

In 2024, Ellen announced her retirement from show business. She said she would leave after her final stand-up special.

Hosting Award Shows

Ellen has hosted many major award shows. On November 4, 2001, she hosted the Emmy Awards. This was after the September 11 attacks. She received several standing ovations for her performance.

She also hosted the Grammy Awards twice, in 1996 and 1997.

On September 7, 2006, Ellen was chosen to host the 79th Academy Awards. This made her the first openly gay person to host the event. Her hosting was praised by many.

She hosted the Academy Awards again on March 2, 2014. During this show, she took a famous selfie with many celebrities. This photo became one of the most retweeted pictures ever on Twitter. It broke the previous record held by Barack Obama.

Other Projects and Businesses

ED Ellen DeGeneres Brand

Ellen has her own line of products. These products are sold on QVC, a home shopping network. Her home product line is called E.D., which stands for Ellen DeGeneres. It started in 2014.

In 2015, she launched her lifestyle brand, ED by Ellen. The brand name later changed to ED Ellen DeGeneres. It includes clothes, shoes, accessories, and items for pets and babies. Her dog collection at PetSmart launched in 2017.

Ellen also created products to help animals. She launched a collection to support her #BeKindToElephants campaign. The money from these sales goes to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. She also created a line to help gorillas.

In 2018, Ellen partnered with Walmart. They launched a fashion collection called EV1. This line offers more affordable clothing options.

Commercial Spokesperson

Ellen has appeared in many commercials. In 2004, she danced in an ad for American Express. This commercial won an Emmy Award in 2007.

In 2008, Ellen started working with CoverGirl Cosmetics. Her face appeared in their advertisements starting in 2009. In 2012, she became the spokesperson for J. C. Penney.

eleveneleven Record Label

On May 26, 2010, Ellen announced her own record label. It is called "eleveneleven". She chose the name because she often sees the number 11:11. She also found her first signed singer, Greyson Chance, on the 11th.

Ellen said she looked for new talent on YouTube. Greyson Chance was the first artist she signed to her label.

Ellen's Personal Life

Family and Home

Since 2004, Ellen has been in a relationship with actress Portia de Rossi. They got married in August 2008. They lived in Beverly Hills, California, with their four dogs and three cats.

In November 2024, it was reported that Ellen and Portia moved to the Cotswolds region of England. They bought a home there before the presidential election.

Wealth and Popularity

Forbes magazine estimated Ellen's earnings in 2020 at US$84 million. Her total wealth was estimated at US$370 million. This made her one of the highest-paid entertainers in the world.

She is also very popular on social media. As of 2018, she had over 76 million followers on Twitter. She also had 55.8 million followers on Instagram. By November 2023, her Instagram followers grew to 139 million.

Ellen is a big fan of the NFL. She supports teams like the New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers.

Animal Rights and Charity

Ellen has always been a big animal lover. She used to describe herself as a vegan. Her wife, Portia de Rossi, is also a vegan. Ellen had a website called "Going Vegan with Ellen" to promote a plant-based diet.

In 2016, Ellen shared that she had started eating fish again. She said she stopped being fully vegan "for no reason really."

Ellen supports many animal protection groups. She has invited the CEO of the Humane Society of the United States on her show. In 2009, PETA named her their "Woman of the Year." She has also donated money to stop laws that would hide animal abuse on farms.

In 2010, Ellen helped Farm Sanctuary's Adopt-A-Turkey Project. She asked people to adopt a turkey instead of eating one for Thanksgiving.

Helping Others

In November 2011, Hillary Clinton named Ellen a special envoy for Global AIDS Awareness. Ellen also supports the David Lynch Foundation. This foundation helps people deal with stress through Transcendental Meditation.

In 2017, Ellen started a campaign to protect elephants. She created a T-shirt with her brand. The money from sales goes to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

In January 2018, for Ellen's 60th birthday, Portia de Rossi gave her a special gift. She funded a permanent gorilla home in Rwanda in Ellen's name. This gift is part of the "Ellen DeGeneres Wildlife Fund."

Filmography

Film

Television

As Executive Producer

Video Games

Music Videos

Discography

Albums

Audiobooks

Podcasts

Written Works

Images for kids

• 

  Ellen at the Governor's Ball after the 46th Annual Emmy Awards, 1994

See also

In Spanish: Ellen DeGeneres para niños