Tina Fey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tina Fey
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Fey in 2022
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| Born |
Elizabeth Stamatina Fey
May 18, 1970 |
| Education | University of Virginia (BA) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1997–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
Jeff Richmond
(m. 2001) |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Full list |
| Comedy career | |
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Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (born May 18, 1970) is a famous American actress, comedian, writer, and producer. She is known for her work on the comedy show Saturday Night Live and for creating and starring in the TV series 30 Rock. She also wrote and acted in the popular movie Mean Girls.
Fey has won many awards for her work, including nine Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. In 2010, she received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, one of the highest honors for a comedian.
She first became known as a member of the comedy group The Second City in Chicago. From 1997 to 2006, she was a writer and performer on Saturday Night Live. She was the show's first female head writer and co-anchored the popular Weekend Update news segment. She later returned to SNL as a guest to do a famous impression of politician Sarah Palin.
Fey created and starred in the NBC comedy series 30 Rock (2006–2013) as the character Liz Lemon. She also co-created the Netflix show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2020). Her movies include Baby Mama (2008), Date Night (2010), Megamind (2010), and Soul (2020).
In 2011, she wrote a bestselling book called Bossypants. She also created the Broadway musical version of Mean Girls, which was later turned into a new movie in 2024.
Contents
Early Life and School
Elizabeth Stamatina Fey was born on May 18, 1970, in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. Her father, Donald Henry Fey, was a university administrator and writer. Her mother, Zenobia "Jeanne" Fey, was born in Greece and worked for a brokerage company. Tina has an older brother named Peter.
Fey loved comedy from a young age. She enjoyed watching shows like Saturday Night Live and movies by the Marx Brothers. She said her father had a great sense of humor and would let her stay up late to watch classic comedy shows.
In high school, Fey was a good student. She was part of the choir, drama club, and tennis team. She also wrote a funny column for the school newspaper. After graduating in 1988, she went to the University of Virginia. She studied playwriting and acting and graduated in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama.
Career
Getting Started in Comedy
After college, Fey moved to Chicago to pursue comedy. She took classes at The Second City, a famous improvisational comedy theater. Improvisational comedy, or "improv," is a type of performance where actors make up scenes on the spot.
At The Second City, she performed in many shows and worked with other talented comedians like Rachel Dratch and Amy Poehler. She also met her future husband, Jeff Richmond, who was a pianist at the theater.
Saturday Night Live (1997–2006)
In 1997, Fey was hired as a writer for the famous TV show Saturday Night Live (SNL). She moved to New York City for the job. At first, it was challenging, but she soon began writing popular sketches.
In 1999, she became the first female head writer in SNL history. This meant she was in charge of all the writers and the show's comedy.
In 2000, Fey started appearing on camera as a co-anchor for the Weekend Update segment with Jimmy Fallon. Weekend Update is a fake news show that makes fun of current events. When Fallon left in 2004, Amy Poehler joined her, making them the first all-female anchor team for the segment. Their partnership was a big hit with audiences and critics.
Fey left SNL in 2006 to create her own TV show. She is remembered as one of the most important cast members in the show's history.
30 Rock (2006–2013)
Fey created, wrote, and starred in the TV show 30 Rock. The show was a comedy about a fictional sketch comedy show, similar to SNL. Fey played Liz Lemon, the head writer who had to manage a difficult star actor and a demanding boss.
30 Rock ran for seven seasons and was very successful. It won many awards, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series three years in a row. Fey also won several awards for her acting, including a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award. The show is often called one of the best TV series of all time.
In 2020, Fey apologized for a few episodes of 30 Rock that showed characters in race-changing makeup. She said that as people learn to do better on the topic of race, it was best to remove those episodes from streaming services.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2020)
In 2015, Fey co-created another comedy series called Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. The show is about a woman, played by Ellie Kemper, who moves to New York City after being rescued from a cult.
The show was very popular and praised by critics. It was nominated for many Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series. Fey also had a recurring guest role on the show as a quirky psychiatrist.
Movie Career
Fey has also had a successful career in movies. In 2004, she wrote and co-starred in the teen comedy Mean Girls. The movie is about the social cliques in high school and is based on a non-fiction book. It was a huge hit and is now considered a classic comedy.
She starred with her friend Amy Poehler in the movies Baby Mama (2008) and Sisters (2015). She also starred with Steve Carell in the comedy Date Night (2010).
Fey has also done voice acting in animated movies. She was the voice of Roxanne Ritchi in Megamind (2010) and 22 in the Pixar movie Soul (2020). Soul won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
In 2024, a new movie version of Mean Girls was released. It was based on the Broadway musical that Fey had created. She also appeared in the movie, reprising her role as the teacher Ms. Norbury.
Return Appearances on SNL
After leaving SNL, Fey often returned as a host or guest. She became very famous for her impersonation of Sarah Palin, who was a candidate for Vice President in 2008. Many people thought Fey looked and sounded just like Palin.
Her sketches as Palin were very popular and got millions of views online. She won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress for her performance.
Personal Life
Fey married Jeff Richmond on June 3, 2001. They met while working at The Second City in Chicago. Richmond is a composer who has worked on many of Fey's projects, including 30 Rock. They have two daughters together.
Fey has a scar on her left cheek from an incident when she was five years old. She has said that a stranger cut her in the alley behind her house.
Charity Work
Fey supports several charities. She works with Mercy Corps, an organization that helps fight world hunger. She also supports Love Our Children USA, which works to prevent violence against children.
She has also helped The Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to children with serious illnesses.
Awards and Recognition
Fey has won many major awards for her work in television and film.
- 9 Primetime Emmy Awards
- 3 Golden Globe Awards
- 5 Screen Actors Guild Awards
- 7 Writers Guild Awards
In 2010, she received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, becoming the youngest person to ever win it. In 2011, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Images for kids
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Fey holding a copy of her book Bossypants in 2011
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Fey presenting an award at the 2015 Peabody Awards
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See also
In Spanish: Tina Fey para niños
