Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1980-05-02
- Born Place: Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Height:
5′ 5″ (1.65 m)
Also Known As:
엘리 캠퍼, Elizabeth Claire Kemper, الی کمپر
Ellie Kemper
Elizabeth Claire Kemper, professionally known as Ellie Kemper, is a celebrated American actress, comedian, and writer born on May 2, 1980, in Kansas City, Missouri. Raised in an affluent St. Louis family, she developed an early interest in performance at John Burroughs School, where her drama teacher was future Mad Men star Jon Hamm. She later attended Princeton University, where she honed her improvisational skills with the troupe Quipfire! and played on the 1998 national championship field hockey team. After graduating with a degree in English and studying for a year at Oxford University, Kemper moved to New York City to pursue comedy, performing at the Upright Citizens Brigade and writing for satirical outlets like The Onion and McSweeney’s. Kemper’s major breakthrough came in 2009 when she was cast as the perky and optimistic receptionist Erin Hannon on the hit NBC sitcom The Office. Originally intended for a brief guest stint, her character’s infectious energy made her a fan favorite, leading to her becoming a series regular until the show's conclusion in 2013. She further solidified her status as a leading comedic talent starring as the titular character in the Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015–2019), a role that earned her two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Her film career is equally robust, featuring scene-stealing roles in the blockbuster comedy Bridesmaids (2011), 21 Jump Street (2012), and Sex Tape (2014), as well as lending her voice to animated hits like The Secret Life of Pets franchise and The LEGO Batman Movie. In addition to her screen work, Kemper is a published author, releasing her humorous memoir My Squirrel Days in 2018. She has also hosted The Great American Baking Show and starred in the 2023 Netflix romantic comedy Happiness for Beginners. In her personal life, she has been married to comedy writer Michael Koman since 2012, and the couple has two sons. While she faced public scrutiny in 2021 regarding her teenage participation in the Veiled Prophet Ball—a St. Louis tradition with a controversial history—she addressed the issue with a sincere apology and a commitment to personal growth and education regarding systemic exclusion.
Awards :
3 wins & 25 nominations
