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Amy Poehler

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Amy Meredith Poehler is a celebrated American actress and comedian.

Amy Poehler 2012
Amy Poehler 2012

She is widely recognized for her work in sketch comedy, sitcoms, and feature films. Her career has earned her many prestigious honors. These include one Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. She has also received 26 Emmy nominations. In 2011, she was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2015, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her comedy contributions.

Poehler's professional foundation is built on improvisational theatre, or improv. Improv is a form of acting where performers create scenes without a script. She began her training in Chicago at ImprovOlympic. There, she studied under Del Close and met her frequent collaborator, Tina Fey. Poehler also worked with the Second City, a famous comedy institution. She joined a touring company there before Fey eventually became her replacement. These early experiences helped her master the art of spontaneous performance.

In 1995, Poehler joined the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB), a sketch and improv group.

In 1996, she moved to New York City with fellow members Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh. This group, known as the "UCB Four," performed in small venues. They eventually founded the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York. This center offers classes in sketch-comedy writing and improv. By 2011, the UCB organization had two theaters in New York and one in Los Angeles. It served approximately 8,000 students every year.

Poehler joined the cast of the long-running sketch show Saturday Night Live (SNL) in 2001.

Lorne Michaels and the cast of Saturday Night Live at the 68th Annual Peabody Awards for Political Satire 2008
Lorne Michaels and the cast of Saturday Night Live at the 68th Annual Peabody Awards for Political Satire 2008

During her first season, she was promoted to a full cast member. She was the first woman to earn this distinction at the show. From 2004 to 2008, she co-anchored the news segment Weekend Update with Tina Fey. They were the first female co-anchors in the segment's history. Poehler was known for many characters, such as the hyperactive Kaitlyn. She also performed impressions of many famous people, including Hillary Clinton and Madonna.

After her time on SNL, Poehler starred in the sitcom Parks and Recreation from 2009 to 2015.

Amy Poehler Aubrey Plaza 2012 Shankbone
Amy Poehler Aubrey Plaza 2012 Shankbone

She played the lead character, Leslie Knope, a role that won her a Golden Globe Award. Poehler has also been a prolific executive producer for many television series. These include shows like Broad City, Russian Doll, and Duncanville. Beyond live-action comedy, she has provided voices for many popular animated films. She voiced characters in the Shrek the Third and Inside Out franchises. Her voice work spans several major animated hits released between 2007 and the present.

Her creative partnerships are a major part of her professional life.

Amy Poehler and Tina Fey by David Shankbone
Amy Poehler and Tina Fey by David Shankbone

She has collaborated many times with Tina Fey on films like Mean Girls and Sisters. Together, they co-hosted the Golden Globe Awards four times between 2013 and 2021. They also co-hosted SNL, which earned them a Primetime Emmy Award in 2016. Poehler is also an author. Her comedic book, Yes Please, was released in 2014. This book earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Spoken Word Album. In 2025, she launched the podcast Good Hang with Amy Poehler, which won a Golden Globe.

Poehler's roots and values continue to influence her public life. She was born in 1971 in Newton, Massachusetts. Her parents, Eileen and William, were both school teachers. She grew up in Burlington, a blue-collar town. Poehler has used her platform to champion important social causes. She advocates for the advancement of women's rights and workers' rights. Her career demonstrates how improvisational training can lead to massive success in film, television, and digital media.

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File:Matt Walsh, Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, Ian Roberts 2015.jpg
Matt Walsh, Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, Ian...
File:Lorne Michaels and the cast of Saturday Night Live at the 68th Annual Peabody Awards for Political Satire 2008.jpg
Lorne Michaels and the cast of Saturday...
File:Amy Poehler and Tina Fey by David Shankbone.jpg
Amy Poehler and Tina Fey by David Shankbone.jpg
File:Amy Poehler Aubrey Plaza 2012 Shankbone.JPG
Amy Poehler Aubrey Plaza 2012 Shankbone.JPG
File:Amy Poehler 2012.jpg
Amy Poehler 2012.jpg
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