Amy Poehler

Amy Meredith Poehler is an American actress, comedian, podcaster, and writer born on September 16, 1971. Known for her work in sketch comedy, sitcoms, and feature films, she has received a Primetime Emmy Award out of 26 nominations, two Golden Globe Awards, and nominations for both a Peabody Award and a Grammy Award. She was featured on Time's 2011 list of the 100 most influential people in the world and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015. Poehler is also known for advocating for worker's rights and women's rights.

Poehler was raised in Burlington, Massachusetts, by her parents, Eileen and William Poehler, who were school teachers, alongside her younger brother, Greg. Her interest in performing began at age ten after playing Dorothy Gale in a school production of The Wizard of Oz. At Burlington High School, she acted in plays and participated in student council, soccer, and softball. She then attended Boston College, where she joined the improv troupe My Mother's Fleabag, graduating in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in media and communications.

After college, Poehler moved to Chicago to pursue comedy, studying improv at ImprovOlympic under Charna Halpern and Del Close. She performed with The Second City touring and main companies alongside Tina Fey. In 1995, she joined the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB). Moving to New York City in 1996 with three fellow UCB members, she performed live shows and helped establish the UCB Theatre, which popularized long-form improv. The group debuted a half-hour sketch-comedy show on Comedy Central in 1998. During this time, Poehler also made recurring appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and acted in films such as Wet Hot American Summer.

Poehler joined the cast of NBC's Saturday Night Live (SNL) in 2001, quickly becoming a full cast member during her first season. From 2004 to 2008, she co-anchored Weekend Update, first alongside Tina Fey and later with Seth Meyers. On SNL, Poehler performed numerous original characters and impressions, including Hillary Clinton. She departed the main cast in late 2008 but returned for guest appearances, hosting engagements, and anniversary specials. Poehler and Fey later won a 2016 Primetime Emmy Award for co-hosting an episode together.

From 2009 to 2015, Poehler starred as Leslie Knope in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation, earning a Golden Globe Award for her performance. She served as an executive producer on series such as Welcome to Sweden, Broad City, Difficult People, Duncanville, Three Busy Debras, and Russian Doll. She frequently collaborated with Tina Fey on films including Mean Girls, Baby Mama, Sisters, and Wine Country, and the duo co-hosted the Golden Globe Awards four times. Her other film credits include live-action movies like Envy and Blades of Glory, as well as voice roles in Shrek the Third, Horton Hears a Who!, Monsters vs. Aliens, and the Inside Out franchise.

In 2014, Poehler released the comedic book Yes Please, earning a Grammy Award nomination for Best Spoken Word Album. In 2025, she launched the podcast Good Hang with Amy Poehler, which won the first Golden Globe Award for Best Podcast.