Amy Poehler Biography

NAME: Amy Poehler

OCCUPATION: Film, Theater, Television

BIRTH DATE: September 16, 1971 (Age: 40)

PLACE OF BIRTH: Newton, Massachusetts

ZODIAC SIGN: Virgo

Actress, comedian. Born September 16, 1971, in the Boston suburb of Newton, Massachusetts. Amy Poehler grew up in Burlington, Massachusetts with parents Eileen and William Poehler, both schoolteachers. At Boston College, the petite (5-foot 2-inch) Poehler became a member of the college's improvisational comedy troupe, My Mother's Fleabag.

After graduation, she moved to Chicago in 1993 to pursue a professional career in comedy, joining the comedy theaters ImprovOlympics and Second City, which have produced famous alumni including Stephen Colbert, Chris Farley, Mike Myers and Tina Fey. Poehler and Fey, who would later become famous together on Saturday Night Live (SNL), met each other through an improv group called Inside Vladimir, which someone had named after an adult video found at a local convenience store. "I believe there was some kind of Russian theme, but the story was lost on me very quickly," Poehler recalled. The two became friends immediately.

Amy Poehler performed tirelessly on Chicago and New York stages before making her mainstream breakout as a cast member of "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ). She had previously starred in "The Upright Citizens Brigade" (Comedy Central, 1998-2000), a sketch comedy show created by the improv group of the same name, which morphed into a hotbed of emerging talent. During her seven-year run on "SNL," Poehler skewered celebs like Kelly Ripa, Avril Lavigne and Sharon Osbourne; served as co-anchor of Weekend Update; and delivered a memorable impression of then-Senator and presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton. Poehler transitioned successfully to the big screen with a pair of Tina Fey-scripted features, "Mean Girls" (2004), and "Baby Mama" (2008). Maintaining a foothold in television, Poehler was the creator of the charming animated series "The Mighty B" (Nickelodeon, 2008- ) and the star of the small town-set sitcom "Parks and Recreation" (NBC, 2009- ), while her additional in-demand status as a voiceover actor made her one of the most successful cross-media comics of her generation. The following year, she earned another Emmy Award nomination, this time for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role on "Parks and Recreation," a feat she repeated in 2011.

Amy Poehler Awards:

2008 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee

2009 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee

2010 Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee

2011 Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee

2011 Emmy: Outstanding Comedy Series - Nominee