Ellen DeGeneres: Comedian, Talk Show Host and the Voice of Dory
Ellen DeGeneres is an American comedian, actress and television host. She is best known for the ABC sitcom Ellen (1994–1998), the daytime talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003–2022) and voicing Dory in Finding Nemo (2003) and Finding Dory (2016). Her most recent stand-up special is Netflix’s Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval (2024).
Ellen DeGeneres came out publicly as gay in April 1997. Shortly afterward, her character Ellen Morgan came out in “The Puppy Episode,” making her the first openly gay lead character on an American network series.
Ellen DeGeneres profile
| Full name | Ellen Lee DeGeneres |
|---|---|
| Born | January 26, 1958, Metairie, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Age | 68 years old |
| Occupation | Comedian, actress, television host, writer, producer |
| Years active | Early 1980s–present |
| Known for | Ellen (1994–1998), The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003–2022), Finding Nemo (2003), Finding Dory (2016) |
| Major awards | 33 Daytime Emmy Awards; Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016) |
| Profiles | Wikipedia · IMDb |
How did Ellen DeGeneres get started?
Ellen DeGeneres started out in stand-up comedy in the early 1980s. A 1986 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson brought her national attention. She played a nurse on the short-lived ABC sitcom Laurie Hill in 1992 and had a role in the film Coneheads in 1993.
Her own ABC sitcom premiered in 1994 as These Friends of Mine and was later renamed Ellen. She played bookstore owner Ellen Morgan for four years.
What is Ellen DeGeneres best known for?
Ellen DeGeneres is best known for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which ran in syndication from 2003 to 2022. Over 19 seasons it became a must-stop for stars promoting new projects. She won 33 Daytime Emmy Awards for the show.
Her film work includes Mr. Wrong (1996), EDtv (1999) and The Love Letter (1999). She also played Kal in HBO’s If These Walls Could Talk 2 (2000). Her voice role as Dory in Finding Nemo (2003) won a Saturn Award, and she returned to the part in Finding Dory (2016).
She also starred in CBS’s The Ellen Show (2001–2002). She has hosted the Academy Awards twice (2007 and 2014) and the Primetime Emmy Awards three times (1994, 2001 and 2005).
What is Ellen DeGeneres doing now?
Ellen DeGeneres released her stand-up special For Your Approval on Netflix in 2024. In April 2026, she was announced as returning to voice Dory in a new short set in the Finding Nemo world. In October 2026, she said on The Graham Norton Show that she misses hosting television.
Selected films and series featuring Ellen DeGeneres
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval | Herself | Stand-up special |
| 2018 | Ellen DeGeneres: Relatable | Herself | Stand-up special |
| 2017–2021 | Ellen’s Game of Games | Host | Host |
| 2016 | Finding Dory | Dory | Voice role |
| 2015 | Unity | Narrator | Documentary |
| 2014 | The Oscars | Host | Host |
| 2010 | American Idol | Judge | TV series |
| 2007 | The 79th Annual Academy Awards | Host | Host |
| 2005 | The 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards | Host | Host |
| 2003–2022 | The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Host | Host |
| 2003 | Finding Nemo | Dory | Voice role |
| 2003 | Ellen DeGeneres: Here and Now | Herself | Stand-up special |
| 2001–2002 | The Ellen Show | Ellen Richmond | TV series |
| 2000 | If These Walls Could Talk 2 | Kal | TV film |
| 2000 | Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning | Herself | Stand-up special |
| 1999 | EDtv | Cynthia | Film |
| 1999 | The Love Letter | — | Film |
| 1998 | Dr. Dolittle | Prologue Dog | Voice role |
| 1996 | Mr. Wrong | — | Film |
| 1994–1998 | Ellen | Ellen Morgan | TV series |
Ellen DeGeneres awards and recognition
- 2020 – Carol Burnett Award. She was the award’s second-ever recipient, honored for her contributions to television.
- 2016 – Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest civilian honor in the United States.
- 2012 – Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The Kennedy Center gives this lifetime honor for comedy.
- 2012 – Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star recognizes her work in television.
- Saturn Award for Finding Nemo. She won Best Supporting Actress for voicing Dory, a rare win for a voice performance.
- 33 Daytime Emmy Awards. She won them for The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
- 20 People’s Choice Awards. No other individual has won more.
FAQ
– What recently happened to Ellen DeGeneres?
In October 2026, Ellen DeGeneres made a rare appearance on The Graham Norton Show and said she misses hosting television. Earlier in 2026, she was announced as returning to voice Dory in a new Finding Nemo short.
– What ended Ellen DeGeneres’s talk show?
Ellen DeGeneres announced in May 2021 that The Ellen DeGeneres Show would end in 2022 after 19 seasons. The announcement came after a Warner Bros. investigation into misconduct allegations against senior producers. She told The Hollywood Reporter that the allegations were not the reason she ended the show.
– How old is Ellen DeGeneres?
Ellen DeGeneres is 68 years old. She was born on January 26, 1958, in Metairie, Louisiana.
– What is Ellen DeGeneres known for?
Ellen DeGeneres is known for the sitcom Ellen (1994–1998) and The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003–2022). She is also known for voicing Dory in Finding Nemo (2003) and Finding Dory (2016).
Header photo: Toglenn / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0, resized
