Ellie Kemper
She brought a uniquely bright-eyed optimism to comedy, turning naive characters into resilient heroes we couldn't help but root for.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American actress and comedian·Birthday: May 2·Generation X
Biography
Ellie Kemper grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, a self-described 'joyful nerd' whose early life was steeped in the kind of Midwestern earnestness she would later channel into her most famous roles. A Princeton graduate with a degree in English, she honed her comedic voice in the improv theaters of New York before landing the part of the guileless, eager-to-please Erin Hannon on 'The Office.' That performance became a springboard, but it was her starring role as the unbreakably cheerful Kimmy Schmidt, a woman rebuilding her life after fifteen years in a bunker, that cemented her status. Kemper mastered the art of playing innocence without fragility, finding steel and wit beneath the sunny exterior. Off-screen, she authored a collection of humorous essays and built a career that proves kindness can be a compelling form of strength.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ellie was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ellie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Ellie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Starred as the titular resilient nanny in the Netflix comedy series 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,' earning two Primetime Emmy nominations.
- Played the endearing receptionist Erin Hannon for five seasons on the acclaimed sitcom 'The Office.'
- Appeared in the blockbuster comedy film 'Bridesmaids' as Becca, the sweet but slightly oblivious sister of the bride.
- Published a memoir of humorous personal essays, 'My Squirrel Days,' in 2018.
Did You Know?
She was a member of the Princeton Triangle Club, the university's famed musical theater troupe.
Kemper worked briefly as a writer for the satirical newspaper 'The Onion' early in her career.
She is a descendant of the St. Louis brewing family that founded the Anheuser-Busch company.
Kemper was crowned 'Queen of Love and Beauty' at the 1999 Veiled Prophet Ball in St. Louis, a fact that later sparked public discussion.
“I think there's something powerful about being naive and optimistic.”
