Under her pretty, girl-next-door exterior lies a quick-witted comic actress with impeccable impersonation skills. Poehler began flexing her funny bone while at Boston College as part of the comedy troupe My Mother's Fleabag and continued her quest for laughs in Chicago as a student at Second City and the ImprovOlympic Theatre. After helping to bring the irreverent sketch improv outfit Upright Citizens Brigade from Chicago to New York City in 1996, Poehler starred on its eponymous Comedy Central series from 1998 to 2000. The next year she signed on to
Saturday Night Live as a featured player and was quickly promoted to a full cast member known for her broad impressions of Kelly Ripa and Sharon Osbourne. Film and TV parts followed, notably a guest spot on
Arrested Development as the wife of Gob, played by her real-life husband Will Arnett. Poehler left
SNL soon after the birth of her first child, Archie, in 2008, but found plenty to keep her busy, producing and writing an animated series,
The Mighty B, for Nickelodeon, and starring in the NBC sitcom
Parks and Recreation.
Amy Poehler Fast Facts:
- Got her start while a student at Boston College in the comedy troupe My Mother's Fleabag.
- Trained at Second City and ImprovOlympic, both in Chicago.
- Appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Stacey, Andy Richter's little sister.
- Made Saturday Night Live history when she joined Tina Fey as Weekend Update co-anchor and they became the first all-female news team during the show's run.
- Had a recurring role on Arrested Development as the wife of Gob, a character played by real-life husband Will Arnett.
- Co-created, produced and provided voice-over work in the Nickelodeon series The Mighty B.
- Was cast in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation in 2009.
- Amy Poehler Relationships:
- Bill Poehler - Father
- Eileen Poehler - Mother
- Gregory Poehler - Brother
- Will Arnett - Husband
- Archibald William Emerson Arnett - Son
- Abel James Arnett - Son
- 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
- 2012 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical - Nominee
- College:
- Boston College, Boston, MA (BA in Communications, 1993)