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Oprah Winfrey Biography

Birth Name:Oprah Gail Winfrey

Birth Place:Kosciusko, Mississippi, United States

Profession Producer, Actress, Writer, Soundtrack

Fast Facts

Motivated by the memories of her difficult childhood, she launched a campaign to establish a national database of convicted child abusers, which was established under the "Oprah Bill" that was signed into law by President Clinton in 1993
Was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013
Is the first female African-American billionaire in the world
Majored in Speech Communications and Performing Arts at Tennessee State University, but left when her broadcasting career began to take off
Started out working as a news anchor at Nashville's WLAC-TV
Hosted her first talk show, "People Are Talking," on WJZ-TV in Baltimore in the late 1970s
Quote: "It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from․ The ability to triumph begins with you․ Always․"
Her hit TV series "The Oprah Winfrey Show" started out as a failing morning program on WLS-TV called "AM Chicago" in 1984
Known for her warmth and sympathy
Was voted "Most Popular" by her classmates during high school

Awards

1985LAFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
1986Oscar-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
1986Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: nominated
1987Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk or Service Show Host: winner
1988Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk/Service Show Host: nominated
1989Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk/Service Show Host: nominated
1989Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk/Service Program: winner
1989Image Award-Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Mini-Series or Television Movie: nominated
1989Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Miniseries: nominated
1990Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk/Service Show Host: nominated
1990Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk/Service Show: nominated
1991Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk/Service Show: winner
1991Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk/Service Show Host: winner
1992Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk/Service Show Host: winner
1992Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk/Service Show: winner
1993Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: winner
1993Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk/Service Show: nominated
1993Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Children's Special: winner
1994Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: winner
1994Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: winner
1995Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: winner
1995Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: winner
1996Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: winner
1996Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: nominated
1997Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show Host: nominated
1997Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: winner
1997OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
1998Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk/Service Show Host: winner
1998Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: nominated
1998OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
1999Black Film Award-Best Actress: nominated
1999Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Talk Show: nominated
1999Image Award-Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture: nominated
1999OFTA Film Award-Best Drama Actress: nominated
1999OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
2000OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
2000PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television: winner
2000Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Made for Television Movie: winner
2001OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: winner
2002OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
2003OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
2004OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
2005Black Movie Award-Outstanding Television Movie: nominated
2005OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
2008Christopher Award-Feature Films: winner
2008OFTA Television Award-Best Host of a Talk or Service Show: nominated
2008Stanley Kramer Award-: winner
2009EDA Award-Best Picture: nominated
2011People's Choice Award-Favorite Talk Show Host: nominated
2012CINE Golden Eagle-Broadcast Division: People, Places and Events: winner
2013AAFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
2013EDA Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
2013CINE Golden Eagle-Broadcast Division: News, Special Features, Public Affairs & General Information: winner
2013HFCS Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
2013PFCS Award-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
2013Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Informational Series or Special: nominated
2013VVFP Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
2013WFCC Award-Worst Female Images in a Movie: nominated
2013WIN Award-Outstanding Actress Feature Film: nominated
2014Movies for Grownups Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
2014Movies for Grownups Award-Best Grownup Love Story: nominated
2014Hollywood Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
2014Hollywood Award-Best Ensemble Cast: nominated
2014Actor-Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: nominated
2014Actor-Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: nominated
2014ACCA-Best Motion Picture: nominated
2014BAFTA Film Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
2014BET Award-Best Actress: nominated
2014BFCC Award-Best Ensemble: winner
2014Black Reel-Outstanding Supporting Actress, Motion Picture: nominated
2014Critics Choice Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
2014Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Special Class Series: winner
2014DFCS Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
2014Image Award-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: nominated
2014IDA Award-Best Episodic Series: nominated
2014Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special: nominated
2014Prism Award-Performance in a Feature Film: nominated
2014SDFCS Award-Best Ensemble: nominated
2014Montecito Award-: winner
2014Satellite Award-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
2014WAFCA Award-Best Acting Ensemble: nominated
2014WFCC Award-Best Female Action Star: winner
2014Yoga Award-Worst Foreign Actress: winner
2015Oscar-Best Motion Picture of the Year: nominated
2015EDA Award-Best Picture: nominated
2015Black Reel-Outstanding Motion Picture: winner
2015Christopher Award-Feature Films: winner
2015Independent Spirit Award-Best Feature: nominated
2015GAFCA Award-Best Ensemble: nominated
2015Gold Derby Film Award-Motion Picture: nominated
2015Image Award-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: nominated
2015OFTA Film Award-Best Picture: nominated
2016Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Special Class Series: nominated
2016IDA Award-Best Limited Series: nominated
2017Black Reel-Outstanding Actress, TV Movie/Limited Series: nominated
2017Black Reel-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
2017Black Reel-Outstanding TV Movie/Limited Series: nominated
2017OFTA Television Award-Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Limited Series: nominated
2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Television Movie: nominated
2018Black Reel-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
2018Black Reel-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
2018Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Special Class Series: nominated
2018Image Award-Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special: nominated
2018Vision Award-Best Performance - Drama: winner
2018Teen Choice Award-Choice Movie Actress: Fantasy: nominated
2019Black Reel-Outstanding TV Movie/Limited Series: winner
2019Gotham Independent Film Award-Breakthrough Series - Longform: winner
2019Gotham Independent Film Award-Breakthrough Series - Longform: nominated
2019Emmy-Outstanding Feature Story in a News Magazine: winner
2019Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Limited Series: nominated
2020PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Limited Series Television: nominated
2021Real TV Award-Best Show Host: nominated
2021Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special: nominated
2023IDA Award-Best Episodic Series: nominated
2023Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series: winner
2023Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special: nominated
2024Black Reel-Outstanding Film: nominated
2024Cinema Eye Honors Award-Outstanding Achievement in Anthology Series: winner
2024Daytime Emmy-Outstanding Arts and Popular Culture Program: winner
2024Gotham TV Award-Breakthrough Drama Series: nominated
2024PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television: nominated