▲Like her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, DeGeneres was born in January.

▲She began her career as a stand-up comedian.

▲In the early 1990s, she was a regular on shows like 'Open House' and 'Laurie Hill.'

▲In 1996, she had her first starring role in a film, 'Mr. Wrong,' alongside Bill Pullman.

▲DeGeneres came out as a lesbian in 1997.

▲She made the announcement on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show.'

▲That same year, she won her first Emmy, in the category of Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.

▲Like DeGeneres, actress Laura Dern saw few acting roles come her way after appearing in the coming out episode of 'Ellen.'

▲DeGeneres began dating actress Anne Heche shortly after coming out publicly.

▲DeGeneres appeared alongside Patricia Arquette in 'Goodbye Lover' in 1998.

▲In 1998, she made a small appearance on popular TV show 'Mad About You.'

▲She made two appearances on 'The Larry Sanders Show' from 1996 to 1998.

▲By the time she appeared in 'Edtv' with Matthew McConaughey in 1999, her sitcom 'Ellen' had been cancelled.

▲She played Sharon Stone's lover in the TV movie 'If These Walls Could Talk 2' in 2000, which was directed by her girlfriend Anne Heche.

▲By 2001, DeGeneres was dating Alexandra Hedison.

▲DeGeneres hosted the Emmys in 2001.

▲She famously wore Björk's swan dress during the ceremony.

▲DeGeneres appeared on 'Will & Grace' in 2001. Also in 2001, she had a role in 'Reaching Normal' with Andie MacDowell.

▲Unfortunately, her second attempt at a sitcom only lasted one season.

▲DeGeneres voiced Dory in 'Finding Nemo' in 2003, a move that changed her career trajectory for the better.

▲She released 'The Funny Thing Is...' in 2003...

▲...and landed her own talk show, 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show.'

▲From 2003 to 2005, she played herself in 'Pauly Shore Is Dead,' 'The Bernie Mac Show,' 'Six Feet Under,' and 'Joey.'

▲In 2004, DeGeneres had the honor of carrying the Olympic torch.

▲She also made a hilarious Spiderman at the 2004 MTV Movie Awards.

▲She won Best Talk Show Host at the Emmys in 2004, an award she would go on to earn many more times.

▲She's also a legend at the People's Choice Awards. With well over a dozen awards to her name, she has the most earned by anyone.

▲DeGeneres has picked up several surfboards at the Teen Choice Awards as well.

▲She's also picked up several statues at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

▲In 2004, DeGeneres started dating her future wife, Portia de Rossi.

▲DeGeneres hosted the Oscars for the first time in 2007.

▲She became a Covergirl in 2008.

▲Famously charitable, DeGeneres performed at the Stand Up To Cancer event in 2008.

▲She taped 'Ellen's Even Bigger Really Big Show' in 2008. She also had comedy specials in 2000 and 2003.

▲Already a fan of the show, DeGeneres became a judge on 'American Idol' in 2010, but left after finding it too critical a role.

▲She voiced herself on 'The Simpsons' in 2010.

▲A big animal lover, DeGeneres was there for the US Postal Service's dedication of their new Animal Rescue: Adopt A Shelter Pet Stamp in 2010.

▲That same year she walked the runway with designer Richie Rich during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

▲In 2012, she got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

▲A huge honor for DeGeneres in 2012: the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

▲In 2013, DeGeneres took her talk show overseas to her wife's homeland of Australia.

▲DeGeneres presented alongside Beyoncé at the Grammys in 2013.

▲Also in 2013, DeGeneres was there for the launch of the Duracell Power a Smile Program.

▲She is remembered for the selfie she took during the ceremony, which quickly went viral.

▲Beginning in 2015, she could also be seen on her reality show, 'Ellen's Design Challenge.'

▲That year her voice was also the star of 'Finding Dory,' the sequel to the film that put her back on the map.

▲And then came perhaps the highest honor of all: the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

▲DeGeneres participated in 'One Voice: Somos Live! A Concert For Disaster Relief' in 2017.

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Known for playing games on her talk show, DeGeneres got her own game show in 2017. However, the show was canceled in January 2022. Indeed, she's been involved in several projects in the last few years, from 'Family Game Night' to 'Ellen's Next Great Designer' and 'Little Ellen.'

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She starred alongside Tom Selleck in 'The Love Letter' in 1999.

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In 1993, DeGeneres appeared in the film 'Coneheads.'

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She hosted the Oscars again in 2014.

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DeGeneres was the center square on 'Hollywood Squares' from 2002 to 2003.

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She voiced a dog in 'Doctor Dolittle' in 1998.

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In 1995, she appeared in 'Roseanne.'

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In 2020, cracks in DeGeneres' reputation began to appear. Her talk show's work atmosphere was labeled "toxic," and her persona as America's sweetheart host was called into question. In the wake of it, in 2022 she announced she would be ending her show.

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Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, have reportedly left the United States following Donald Trump’s election victory. DeGeneres, a big supporter of Kamala Harris, appears to have been driven to seek a fresh start, away from the current political climate in the US. The couple has chosen to make a new home in the idyllic Cotswolds, a region known for its charming countryside and historic villages.

Ellen DeGeneres has experienced a career filled with both remarkable achievements and significant challenges. For a deeper look into her life, this gallery explores her path to Hollywood stardom and highlights some of her most memorable career and personal milestones.

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In 2016, she played herself on 'The Big Bang Theory.'

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But that same year the sitcom she executive produced, 'One Big Happy,' failed to make it past six episodes.

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Her journey begins with her mom, Betty DeGeneres, with whom DeGeneres is very close.