© Getty Images
1 / 59 Fotos
Wife Portia de Rossi - Like her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, DeGeneres was born in January.
© Getty Images
2 / 59 Fotos
Mama Betty - Her journey begins with her mom, Betty DeGeneres, with whom DeGeneres is very close.
© Getty Images
3 / 59 Fotos
Stand-up - She began her career as a stand-up comedian.
© Getty Images
4 / 59 Fotos
Start in television - In the early 1990s, she was a regular on shows like 'Open House' and 'Laurie Hill.'
© Getty Images
5 / 59 Fotos
'Coneheads' - In 1993, DeGeneres appeared in 'Coneheads.'
© Reuters
6 / 59 Fotos
'Roseanne' - In 1995, she appeared in 'Roseanne.'
© Getty Images
7 / 59 Fotos
'Mr. Wrong' - In 1996, she had her first starring role in a film, 'Mr. Wrong,' alongside Bill Pullman.
© Getty Images
8 / 59 Fotos
Coming out - DeGeneres came out as a lesbian in 1997.
© Getty Images
9 / 59 Fotos
Oprah - She made the announcement on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show.'
© Getty Images
10 / 59 Fotos
First Emmy win - That same year, she won her first Emmy, in the category of Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.
© Getty Images
11 / 59 Fotos
Ramifications - Like DeGeneres, actress Laura Dern saw few acting roles come her way after appearing in the coming out episode of 'Ellen.'
© Getty Images
12 / 59 Fotos
Anne Heche - DeGeneres began dating actress Anne Heche shortly after coming out publicly.
© Getty Images
13 / 59 Fotos
'Goodbye Lover' - DeGeneres appeared alongside Patricia Arquette in 'Goodbye Lover' in 1998.
© Getty Images
14 / 59 Fotos
'Mad About You' - In 1998, she made a small appearance on popular TV show 'Mad About You.'
© BrunoPress
15 / 59 Fotos
'The Larry Sanders Show' - She made two appearances on 'The Larry Sanders Show' from 1996 to 1998.
© Getty Images
16 / 59 Fotos
'Doctor Dolittle' - She voiced a dog in 'Doctor Dolittle' in 1998.
© BrunoPress
17 / 59 Fotos
From 'Ellen' to 'Edtv' - By the time she appeared in 'Edtv' with Matthew McConaughey in 1999, her sitcom 'Ellen' had been cancelled.
© Getty Images
18 / 59 Fotos
'The Love Letter' - She starred alongside Tom Selleck in 'The Love Letter' in 1999.
© Getty Images
19 / 59 Fotos
'If These Walls Could Talk 2' - 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.
© Getty Images
20 / 59 Fotos
Alexandra Hedison - By 2001, DeGeneres was dating Alexandra Hedison.
© Getty Images
21 / 59 Fotos
Hosting the Emmys - DeGeneres hosted the Emmys in 2001.
© Getty Images
22 / 59 Fotos
That Björk dress - She famously wore Björk's swan dress during the ceremony.
© Getty Images
23 / 59 Fotos
'Will & Grace' and 'Reaching Normal' - DeGeneres appeared on 'Will & Grace' in 2001. Also in 2001, she had a role in 'Reaching Normal' with Andie MacDowell.
© Getty Images
24 / 59 Fotos
'The Ellen Show' (2001-2002) - Unfortunately, her second attempt at a sitcom only lasted one season.
© Getty Images
25 / 59 Fotos
Ellen at the center - DeGeneres was the center square on 'Hollywood Squares' from 2002 to 2003.
© Getty Images
26 / 59 Fotos
'Finding Nemo' changes everything - DeGeneres voiced Dory in 'Finding Nemo' in 2003, a move that changed her career trajectory for the better.
© Getty Images
27 / 59 Fotos
'The Funny Thing Is...' - She releases 'The Funny Thing Is...' in 2003.
© Getty Images
28 / 59 Fotos
'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' - And landed her own talk show, 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show.'
© Getty Images
29 / 59 Fotos
Playing herself - From 2003 to 2005, she played herself in 'Pauly Shore Is Dead,' 'The Bernie Mac Show,' 'Six Feet Under,' and 'Joey.'
© Getty Images
30 / 59 Fotos
Carrying the Olympic torch - In 2004, DeGeneres had the honor of carrying the Olympic torch.
© Getty Images
31 / 59 Fotos
Spiderwoman - She also made a hilarious Spiderman at the 2004 MTV Movie Awards.
© Getty Images
32 / 59 Fotos
Best host - She won Best Talk Show Host at the Emmys in 2004, an award she would go on to earn many more times.
© Getty Images
33 / 59 Fotos
People's Choice Awards - 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.
© Getty Images
34 / 59 Fotos
Teens think she's cool - DeGeneres has picked up several surfboards at the Teen Choice Awards as well.
© Getty Images
35 / 59 Fotos
Kids love her - She's also picked up several statues at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.
© Getty Images
36 / 59 Fotos
Romance blooms - In 2004, DeGeneres started dating her future wife, Portia de Rossi.
© Getty Images
37 / 59 Fotos
Hosting the Oscars - DeGeneres hosted the Oscars for the first time in 2007.
© Getty Images
38 / 59 Fotos
Covergirl! - She became a Covergirl in 2008.
© Getty Images
39 / 59 Fotos
Special causes - Famously charitable, DeGeneres performed at the Stand Up To Cancer event in 2008.
© Getty Images
40 / 59 Fotos
Comedy specials - She taped 'Ellen's Even Bigger Really Big Show' in 2008. She also had comedy specials in 2000 and 2003.
© Getty Images
41 / 59 Fotos
'American Idol' - Already a fan of the show, DeGeneres became a judge on 'American Idol' in 2010, but left after finding it too critical a role.
© Getty Images
42 / 59 Fotos
'The Simpsons' - She voiced herself on 'The Simpsons' in 2010.
© Getty Images
43 / 59 Fotos
Animal lover - 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.
© Getty Images
44 / 59 Fotos
Runway model - That same year she walked the runway with designer Richie Rich during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.
© Getty Images
45 / 59 Fotos
Hollywood Walk of Fame - In 2012, she got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
© Getty Images
46 / 59 Fotos
Mark Twain Prize for American Humor - A huge honor for DeGeneres in 2012: the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
© Getty Images
47 / 59 Fotos
Ellen goes to Australia - In 2013, DeGeneres took her talk show overseas to her wife's homeland of Australia.
© Getty Images
48 / 59 Fotos
The Grammys - DeGeneres presented alongside Beyoncé at the Grammys in 2013.
© Getty Images
49 / 59 Fotos
More charity - Also in 2013, DeGeneres was there for the launch of the Duracell Power a Smile Program.
© Getty Images
50 / 59 Fotos
Hosting the Oscars again - She hosted the Oscars again in 2014.
© Getty Images
51 / 59 Fotos
Famous selfie - She is remembered for the selfie she took during the ceremony, which quickly went viral.
© Getty Images
52 / 59 Fotos
'Ellen's Design Challenge' - Beginning in 2015, she could also be seen on her reality show, 'Ellen's Design Challenge.'
© Getty Images
53 / 59 Fotos
'One Big Happy' not so happy - But that same year the sitcom she executive produced, 'One Big Happy,' failed to make it past six episodes.
© Getty Images
54 / 59 Fotos
'The Big Bang Theory' - In 2016, she played herself on 'The Big Bang Theory.'
© Getty Images
55 / 59 Fotos
'Finding Dory' - That year her voice was also the star of 'Finding Dory,' the sequel to the film that put her back on the map.
© Getty Images
56 / 59 Fotos
The Presidential Medal of Freedom - And then came perhaps the highest honor of all: the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
© Getty Images
57 / 59 Fotos
Disaster relief concert - DeGeneres participated in 'One Voice: Somos Live! A Concert For Disaster Relief' in 2017.
© Getty Images
58 / 59 Fotos
'Ellen's Game of Games'
- Known for playing games on her talk show, DeGeneres got her own game show in 2017.
© Getty Images
59 / 59 Fotos
Ellen DeGeneres: America's favorite host
The funnywoman turns 63 on January 26
© Getty Images
Often considered "everyone's favorite comedian," Ellen DeGeneres is known for her giving ways and big parties. But how about a more intimate look at the comedy icon? This gallery examines her journey to Hollywood, as well as some of her biggest life and career highlights.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
MOST READ
- Last Hour
- Last Day
- Last Week
-
1
CELEBRITY Relationships
-
2
MOVIES Couples
-
3
CELEBRITY Fame
-
4
CELEBRITY Sports
-
5
CELEBRITY Curiosities
-
6
CELEBRITY Parenting
-
7
CELEBRITY Hobbies
-
8
CELEBRITY Education
-
9
CELEBRITY University
-
10
CELEBRITY Blowouts
COMMENTS