Amy Poehler Biography Quotes 9 Report mistakes

Early Life and Education
Amy Meredith Poehler was born on September 16, 1971, in Newton, Massachusetts, and raised in nearby Burlington. The daughter of Eileen and William Poehler, both educators, she grew up in a household that valued curiosity and humor. In high school she gravitated toward theater and student performance, then enrolled at Boston College, where she graduated in 1993 with a degree in media and communications. At Boston College, she joined the improvisational troupe My Mother's Fleabag, an experience that set the course for her career. Her younger brother, Greg Poehler, would later become a comedian and writer, reflecting the family's shared creative streak.

Chicago Training and the Birth of UCB
After college, Poehler moved to Chicago, immersing herself in improvisation at The Second City and ImprovOlympic (iO). Under the guidance of influential teachers and producers such as Del Close and Charna Halpern, she honed a fast, fearless style of long-form improv that would become her hallmark. In Chicago she met kindred spirits Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, and Ian Roberts; together they formed the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB). The group relocated to New York City in the mid-1990s, launched a sketch series on Comedy Central, and established the UCB Theatre, which quickly became a cornerstone of American improv and sketch training. The theater and its offshoots nurtured generations of performers and writers, reinforcing Poehler's reputation as a builder of community as much as a performer.

Saturday Night Live
Poehler joined Saturday Night Live in 2001, recruited by executive producer Lorne Michaels. She became one of the show's most versatile players, moving effortlessly between characters and impressions. She co-anchored Weekend Update with Tina Fey from 2004 to 2006, then with Seth Meyers from 2006 to 2008, delivering a sharp, playful comedic voice that balanced satire with warmth. Among her signature pieces were Kaitlin, the hyperactive schoolgirl; the confident but oblivious one-legged Amber; the Bronx Beat talk-show sketches with Maya Rudolph; and numerous political impressions, including Hillary Clinton during the 2008 election cycle. That year she performed the widely discussed "Sarah Palin Rap" while visibly pregnant, a moment emblematic of her commitment to live comedy. She earned multiple Emmy nominations for her SNL work and later returned as host, ultimately sharing an Emmy with Tina Fey for their joint guest appearance on the show.

Parks and Recreation
In 2009, Poehler stepped into the role that defined her television legacy: Leslie Knope, the indefatigable public servant at the heart of Parks and Recreation. Developed by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, the series assembled a stellar ensemble including Nick Offerman, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Retta, and Jim O'Heir. As both star and producer, Poehler helped shape the show's tone, writing episodes and guiding character arcs. Her portrayal of Leslie combined optimism, competence, and civic pride, turning a small-town parks official into a pop-culture icon. The role brought her a Golden Globe and multiple Emmy nominations, and the series became a template for heartfelt, character-driven comedy.

Film and Voice Work
Parallel to television, Poehler built a lively film career. She appeared in Mean Girls, directed by Mark Waters and written by Tina Fey, memorably playing the exuberant "cool mom". She co-led Baby Mama with Fey and appeared in Blades of Glory with then-husband Will Arnett. She headlined Sisters with Fey, further cementing their decades-long collaboration. As a voice actor, Poehler voiced Snow White in Shrek the Third and, most notably, Joy in Pixar's Inside Out, directed by Pete Docter, a role she reprised in Inside Out 2. Her warm, nimble voice performance captured the emotional complexity at the center of the films, helping introduce younger audiences to her work.

Creator, Producer, and Director
Through her company Paper Kite Productions, Poehler developed and produced series that expanded opportunities for distinct comedic voices. She championed Broad City, created by and starring Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer; supported Difficult People, from Julie Klausner and featuring Billy Eichner; executive produced Russian Doll with Natasha Lyonne and Leslye Headland; and worked with her brother Greg Poehler on Welcome to Sweden. She co-created and voiced the animated series The Mighty B!, further demonstrating a commitment to offbeat, character-driven comedy. Behind the camera, she directed the ensemble feature Wine Country, collaborating with friends and peers including Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch, Ana Gasteyer, Paula Pell, and Tina Fey, and followed with Moxie, a teen-centered film about grassroots activism. She also directed the documentary Lucy and Desi, reflecting a deep admiration for comedy's trailblazers.

Hosting and Live Events
Poehler's mastery of live performance extended beyond SNL. She and Tina Fey co-hosted the Golden Globe Awards in 2013, 2014, and 2015, returning in 2021; their chemistry, quick improvisation, and well-calibrated wit drew widespread praise. With Nick Offerman, she co-hosted Making It, a crafting competition series that celebrated creativity with the same gentle humor and encouragement she brought to her narrative work. Whether working alongside Fey, Offerman, or longtime colleagues like Seth Meyers and Maya Rudolph, Poehler elevated her collaborators, a hallmark of her improvisational training.

Philanthropy and Advocacy
Poehler co-founded Amy Poehler's Smart Girls with Meredith Walker and Amy Miles, a project dedicated to helping young people cultivate curiosity, empathy, and confidence. Through online content, events, and partnerships, Smart Girls emphasized learning and community engagement over superficial accomplishment. Her work with the Upright Citizens Brigade also reflected an ethos of accessibility and mentorship, providing stages, classrooms, and opportunities to emerging performers and writers.

Personal Life
Poehler married Will Arnett in 2003; the couple, who collaborated onscreen, later separated and divorced. They share two sons and have maintained a focus on co-parenting. Beyond family, her enduring professional friendships have defined her public life: the creative partnership with Tina Fey; the improvisational camaraderie with Maya Rudolph and Rachel Dratch; the collegial bond with Seth Meyers; and decades-long ties to UCB co-founders Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, and Ian Roberts. These relationships underscore her reputation for loyalty, generosity, and collaborative leadership.

Awards and Recognition
Across television and film, Poehler has received numerous nominations and accolades, including a Golden Globe for Parks and Recreation and an Emmy shared with Tina Fey for their SNL guest appearance. She has been honored by industry peers for writing, acting, and producing, and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a public acknowledgment of her influence in television comedy. Her projects have garnered Writers Guild and Producers Guild recognition, reflecting both creative and organizational excellence.

Legacy and Influence
Amy Poehler's legacy reaches beyond her own performances. As a co-founder of UCB, she helped codify long-form improv for mainstream audiences and built a pipeline for new talent. As a lead on Parks and Recreation, she demonstrated that optimism and competence could be both funny and moving. As a producer and director, she magnified other people's voices and widened the lanes for women in comedy. Threading through it all is a collaborative spirit shaped by mentors like Del Close and Charna Halpern, and nurtured through decades of partnership with Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, Seth Meyers, and many others. Poehler's career stands as a model of craft, community building, and sustained creative risk, and her work continues to influence how comedy is made, taught, and shared.

Our collection contains 9 quotes who is written by Amy, under the main topics: Witty One-Liners - Funny - Work Ethic - Sarcastic - Teaching.

Other people realated to Amy: Lindsay Lohan (Actress), Lewis Black (Comedian), Darrell Hammond (Comedian), Elizabeth Banks (Actress), Janeane Garofalo (Comedian), David Wain (Writer), Marguerite Moreau (Actress)