Ellie Kemper

Ellie Kemper is an actress and comedian best known for her roles on The Office and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Kemper was born in Kansas City, Missouri, but raised in St. Louis. She went on to attend Princeton University, where she studied English and got involved in improv comedy. After graduating, she briefly studied at Worcester College, Oxford, working towards a master’s degree in English before pursuing a career in entertainment.

Kemper began her career in sketch and improv comedy, performing with the Upright Citizens Brigade and appearing in comedy videos for Funny or Die and The Onion. She gained national attention in 2009 when she joined the cast of The Office as receptionist Erin Hannon.

After The Office, Kemper landed the lead role in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which premiered in 2015 and earned her two Primetime Emmy nominations for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She has also appeared in numerous films, including Bridesmaids (2011), 21 Jump Street (2012), Sex Tape (2014), Home Sweet Home Alone (2021), and lent her voice to animated projects like The Secret Life of Pets (2016).

Kemper married writer and producer Michael Koman in 2012. The couple has two sons, James (born in 2016) and Matthew (born in 2019).