Elizabeth Stamatina "
Tina"
Fey (born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedienne, writer, and producer. She has received seven
Emmy Awards, three
Golden Globe Awards, three
Screen Actors Guild Awards, and four
Writers Guild of America Awards. She was singled out as the performer who had the greatest impact on culture and entertainment in 2008 by the
Associated Press, who gave her their AP Entertainer of the Year award.
After graduating from the
University of Virginia in 1992, Fey moved to
Chicago to take classes at the improvisational comedy group
The Second City, where she became a featured player in 1994. Three years later, Fey became a writer for the sketch comedy show
Saturday Night Live (
SNL). She was promoted to the position of
head writer in 1999. The following year, Fey was added to the cast of
SNL. During her time there, she was co-anchor of the show's
Weekend Update segment. After leaving
SNL in 2006, she created her own television series called
30 Rock, a situation comedy loosely based on her experiences at
SNL. In the series, Fey portrays the head writer of a fictional sketch comedy series.
In 2004, Fey made her film debut as writer and co-star of the teen comedy
Mean Girls. In 2008, she starred in the comedy film
Baby Mama, alongside
Amy Poehler. In 2009, Fey won an Emmy Award for her satirical portrayal of
Republican vice presidential candidate
Sarah Palin in a guest appearance on
SNL.
