Amy Poehler has become one of television's most beloved comedic actresses for her portrayal as Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation, as well as in films Blades of Glory, Mean Girls, and Baby Mama as well as two seasons of 2 Broke Girl on CBS.
Freaky Friday is her most recent film appearance; in it, she switches bodies with Vince Vaughn (Blissfield Butcher). We spoke to her about it as well as much more.
The Laughter
Amy Poehler brings laughs wherever she appears - from co-hosting Saturday Night Live (SNL), Mean Girls, Parks and Recreation, and Avengers Endgame, among many others - but her commitment to comedy goes well beyond the big screen and into millions of hearts around the world.
She hails from Burlington, Massachusetts - a "blue-collar town," where her parents taught her that creativity could exist even within working-class homes - where she credits them with instilling in her the belief that it could flourish regardless of circumstances. After studying improv at Chicago's Second City and ImprovOlympic, she co-founded Upright Citizens Brigade in 1996 - quickly landing a spot on Saturday Night Live where she quickly became known for her celebrity impressions of Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin!
She's also known for pulling off memorable stage stunts. A particularly notable incident took place at last month's 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards when Poehler outwitted fellow nominee Julia Louis-Dreyfus by mistakenly swapping acceptance speeches while accepting their award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
Poehler became known for her comedic movie roles such as Arrested Development, Blades of Glory, and Man of the Year following SNL, but her most significant work has come on Broadway where she's won multiple Tony Awards and been nominated for multiple Golden Globes.
Poehler is also an outspoken activist, using her platform to champion causes that matter most to her - from anti-bullying campaigns to Alzheimer's awareness raising. She credits her mother with fueling her feminist activism - an idea explored in 2021 film Moxie (adapted from Jennifer Mathieu's novel and starring Poehler among other notable funny women). More recently, Poehler joined Tina Fey for their inaugural live tour of Restless Leg comedy show which sold out instantly in Atlanta Bay Area NYC plus nine additional dates - they also released Wine Country which features them both acting together portraying group of friends celebrating an important birthday celebration!
The Leadership
Amy Poehler has established herself as an effective leader over her career. This can be seen both through her actions and words; Amy is adept at drawing out the best in others while making them better individuals - which explains her immense popularity with coworkers, fans, and friends alike. Amy uses humor and kindness to inspire people towards being their most authentic selves.
Her passion can be seen through her roles as an actress, writer, producer and best-selling author. She has appeared in countless films and TV shows such as Parks and Recreation and SNL as an actor or executive producer/star; also, NBC's The Office when she served as executive producer/star; in addition, she co-created and produced Broad City!
Since 2014, Tina Fey has become a beloved part of SNL with her lively personality making her one of viewers' favorites and earning numerous awards and nominations over time. In 2014 she released her debut book Yes Please which became a New York Times Bestseller with critical acclaim; additionally she won multiple Emmys including one alongside Tina Fey in 2015.
Poehler played Leslie Knope, the Deputy Director of Pawnee Parks and Recreation Department, for seven seasons on this popular comedy television series. As Leslie, she tirelessly worked to improve lives within this small town; from filling potholes, encouraging healthier lifestyle choices or fundraising for charity; she was always on a mission.
She is widely-recognized as an actress and producer, as well as being a prominent voice actor with numerous high-profile credits such as Mean Girls, 30 Rock and Sesame Street among others.
Poehler currently stars as cohost and executive producer on Peacock's Baking It with Maya Rudolph for its second season, set to premiere later this year. In 2019, she'll also join HBO's Bill Nye the Science Guy adaptation cast as well as executive producing multiple projects such as FOX's Duncanville and Amazon's Three Busy Debras series.
The Family
Poehler first made her mark in comedy during 1993 when she joined Chicago improvisational theaters ImprovOlympic and Second City. There, she met many of the fellow cast members that would help build her comedy career - among them Tina Fey who would later co-host Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update" segment with Poehler.
Poehler continued her rise as an actress by appearing on Parks and Recreation from 2009 to 2015. During that time, she earned multiple Emmy nominations alongside Tina Fey; together they also became popular comedy hosts of multiple Golden Globe Awards ceremonies.
Poehler made her mark as an actress with her appearance in Sisters, earning critical acclaim and several awards, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. That same year she made an impactful recurring role as an advisor for President Bartlet in The West Wing; additionally appearing in Baby Mama and The Expendables 2. On Broadway in 2012 she played Catherine O'Hara from L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz revival.
Luc Besson has made his mark with stylish action films, but his directorial debut The Family falls far short. While featuring an impressive cast and boasting one of the most absurd plot devices ever seen in film, most jokes fall flat and it can become tedious at times. Additionally, there's one of the worst contrivances I've ever witnessed in cinema; still worth seeing due to De Niro and Pfeiffer who manage to shine bright through its messy narrative.
The Fun
As a high school actress, Amy Poehler performed plays like L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz; during college theater productions. Upon moving to Chicago to study improv at Second City and iO (now ImprovOlympic), Poehler met several comics that would become key contributors in her career - among them Tina Fey. Together they formed the Upright Citizens Brigade troupe.
Poehler and Fey first became best friends during their years on SNL, when they co-starred in Mean Girls together before co-anchoring Weekend Update together. Once off SNL, both actors found leading roles on television - Poehler starring on Parks and Recreation while Fey in TV series like 30 Rock as well as movies including Sisters, Baby Mama, and Mean Girls.
Poehler earned multiple Emmy nominations for her work on both shows, including Lucy and Desi which went on to win Outstanding Directing of a Documentary or Nonfiction Program award; also nominated in Comedy Writing category for SNL skit "Bobby's Birthday Party" and "Scary Mary".
Mad Men star Jon Hamm brought his Parks and Recreation co-star Amy Poehler out with him to present the inaugural award of the evening: Best Actress in a Comedy Series. As Rob Lowe and Sofia Vergara announced nominees for this category, Poehler, Fey, Laura Linney, Melissa McCarthy Edie Falco Martha Plimpton all came onstage together holding hands as Rob Lowe announced them all together before holding hands and holding on before an announcement was made of who won this category - an ideal way of lightening up what can become quite an extravagant event while showing Poehler's close bond with fellow actresses during this event!
Poehler won her award while nine months pregnant with Archie. Shortly thereafter she married actor Will Arnett with whom she collaborated in both Arrested Development and Blades of Glory as part of an incestuous figure skating duo; together they gave birth in 2012.
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