CELEBRITIES

Ellen DeGeneres

BIO

The comedienne was born in 1958 outside of New Orleans, La. After doing stand-up in a Big Easy comedy club, her routine took off.

People connected with DeGeneres's contagious laugh and witty humor and after appearances on shows like Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, she eventually got her own sitcom, Ellen, in 1994. This secured its spot in TV history when DeGeneres used the show to publicly come out of the closet.

Since then, she has re-launched her career as an Emmy-winning daytime talk show host on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Since 2004, DeGeneres has been dating former Ally McBeal and Arrested Development star, Portia de Rossi.

Following the May 2008 California Supreme Court ruling that same sex couples have the right to marry, the duo announced plans to say "I do." The couple's wish came true in August 2008 when they tied the knot in front of friends and family at their Beverly Hills home.