Tina Fey

Early Years

Elizabeth Stamatina Fey was born on May 18, 1970 in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. Her mother, Jeanne, is a brokerage employee and father, Donald, is a university grant proposal writer. She also has an older brother, Peter.

After graduating from Upper Darby High School, Fey attended the University of Virginia and studied drama. Upon her college graduation in 1992, she headed to Chicago and trained with the famed comedy troupe, The Second City. She became a member of the cast in 1994.

Saturday Night Live

Fey’s friend, Adam McKay, who was the head writer at Saturday Night Live, suggested that Fey send a sample of six sketches to Lorne Michaels. She was later hired in 1997 as a sketch writer.

Fey became the first female head writer for Saturday Night Live in 1999. She first appeared in front of the camera when she took on co-anchor duties for Weekend Update in 2000, alongside Jimmy Fallon and later, Amy Poehler in 2004. She went on maternity leave in 2005, but returned to the show on October 22, 2005, saying, "I had to get back to work. NBC has me under contract; the baby and I only have a verbal agreement."

Screenwriter

Tina Fey took her writing talents to the big screen when she penned the screenplay for the 2004 film Mean Girls, a comedy starring Lindsay Lohan. Fey appeared in the film as the math teacher, Ms. Norbury.

Television Series

Tina Fey with 30 Rock co-star Jane Krakowsi

In 2006, Fey left Saturday Night Live to pursue a sitcom project at NBC called 30 Rock. The comedy is loosely based on her experiences as a writer at SNL. On 30 Rock, Fey plays Liz Lemon, the head writer for the fictional sketch comedy show TGS, opposite Alec Baldwin. Fey is a writer, co-producer and star of the series. Although ratings were initially weak, the show built a modest fan base and viewer numbers increased when the show moved to Thursday nights.

Personal Life

Tina Fey married Jeff Richmond on June 3, 2001 and the couple has one daughter, Alice Zenobia Richmond, born September 10, 2005. The couple met at Second City and dated for seven years. Richmond was a composer on Saturday Night Live and provides the music for Fey’s series, 30 Rock.

Nominations and Awards

Tina Fey has received her fair share of recognition, including:

• Won 2001 Writers Guild of America Award for co-head writer of Saturday Night Live’s 25th anniversary special
• Won 2002 Emmy Award for writing on SNL
• Nominated for 2007 Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series, 30 Rock
• Won 2007 Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, 30 Rock

Tina Fey Facts

• Fey was also part of the Improv Olympic, along with Vince Vaughn, Mike Myers and Amy Poehler.
• Fey voices the British and German princesses in the pinball machine game Medieval Madness (1997).
• Her sketch for "Boston Teens," which featured Jimmy Fallon and Rachel Dratch, originated at Second City.
• She appeared with SNL cast mate Rachel Dratch in the two-woman show "Dratch & Fey" at several comedy festivals.
• She was ranked eighth on Entertainment Weekly’s list for entertainer of the year in 2001.
• Fey was number 80 on Maxim magazine's 2002 list of Hot 100 Women.
• She made the list of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World (2007).
• Fey will next be seen on the big screen in 2008’s Baby Mama, along with former SNL castmate Amy Poehler..