Words by Tina Fey is a rare comedy star whose biggest influence comes from what she writes. As a performer, she is known for sharp timing and a dry delivery. As a writer and producer, she has shaped American television and film comedy for more than two decades.
Early life
Elizabeth Stamatina Fey was born on May 18, 1970, and grew up in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia. She studied drama at the University of Virginia and graduated in 1992.
She then moved to Chicago and joined the famed improv theater The Second City, where she performed and wrote alongside future collaborators, including Amy Poehler.
Saturday Night Live
Fey joined “Saturday Night Live” as a writer in 1997. In 1999 she became the show’s first female head writer. The following year, she moved in front of the camera as co-anchor of the “Weekend Update” news segment, first with Jimmy Fallon and later with Amy Poehler, the first all-female anchor team for the segment.
Her writing helped define the show in that era. She won Emmy Awards as part of the writing staff, and her “Weekend Update” persona made her a household name.
In 2008, she returned to “SNL” as a guest to impersonate vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The sketches became some of the most-watched moments in the show’s history and earned her an Emmy.
Mean Girls
Fey wrote the screenplay for “Mean Girls” (2004), adapted from Rosalind Wiseman’s nonfiction book “Queen Bees and Wannabes.” She also played math teacher Ms. Norbury. The film became a cultural touchstone, endlessly quoted and celebrated on fan holidays. Fey later wrote the book for the Broadway musical version, which opened in 2018, and the screenplay for the 2024 musical film.
30 Rock
Fey created and starred in “30 Rock,” which ran on NBC from 2006 to 2013. She played Liz Lemon, the overworked head writer of a sketch show, opposite Alec Baldwin as network executive Jack Donaghy. The series was known for its rapid-fire jokes and absurd humor.
“30 Rock” won the Emmy for outstanding comedy series three years in a row, and Fey won Emmys for writing, producing and acting.
More television
With longtime collaborator Robert Carlock, Fey created “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” starring Ellie Kemper, which premiered on Netflix in 2015. The pair also created “Mr. Mayor” for NBC. Fey has appeared in “Only Murders in the Building” and other series, and she co-created “The Four Seasons” (2025), a series based on the Alan Alda film.
Films and hosting
Fey’s film work includes “Baby Mama” (2008) and “Sisters” (2015), both with Amy Poehler, as well as “Date Night” (2010) with Steve Carell. Fey and Poehler hosted the Golden Globe Awards three times in a row beginning in 2013, and again in 2021, to strong reviews.
Bossypants
Her 2011 memoir, “Bossypants,” became a best seller, mixing autobiography with essays about work, gender and comedy.
Honors
In 2010, Fey became the youngest person at the time to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor from the Kennedy Center.
Personal life
Fey is married to composer Jeff Richmond, who has scored many of her projects. They have two daughters.
Where to start
Start with “Mean Girls,” the first season of “30 Rock” and her “Weekend Update” clips. Then read “Bossypants” for the story of how a kid from Upper Darby became one of the most influential comedy writers of her generation.
Influence
Many of the writers and performers who came up through Fey’s shows, from “30 Rock” to “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” have gone on to create their own series. Her habit of hiring and promoting women in comedy writers’ rooms is part of her legacy as much as any single joke.
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