Actress and comedian Ellie Kemper comes from a long line of incredibly successful Kempers. Her father, David Woods Kemper, is a son of one of the wealthiest families in Missouri and the executive chairman of Commerce Bancshares. Her grandmother, Mildred Lane Kemper, was the namesake of the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum at Washington University in St. Louis. Her great-great grandfather was banker, insurance man, and railroad magnate William Thornton Kemper, Sr.
Elizabeth Claire Kemper, however, has had no problem holding her own. She has been nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award, two Critics' Choice Television Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, three Satellite Awards, and seven Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Kemper rose to fame in 2009 when she stepped into the role of Erin Hannon on the beloved NBC mockumentary sitcom “The Office.” She played the cheerful, optimistic office receptionist from 2009 to 2013. Erin was an original character, and has no counterpart in the original British version of the series.
Kemper is also known for starring as the title character in the Netflix original sitcom “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” Kimmy is a good-hearted survivor, having spent 15 years as a “mole woman” in a bunker after being kidnapped at the age of 14. The show chronicles her adventures with a colorful cast of quirky characters as she readjusts to life and freedom in the outside world. The series ran for four seasons and earned Kemper two consecutive nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
Kemper developed an interest in theater and improvisational comedy while she was in high school. While attending Princeton University, she was a member of the school's improv comedy troupe, Quipfire, which was known for its ostentatious pranks. She was also a member of the Princeton Triangle Club, a touring musical comedy theater troupe. After moving to New York City, Kemper continued acting in improv and sketch comedy theatre groups, including the People's Improv Theatre and the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB).
Notable films Kemper has appeared in include “Bridesmaids,” “21 Jump Street,” and most recently, “Home Sweet Home Alone.” It was announced in August 2022 that she is set to co-host the Roku Original series “The Great American Baking Show, “ the highly anticipated U.S. adaptation of the popular “Great British Bake Off.”