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Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres

Actor, producer and writer · Born January 26, 1958 (68) · Metairie, Louisiana, USA

Primetime Emmy winner · Golden Globe winner · Screen Actors Guild Award nominee · 3 other major award bodies

Ellen Lee DeGeneres (born January 26, 1958) is an American stand-up comic, television host, and actress. She hosted the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003-2022), and was a judge on American Idol for one year, having joined the show in its ninth season. DeGeneres has hosted both the Academy Awards and the Primetime Emmys. As a film actress, she starred in Mr. Wrong, appeared in EDtv and The Love Letter, and provided the voice of Dory in the Disney-Pixar animated film Finding Nemo, for which she was awarded a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress, the first and only time a voice performance won a Saturn Award. She also starred in two television sitcoms, Ellen from 1994 to 1998 and The Ellen Show from 2001 to 2002. During the fourth season of Ellen in 1997, DeGeneres came out publicly as a lesbian in an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Shortly afterwards, her character Ellen Morgan also came out to a therapist played by Winfrey, and the series went on to explore various LGBT issues, including the coming out process. She has won twelve Emmys and numerous other awards for her work and charitable efforts. Ellen is currently married to actress Portia De Rossi.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 26, 1958 (68)
From
Metairie, Louisiana, USA
Works as
Actor, producer and writer
Titles
40 on MovieCove · 64 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 37% in 30 days

What are Ellen DeGeneres' films like?

Across their 27 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Animation4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
35%
Bonds
27%
Society
19%
Ideas
11%
Morality
7%
Power
2%
Identity11 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship7 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age6 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 19 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 16 · Serious 3 · Dark 0

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 14 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 0

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 12 · Charged 7 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 13 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 10

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 12 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 17 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 17 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

9 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 5 of 9 analyzed roles.

Hero
5 of 9
Ally
3 of 9
Trickster
1 of 9
Show the 9 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
16
Warm
18
Hopeful
9
Absurd
6
Contemplative
9
Other
12

How their films linger

Feel-good21 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCozy2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy16
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous1
  • Cyclical3
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Ellen DeGeneres' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 31 of their 40 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on HBO Max (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ellen DeGeneres' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

64 credits, 40 with a MovieCove page; 70 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval(2024)

    Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Saving the Gorillas: Ellen's Next Adventure(2023)

    Executive Producer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Best of Ellen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 445 episodes · Creator · as Herself

  • Little Ellen(2021)

    Show 20 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows

  • Tig Notaro: Drawn(2021)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Ellen's Next Great Designer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 6 episodes · as Ellen DeGeneres

  • Endangered (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Executive Producer · as Self - Narrator (voice)

  • Pixar Popcorn(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Dory (voice)

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • Green Eggs and Ham(2019)

    Show 23 episodes · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Juego de Juegos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show Creator

  • Ellen DeGeneres: Relatable(2018)

    Executive Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Tig Notaro: Happy To Be Here(2018)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Splitting Up Together (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 8 episodes · Executive Producer

  • Finding Dory: Marine Life Interviews(2016)

    as Dory (voice)

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Finding Dory(2016)

    as Dory (voice)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Little Big Shots (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 9 episodes · Executive Producer

  • Unity(2015)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • One Big Happy(2015)

    Show 6 episodes · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all shows

  • Repeat After Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show Creator

  • Step Up: Revolution(2012)

    as Ellen DeGeneres (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Bethenny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 1 episode · Creator · as Self - Guest

  • Ellen's Bigger, Longer & Wider Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Writer · as Herself

  • Cat on the Prowl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 14 episodes · Producer

  • The Big Bang Theory(2007)

    Show 2 episodes · as Ellen DeGeneres

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • The Pixar Story(2007)

    as Dory (voice) (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Best of Carson, Volume 1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Actor

  • So You Think You Can Dance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Joey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Ellen DeGeneres

  • Exploring the Reef (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Dory (voice)

  • The Ellen DeGeneres Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 2,087 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer · as Self - Host

  • Ellen DeGeneres: Here and Now(2003)

    Executive Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Finding Nemo(2003)

    as Dory (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Pauly Shore Is Dead(2003)

    as Ellen DeGeneres

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • The Bernie Mac Show(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Ellen DeGeneres

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • The Ellen Show(2001)

    Show 13 episodes · Creator · Producer · as Ellen Richmond

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all shows

  • On the Edge(2001)

    as Operator (segment "Reaching Normal") (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Six Feet Under(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Ellen DeGeneres

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning(2000)

    Executive Producer · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • If These Walls Could Talk 2(2000)

    Producer · as Kal

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Love Letter(1999)

    as Janet

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Goodbye Lover(1998)

    as Stg. Rita Pompano

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Edtv(1999)

    as Cynthia Topping

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Will & Grace(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Sister Louise

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Doctor Dolittle(1998)

    as Prologue Dog (voice)

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Wonderful World of Disney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • E! True Hollywood Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Mr. Wrong(1996)

    as Martha Alston

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Ellen(1994)

    Show 109 episodes · Creator · Writer · as Ellen Morgan

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • Coneheads(1993)

    as Coach

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Laurie Hill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 10 episodes · as Nancy MacIntyre

  • Mad About You(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Nancy Bloom

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • One Night Stand: Command Performance: Ellen DeGeneres (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Actor

  • The Larry Sanders Show(1992)

    Show 3 episodes · as Ellen DeGeneres

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Wisecracks(1991)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Ellen DeGeneres (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Open House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 24 episodes · as Margo Van Meter

  • One Night Stand(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer · Actor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Roseanne(1988)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Whitman

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Sesame Street(1969)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • The Oscars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Host

  • Castle Hangnail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Jekyll (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Loving Dory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Dory (voice)

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 64 titles, 61 of them dated from 1953 to 2024; peak year 2016.

Biggest box office

Finding Dory (2016)

$1B worldwide

Highest rated

Finding Nemo (2003)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

MilestoneAward win
19532024

Peak 2016 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting41 of 64: 39 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rdWriting6 of 64: 2 only writing, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thProducing18 of 64: 12 only producing, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thOther crew8 of 64: 4 only other crew, 4 with another role

64 titles, 7 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 1 of them.

By decade

1950s1 · acting1960s1 · acting1980s4 · acting1990s15 · 15 acting · 1 crew2000s18 · 13 acting · 6 crew2010s14 · 4 acting · 10 crew2020s8 · 2 acting · 6 crew

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 18% of 11 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

Awards

a Primetime Emmy, a Golden Globe and 2 other major awards from 32 major nominations, 1995–2020.

WinNomination
  1. 2020
    • Golden Globe, won
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Comedy Album
  2. 2019
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program
  3. 2018
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program
  4. 2014
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Special Class Program
  5. 2013
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling)
  6. 2012
    • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television
  7. 2007
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Variety Television
  8. 2006
    • Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Variety Television
Show 8 earlier years
  1. 2005
    • Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Variety Television
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Comedy Album
  2. 2004
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special
  3. 2001
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television
  4. 2000
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Made for Television Movie
  5. 1998
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Episodic Comedy
  6. 1997
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
  7. 1996
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
  8. 1995
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Ellen DeGeneres' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 49th percentile, the median of all 24; across their 19 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 46th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Approval · how many liked their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Reach · how many have seen their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Midcredits score across 40 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th9

Shape of the crowd

19 of their 40 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed19

Most divisive · actor, writer, producer

Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval (2024)

93rd percentile spread · 51% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Finding Nemo (2003)

Midcredits 99th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 65/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Ellen DeGeneres' work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, 1 of the 5 categories sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 32 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles12–58 · median 25 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 15 · mildMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 11 · minimalMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 31 · mildMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Ellen DeGeneres work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ellen DeGeneres' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jeff Kleeman shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles