Born: January 29, 1954, Kosciusko, Mississippi, U.S.
Oprah Winfrey is an American talk-show host and actor, whose nationally syndicated programme became one of the most popular on television. A major factor in the success of the show is Winfrey’s ability to connect emotionally with her guests.
Born in Kosciusko, Mississippi, to unmarried parents who separated after her birth, Winfrey had a troubled childhood, experiencing neglect and sexual abuse. At the age of 13, she went to live with her father in Nashville, Tennessee. There, she became an excellent student, winning a full scholarship to Tennessee State University. While in college Winfrey became the first black woman to anchor the news on the local Nashville television station.
After graduating from college in 1976, Winfrey worked as a television newscaster and then as a talk-show host in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1984, she became the host of the talk show A.M. Chicago. In 1985, the show was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show. Dealing openly with controversial subjects, it achieved national syndication in 1986. That same year, Winfrey formed Harpo Productions to produce her show and other projects. One of her show’s most popular segments is “Oprah’s Book Club.” Beginning in 1996, this book discussion aired several times a year, each time centred around a piece of work chosen by Winfrey. In addition to her work on her long-running talk show, Winfrey appeared in several motion pictures. The most prominent were adapted from well-known novels by African- American writers. Winfrey’s role as Sofia in The Colour Purple (1985; adapted from the book by Alice Walker) won her a 1986 Academy Award nomination as the best supporting actress. She also appeared in Native Son (1986; from the book by Richard Wright) and produced and co-starred in the television miniseries The Women of Brewster Place (1989; from the book by Gloria Naylor). In 1998 Winfrey appeared as the character Sethe in the film Beloved, which was adapted from the novel by Toni Morrison.
Winfrey has demonstrated her long-standing interest in other ways as well. In 2000, the periodical O. The Oprah Magazine made a debut with Winfrey as its guiding force.
