Ellen DeGeneres is a person.
The Academy Awards , now known officially as the Oscars , is a set of twenty-four awards for artistic and technical merit in the American film industry , given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , to recognize excellence in cinematic achievements as assessed by the Academy 's voting membership . Ellen Lee DeGeneres ( [ dᵻˈdʒɛnərᵻs ] born January 26 , 1958 ) is an American comedian , television host , actress , writer , and producer . DeGeneres starred in the popular sitcom Ellen from 1994 to 1998 and has hosted her syndicated TV talk show , The Ellen DeGeneres Show , since 2003 . She starred in two television sitcoms , Ellen from 1994 to 1998 , and The Ellen Show from 2001 to 2002 .