11 times Ellie Kemper proved she’s a literal ray of sunshine

Is there any actor who sparks joy like Ellie Kemper? Whether it's her adorable alternative swears (Ham sandwich! Fudgsicles!) or gigantic grin and sunny disposition, she’s been cracking us up for years in her stand-up, scripted roles and everything in between. On May 2, the actress celebrates her 40th birthday and we’re here to remind everyone that this gal knows how to glow brighter than the candles on a cake. In fact, here’s proof that she’s a downright ray of sunshine.

11. When she clocked into The Office as the new Pam…

By the time Kemper got to The Office, the show was already in its fifth season. Erin was “a 115-pound moonbeam” who couldn’t go by her real name because there was already a Kelly, but she happily obliged to fit in. Who didn’t instantly fall in love with Erin’s wide-eyed optimism and creepy AF background? Even the producers were all-in on her charm, and what started out as a four-episode arc became a full-time gig for Kemper in season six.

10. When she was one half of Subtle Sexuality

Who could forget Subtle Sexuality, aka the girl band Kelly (Mindy Kaling) and Erin created? The music video for their wannabe hit, “Male Prima Donna” just makes you want to throw on a pair of gold tights and dance along. With guest appearances by “Nard Dog” (Ed Helms) and “Mr. Understood” (B.J. Novak), it’s the silly/amazing music video that keeps on giving.

9. That time she made out with Wendi McLendon-Covey

They may not have joined the Mile-High Club, but Kemper and Wendi McLendon-Covey got pretty darned close as their characters Becca and Rita in Bridesmaids. Sure, many people were all-in on Kristen Wiig’s inebriated charm as Annie on the plane trip gone wrong, but Becca’s sexual awakening during those scenes was like a Kemper revelation for fans and let viewers see a whole new side of her. It also had a few of us reaching for those double Seven and Sevens…

8. When she made toast for David Letterman

Kemper has spoken out before about her fear of bombing on late night television, especially in front of her hero David Letterman. So she put a whole heck of a lot of thought into her third and final appearance on his former show, and decided to bring a toaster. But not just any toaster—one that toasted the host’s face. A talking point and something to snack on? That’s just the ultimate Ellie Kemper experience. It was memorable enough to bring up later on, during a Live With Kelly segment where we got to hear how the whole thing came together.

7. How she brought light to the dark part of a bunker girl

When Tina Fey creates a role for you, you know you’ve made the big leagues. But really, could you picture anyone else playing the unbreakable personality that is Kimmy Schmidt, especially when you stop to think about how dark that character could have been? Kemper paired a bright wardrobe with eternal optimism and an ability to make every single situation fun, so that just thinking about Kimmy brings a smile to your face. The fact that the show's theme song matches that energy is just a bonus smile.

6. When she compared her childhood to a squirrel

Are you really a female comedian if you haven’t released a memoir? In 2018, Kemper joined the likes of Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Lena Dunham, Mindy Kaling and Amy Schumer and released her own book. My Squirrel Days is a collection of stories that doesn’t just give readers new insights into her upbringing and (now) famous life, but the self-deprecating yet optimistic humour is exactly what we’ve come to know and love from the actress-author.

 

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Well what have we here in my grubby little hands?! The PAPERBACK of my book!!! Get YOUR grubby little hands on #mysquirreldays in paperback JULY 2 wherever books are sold. ? ? ?

A post shared by Ellie Kemper (@elliekemper) on Jun 11, 2019 at 8:14am PDT

5. When she opened up about the importance of team sports

Can you picture Kemper as an aggressive field hockey player? Of course you can. The actress actually played competitively growing up, and she was the co-captain of her high school team. She even made the Princeton squad later on, but wound up leaving after she spent more time warming the bench than playing. Always the optimist, she revealed that quitting led her towards comedy, so things really worked out in the end. Now it’s just something for her to brag about. "I’m so proud of the fact that I used to be a jock," she told Good Morning America. "I bring it up at like every opportunity, like, 'Well, when I played field hockey ... '"

 

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A gentle reminder that not only was I, excuse me, the CO-CAPTAIN of my high school field hockey team (not a big deal!!), but also that my John Burroughs Bombers play Villa Duchesne in the Midwest Field Hockey semifinals this afternoon! We lost to Villa in the finals my sophomore year and I cried and listened to Fake Plastic Trees on a loop afterwards. BUT NOT TODAY!!!! GO BOMB BEAT VILLA!!!!! @jbsvarsityfhockey2k19 @radiohead #fbf

A post shared by Ellie Kemper (@elliekemper) on Nov 1, 2019 at 12:28pm PDT

4.That time she acknowledged Canada in her stand-up act

It’s safe to say Kemper won’t be moving to our home and native land anytime soon, not since she joked at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal that she once went to Quebec City in February and stood outside for two minutes. “So now I can’t bear children,” joked the now-mother-of-two. Still, we Canadians tend to really like being acknowledged by our American counterparts, so fans were clearly all over the act… and they were even more charmed when Kemper busted out a song about making people happy.

3. When she agreed to star in the Home Alone remake

We may have mixed feelings about one of the most perfect Christmas movies of all time being remade with brand new characters. But knowing that Kemper is on board is the sunny ray of hope diehard Home Alone fans need. Not only will she bring charm to the film, but the actress is returning to Montreal to finish shooting it in the near future. Here’s hoping she gathers up even more Canadian material for her next stand-up act.

 

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We’re not cold YOU’RE COLD (also we are freezing) @pellegrinokatie #canada #coldlife

A post shared by Ellie Kemper (@elliekemper) on Feb 7, 2020 at 8:54am PST

2. When she gave the perfect keynote address at Princeton

As a former Princeton student, Kemper had every right to be a bit serious when she gave a keynote address to last year’s students. But she did the address her way, with a whole lot of positivity and that same sense of humour we've come to love.“As an actress, I have chosen a career that is defined by unpredictability,” she said. “This is difficult for me because I’m a person who likes to stick to a plan. So when I go from playing a ditzy receptionist on The Office to jumping into the challenge of playing a ditzy bridesmaid in Bridesmaids, to making a sharp right turn to playing a ditzy Kimmy Schmidt on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, I have to learn to be adaptable.”

 

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Today I had the honor of being the Class Day speaker for @princeton’s Great Class of 2019!!! I also have officially become their HONORARY CLASS MEMBER. This means not only am I young again, but I am beyond indebted to these fantastic, kind, hard-working graduates. Thank you for the warmest welcome ever. And thank you in advance for going out into the world and fixing it. (Special shout-outs to Chris Umanzor, Susan Liu, Nicole Kalhorn, Carly Bonnet, Chelsea Ng, Kauribel Javier, Peyton Lawrenz, Ling Ritter, Jordan Salama, Chris Kellogg-Peeler, Maya Aronoff, Tom Dunne, and President Eisgruber.) (And my mom and husband, who helped me write my speech.) GO TIGERS!!!! ?????

A post shared by Ellie Kemper (@elliekemper) on Jun 3, 2019 at 7:13pm PDT

1. When she reunited with Jon Hamm to bring the world more Kimmy Schmidt

On May 12, Kemper is reminding the world that we all deserve nice things when she teams with Jon Hamm (again) and Daniel Radcliffe (hi there!) for the interactive Kimmy Schmidt special, Kimmy vs. The Reverend. Not only is it a chance for Kimmy fans to see Kemper one last time in her Emmy-nominated role, but it’s an interactive choose-your-own-adventure episode that offers up endless possibilities. As Kimmy would say, "That’s awesomesauce!"[video_embed id='1509538']BEFORE YOU GO: Ellie Kemper says we should stop using 'LOL' in texts[/video_embed]