Oprah Winfrey biography, age, height, husband, net worth, awards 2024

Biography of Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey is a unique American television host, actress, and the world's first Black female billionaire. She is spoken of as a legend, called a self-made woman, and considered the best role model. She owns an entire media empire: a film studio, "O" magazine, a radio network, and a cable channel.

She was nominated for an Oscar three times, and in 2011, she received an honorary Oscar for her philanthropy. The most distinguished individuals give interviews to Oprah. In 2021, a notable two-hour conversation took place between the host and Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Her net worth is an estimated $3 billion.

Childhood and Youth

Oprah Gail Winfrey was born in the winter of 1954 to a young woman named Vernita Lee in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Initially, she was named after Orpah, the biblical sister-in-law of the virtuous Ruth, but the midwife mixed up the letters and recorded her as Oprah. However, later Winfrey insisted that she changed her name herself because no one could pronounce it correctly.

Her father was Vernon Winfrey. Originally a coal miner, he was serving in the army at the time of her birth and later became a barber and was elected to the city council.

Eighteen-year-old Vernita left the girl in the care of her mother, Hattie Mae, and went to work as a maid in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Oprah recalled:

I never had a family in the full sense of the word. In my life, there was my grandmother separately, my mother separately, my father separately… I called my grandmother 'mom,' and she became my first role model. Of course, she could be strict, sometimes whipping me with a switch for disobedience. However, my grandmother gave me the most precious gift – she taught me to read and write at the age of 2.5 years. I grew up loving books.

Her grandmother said that from the moment her granddaughter started talking, she was drawn to the stage. In early childhood, Oprah interviewed dolls and crows on the fence, and when she went to kindergarten, she wrote a letter to the preparatory class teacher asking to be transferred directly to the first grade. Her request was granted.

After the first year of education, she was promoted directly to the third grade, and her abilities amazed teachers. But everything changed when her mother decided to take her to Milwaukee. The TV host later admitted that recalling those years was particularly difficult and painful for her:

During my absence, she had two more children, my brother and sister. She lived with them and another partner in a house I could never call home or safe. Suspicious faces flitted in and out… At 9 years old, I was sexually abused by my cousin… Other relatives later followed his example...

At that time, Oprah had already tried drugs and learned to steal money from her mother. When she turned 13, she decided to run away from home. But Vernita found her daughter and forced her to return.

At 14, the girl gave birth to a child, conceived after another relative's molestation. The baby lived for only a few days.

It was during this period that her father literally saved Oprah. He took her in, restored her to a normal life, enrolled her in a library, and made her write essays on the books she read. Winfrey was required to add five new words to her vocabulary daily, or she would be left without lunch.

Oprah became the head of the school council, attended extracurricular activities in the debate club, joined a drama group, and participated in various competitions and quizzes. Vernon firmly believed that education would help his daughter in the future. Soon, she became a member of a delegation of outstanding teenagers and visited the White House, where she met President Richard Nixon. At 16, Oprah won a public speaking contest and earned the right to study at Tennessee State University, soon becoming one of its top students.

Career Path

While studying at university, Oprah began working on local television and became the first Black female reporter in Nashville. In 1972, she participated in the "Miss Black America" pageant, where she was noticed and invited to work at the CBS office.

A turning point in her career was Oprah's appointment as the host of the morning talk show "People Are Talking." She admitted that after her first broadcast, she felt like she was breathing for the first time because this job was exactly what she had dreamed of since childhood.

In 1985, Oprah made her big-screen debut. She brilliantly portrayed Sofia in the social drama Steven Spielberg's "The Color Purple," earning nominations for a Golden Globe and an Oscar. She created a wonderful tandem with Whoopi Goldberg. Next came films like "Native Son," where Oprah played the main character's mother, "Throw Mama from the Train" (cameo), and several television series.

The year 1986 became a milestone for her career: more than 130 U.S. cities began broadcasting "The Oprah Winfrey Show." The show became super popular, bringing Oprah not only widespread viewer love but also her first millions. Politicians, actors, musicians, and athletes—nearly five thousand interviews were conducted in a friendly, heart-to-heart format during the show's existence. The program was watched in more than sixty countries worldwide.

Oprah's guests at various times included Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, Michael Jordan, and Whitney Houston. Oprah met the latter privately in the studio, without an audience, as the singer was already ill. "The Oprah Winfrey Show" won numerous prestigious awards, and TV Guide listed it among the fifty most famous American programs.

In 2011, Oprah announced the project's closure. She had the idea to start her own cable channel, OWN:

I was going to launch a spiritual, consciousness-awakening channel! And soon realized: no one needed it. I planned to be the TV chef Anthony Bourdain, but only in the field of spirituality. I wanted to travel from country to country, conduct interviews in remote forests, Eskimo igloos, high mountains worldwide, bringing back samples of enlightenment. My God, if only I knew! America isn't ready for such awakening. Here's what I realized—they need...what to call it? TV snacks. They need enlightenment you can consume on the go.

In 2013, a new film premiered, with Oprah in the leading role of Gloria Gaines. Her co-stars in the biographical drama "The Butler" included Forest Whitaker, John Cusack, and Jane Fonda. Another year later, Oprah appeared as an actress in the historical drama "Selma," portraying Ann Lee Cooper. She then played Mavis McCready in the series "Greenleaf," and in 2018, the adventure film "A Wrinkle in Time" premiered, where Oprah compellingly portrayed the character Mrs. Which.

Additionally, the TV host shifted to writing and publishing books, launching the magazine "O," which transitioned to a digital version in 2020. She also focused on other ventures: she owns a radio station, a book club, and the production company Harpo Films. Oprah is involved in philanthropy and hosts a home show via video link with famous personalities, discussing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic situation.

Oprah Winfrey's Personal Life

Oprah faced difficulties in her relationships with men for a long time after experiencing abuse in her teenage years. The only child she gave birth to passed away in infancy, and she was unable to have more children.

At one point, tabloids were filled with sensational claims that the television host had a secret son named Calvin Mitchell. She dispelled the rumors, explaining that she simply helped Calvin's mother find a job and move into better housing, and the boy began attending a private school. Oprah refers to the girls from the Leadership Academy she founded in South Africa as her daughters.

Her personal life is also settled in a way that suits her preferences. Winfrey has lived for over thirty years with American businessman, educator, and author Stedman Graham. Both describe their relationship as a "spiritual union."

In 1992, the couple had a commitment ceremony, although they never officially married. Neither Oprah nor Stedman comment on their decision, but the television host once mentioned that traditional husband and wife roles do not suit them. There were rumors of their separation for a while, but Winfrey and Graham never commented on it, continuing to appear together at events.

Oprah Winfrey Today

The most notable event in the TV host's life in 2021 was her sensational interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex—Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The revelations of the British royal family members, stripped of titles and powers, were widely discussed in the media for a long time. The interview was even nominated for an Emmy in the category of "Outstanding Informational Series or Special," but Oprah did not receive the coveted statue. The Television Academy awarded the prize to the documentary mini-series about actor Stanley Tucci's journey through Italy.

Winfrey's fans and supporters of the Sussexes were convinced that the royal family was involved, allegedly bribing academy members, while opponents of the controversial interview believed the academy made the right choice by selecting an informative and positive film as the winner.

Meanwhile, with Prince Harry's assistance, Oprah presented to viewers a documentary on mental health, "The Me You Can't See," featuring many celebrities who have faced various mental health challenges in their lives.

Interesting Facts

One of the shocks Oprah Winfrey experienced during her teenage years was her father's ban on keeping a dog at home, which she brought from Milwaukee. The puppy disappeared, and she promised herself that as soon as she had money, she would have as many dogs as she wanted. After becoming famous, she had eleven dogs at her home in Indiana, and when her father visited, she told him that it was their house and they needed to ask the dogs' permission to sit in a chair. Later, the TV host called her action hypercompensation.
In 2017, Winfrey published her own cookbook, "Food, Health, and Happiness: 115 On-Point Recipes for Great Meals and a Better Life." It was followed by the collection "The Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations," which included interviews with many of her famous guests.
A recipient of numerous awards, Oprah is most proud of having a street in Chicago named after her. The TV host admitted that when she moved there, she walked almost the entire city on her first day.
Winfrey considers Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" the greatest love story, and prefers watching the TV series "Desperate Housewives."

Important Life Events

1970: Enrolled at Tennessee State University. Became the youngest reporter and the first African-American woman reporter at CBS in Nashville.
1972: Won the Miss Black Tennessee beauty pageant.
1976: Started working on the morning talk show "People Are Talking" in Baltimore.
1985: Debuted in the film "The Color Purple." Nominated for a Golden Globe and an Oscar.
1986: Created her own television program "The Oprah Winfrey Show."
1992: Married businessman Stedman Graham.
1998: Appeared in the film "Beloved." Received a People's Choice Award.
2000: Received an Emmy Award for Best Television Movie.
2002: Opened the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa with Nelson Mandela.
2007: Named the most influential woman by Forbes.
2009: Named the most influential person in show business by Forbes.
2011: Announced the closure of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Founded her own television network OWN. Received an Oscar.
2013: Appeared in the film "The Butler." Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
2018: Appeared in the film "A Wrinkle in Time." Received a Golden Globe Award.
2020: Released the "O" magazine in digital format. Published several books.
2021: Conducted a high-profile interview with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, which was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special.