SL_FEATURE_ELLIE_KEMPER_0219_Feature 2 / 13 / 19 3 : 46 PM Page 2 From her days at Princeton to the steps of the Art Museum , actress and author ELLIE KEMPER enjoys life to the fullest . necklaces that say ‘ Kimmy , ’ and she’s kind following her rescue from the cult where LLIE KEMPER TRACES HER VIVID of a nerd . At the same time , she has bee she has spent the past n 15 years . Produced IMAGINATION BACK TO HER through something I could never imagine by Upper Darby’s Tina Fey , the show is CHILDHOOD DAYS WHEN SHE having to go through . So , I hope I share now in its fourth and final season on WOULD CLIMB INTO THE TREE some of those stalwart qualities . ” Netflix , where it has enjoyed great success HOUSE AT HER SUBURBAN ST . These days , the Miss and further cemented Kemper’s place in ouri native makes . SHE WOULD PLAY WITH LOUIS HOME the limelight . her home in Manhattan with Michael NATALIE , AN OVERWEIGHT SQUIRREL Koman , her husband of six years , and THAT OFTEN VISITED HER TO FEAST ON their 2 - year - old son , James . ‘ Rugged , Fierce , Girlish ’ A STEADY DIET OF CRACKERS , COOKIES , “ WILD BERRIES . If there is one thread throughout her personal One of my favorite things is going to AND WITHERED life an the park with him , ” she says . “ I love just One may think befriending , even nam - d career , it seems to be her gusto for watching him — even at the tender age ing , a squirrel may seem like something going for what she wants — whether it’s of 2 — become more independent . ” one would keep to themselves , but Kem - tackling new motherhood , honing her pas - It seems per isn sion for acting , or as though comedy runs in ’ t shy . In fact , her seemingly carefree indulging in guilty pleasures , the family . Kemper says young James often personality radiates from her , whether such as a big , gooey scoop of buttercake makes “ these hilarious facial expressions , she’s on screen or sitting across the table . ice cream . and he will say things to Kemper’s earl Recently the 38 - year - old , who attended me and it makes y predisposition to cre - Princeton Unive me laugh like an adult makes me laugh . ” ativity helped catapult her into the spotlight rsity where she played field When asked what kind of mother with a breakthrough role in the Emmy - hockey , became an author , scribing her first she thinks she is , Kemper expresses a bit award winning sitcom , The O book , the aptly named My Squirrel Days . ffice , where of amus The book is a collectio she played the slightly dimwitted Erin ement . n of essays chronicling Hannon for the show’s final five seasons . the bumps , bruises , and discoveries she From there she would co - star in the raunch had along the way to her many accolades . y Kemper’s good fortune has left m comedic film Bridesmaids before ultimately any landing on the quirky sitcom The Unbreak - fans wondering if she’s as happy - go - lucky able Kimmy Schmidt , which follows as her TV alter ego . “ I know that my the adventures of face hurts a little at the end of the day Kemper’s from smilin eponymous character as g so much when I play she navigates the streets Kimmy , ” she says . “ But I think that one of New York City of my favorite things about Kimmy is that she is so rugged and fierce , while also being really girlish . She wears pink pants , I know that my KEMPER ON THE SET OF THE face hurts a little at UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT the end of the day smiling so from much when I play Kimmy . S U B U R B A N L I F E M A G A Z I N E | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9 | S U B U R B A N L I F E M A G A Z I N E . C O M 35