Oprah Winfrey was born January 29,1954 in Kosciusko, Mississippi to a Baptist family. She was originally named Orpah Gail Winfrey, after the Bible Book of Ruth. She is best know for her role in The Color Purple  were she was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe. Following the success of the movies. The television network expanded her talk show to one hour and renamed it The Oprah Winfrey Show.

In 1998, Oprah was chosen by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People of the 20^th Century. Later that year, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television and Sciences.