Tracey Ullman, born Trace Ullman on December 30, 1959, in Slough, Buckinghamshire, England, is a British-American actress, comedian, singer, dancer, screenwriter, producer, and director.
Renowned for her versatility and sharp wit, Ullman has carved out a remarkable career spanning over four decades in television, film, and theater.
She holds dual British and American citizenship, having become a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2003.
Ullman’s ability to seamlessly shift between characters and accents has earned her comparisons to Peter Sellers, and she is celebrated for her pioneering work in sketch comedy.
Ullman’s talent for performance emerged early, as she and her sister performed shows to lift their mother’s spirits, laying the groundwork for her multifaceted career.
Siblings
Tracey has one sibling, an older sister named Patti Ullman.
The sisters grew up together in Slough, Buckinghamshire, and later in Hackbridge, southwest London, after their father’s death.
Patti was described by Tracey as the “glamorous one” in the family, in contrast to Tracey’s self-described role as the “funny one who looked like a troll.”
Patti trained as an accountant and at one point worked as a Playboy bunny, though Tracey noted this role likely involved managing the till rather than performing as a traditional bunny.
Career
Ullman’s career began in the United Kingdom, where she honed her skills at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts after winning a scholarship at age 12.
She started as a dancer and singer, performing in West End musicals like Grease and The Rocky Horror Show.
Her breakthrough came with British television sketch comedy shows, including A Kick Up the Eighties alongside Rik Mayall and Miriam Margolyes, and Three of a Kind with Lenny Henry and David Copperfield, which earned her a BAFTA in 1984.
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Ullman also ventured into music, releasing the album You Broke My Heart in 17 Places in 1983, which included the hit single “They Don’t Know,” a UK and U.S. chart success featuring a cameo by Paul McCartney in its music video.
In 1985, she starred as Candice Valentine in the sitcom Girls on Top with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.
That same year, persuaded by her husband, producer Allan McKeown, Ullman moved to the United States, where she launched The Tracey Ullman Show on Fox from 1987 to 1990.
Ullman continued her television success with HBO’s Tracey Takes On… (1996–1999), showcasing her talent for character-driven comedy and earning multiple Emmy Awards.
She returned to British television in 2016 with Tracey Ullman’s Show, followed by the topical comedy series Tracey Breaks the News in 2017, where she portrayed figures like Theresa May and Angela Merkel.
Ullman’s film career includes roles in Plenty (1985), Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993), Bullets Over Broadway (1994), and Into the Woods (2014), demonstrating her range in both comedic and dramatic roles.
Accolades
Ullman has won seven Primetime Emmy Awards, including three for The Tracey Ullman Show, one for outstanding individual performance in 1990, and others for her HBO special Tracey Takes On New York (1993) and the series Tracey Takes On… (1996–1999).
She earned a Golden Globe Award in 1988 for best actress in a television series for The Tracey Ullman Show and received additional nominations in 1989 and 1990.
Ullman has garnered 22 Emmy nominations overall, reflecting her consistent excellence in television. She also won a BAFTA Award in 1984 for Three of a Kind and received a nomination for best supporting actress for Plenty in 1986.
Her work has earned her twelve American Comedy Awards, four Satellite Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Drama Desk nomination for her one-woman Broadway show The Big Love in 1991.
In 2017, she was named Britain’s richest comedian and the second-richest British actress, with an estimated net worth of £80 million (approximately $115 million as of 2017).
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