Oprah Winfrey Trivia

Oprah Winfrey trivia highlights the remarkable rise of a media trailblazer whose influence spans television, publishing, film, and philanthropy. Best known for hosting The Oprah Winfrey Show, which ran in national syndication from 1986 to 2011, she helped redefine daytime TV while building one of the most recognizable personal brands in modern media.

Editorial portrait for Oprah Winfrey

Easy Oprah Winfrey Trivia

13 questions

These easy Oprah Winfrey trivia questions are great for beginners and kids around age 12 and under.

  1. Question 1

    What is Oprah Winfrey's full birth name?

    Answer: Oprah Gail Winfrey

    Oprah's full birth name is Oprah Gail Winfrey.

  2. Question 2

    On what date was Oprah Winfrey born?

    Answer: January 29, 1954

    Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954.

  3. Question 3

    In what Mississippi town was Oprah Winfrey born?

    Answer: Kosciusko, Mississippi

    Oprah Winfrey was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi.

  4. Question 4

    Oprah is best known as the host of what TV show?

    Answer: The Oprah Winfrey Show

    Oprah is best known is the host of The Oprah Winfrey Show.

  5. Question 5

    What year did The Oprah Winfrey Show enter national syndication?

    Answer: 1986

    The Oprah Winfrey Show entered national syndication in 1986.

  6. Question 6

    What year did The Oprah Winfrey Show come to an end?

    Answer: 2011

    The Oprah Winfrey Show ended in 2011.

  7. Question 7

    Which city served as the base for The Oprah Winfrey Show?

    Answer: Chicago

    The Oprah Winfrey Show was based in Chicago.

  8. Question 8

    Oprah Winfrey is widely known for working in what on-camera role?

    Answer: talk show host

    Oprah Winfrey is an American talk show host.

  9. Question 9

    Besides hosting, Oprah has also worked behind the scenes as a what?

    Answer: television producer

    Oprah Winfrey is also a television producer.

  10. Question 10

    Oprah has also appeared in movies as an what?

    Answer: actress

    Oprah Winfrey has worked is an actress.

  11. Question 11

    Oprah Winfrey has published written work as an what?

    Answer: author

    Oprah Winfrey is an author.

  12. Question 12

    For how many years did The Oprah Winfrey Show run in national syndication?

    Answer: 25 years

    The Oprah Winfrey Show ran for 25 years in national syndication.

  13. Question 13

    What cable network did Oprah launch in 2011?

    Answer: OWN

    Oprah launched the cable network OWN in 2011.

Oprah Winfrey Family Trivia

12 questions

These family Oprah Winfrey trivia questions are built for mixed-age game nights, classrooms, and groups.

  1. Question 1

    What was the first name of Oprah Winfrey's mother?

    Answer: Vernita Lee

    Oprah's mother was named Vernita Lee.

  2. Question 2

    Who was Oprah Winfrey's father?

    Answer: Vernon Winfrey

    Oprah's father was Vernon Winfrey.

  3. Question 3

    Oprah spent part of her childhood in which Wisconsin city?

    Answer: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    One of Oprah's childhood homes was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

  4. Question 4

    As a child, Oprah also lived in which Tennessee city?

    Answer: Nashville, Tennessee

    Oprah also lived in Nashville, Tennessee, during childhood.

  5. Question 5

    Which grandmother helped raise Oprah for a time?

    Answer: Hattie Mae Lee

    Oprah was raised for a time by her grandmother Hattie Mae Lee.

  6. Question 6

    What job did Oprah's father work in?

    Answer: barber

    Oprah's father worked is a barber.

  7. Question 7

    What kind of work did Oprah's mother do?

    Answer: maid

    Oprah's mother worked is a maid.

  8. Question 8

    What is the name of Oprah's half-brother?

    Answer: Jeffrey Lee

    Oprah has a half-brother named Jeffrey Lee.

  9. Question 9

    Which of these is Oprah Winfrey's half-sister?

    1. A.Patricia Lofton
    2. B.Vernita Lee
    3. C.Hattie Mae Lee
    4. D.Orpah

    Answer: Patricia Lofton

    Oprah has a half-sister named Patricia Lofton.

  10. Question 10

    Oprah got her surname from her father. What is that surname?

    Answer: Winfrey

    Her surname, Winfrey, came from her father Vernon Winfrey.

  11. Question 11

    As a girl, what nickname did Oprah earn for reciting Bible verses?

    Answer: The Preacher

    Oprah was nicknamed 'The Preacher' is a girl.

  12. Question 12

    How old was Oprah when she learned to read?

    Answer: age 2

    Oprah learned to read at age 2.

Fun Oprah Winfrey Trivia

13 questions

These fun Oprah Winfrey trivia questions highlight surprising moments and playful facts for game-night groups.

  1. Question 1

    Which beauty pageant crown did Oprah win in 1972?

    1. A.Miss Black Tennessee
    2. B.Miss Tennessee
    3. C.Miss Black America
    4. D.Miss Nashville

    Answer: Miss Black Tennessee

    Oprah won the Miss Black Tennessee beauty pageant in 1972.

  2. Question 2

    At just 19, Oprah made TV history at which Nashville station?

    1. A.WTVF
    2. B.WKRN-TV
    3. C.WLAC-TV
    4. D.WSMV-TV

    Answer: WLAC-TV

    At age 19, Oprah became the youngest and first Black female news anchor at WLAC-TV in Nashville.

  3. Question 3

    Before her national fame exploded, Oprah co-hosted which Baltimore talk show?

    1. A.Talk of the Town
    2. B.People Are Talking
    3. C.Baltimore Mornings
    4. D.City Talk Live

    Answer: People Are Talking

    Oprah later co-hosted the Baltimore talk show People Are Talking.

  4. Question 4

    What year did Oprah head to Chicago to host AM Chicago?

    1. A.1984
    2. B.1980
    3. C.1982
    4. D.1986

    Answer: 1984

    Oprah moved to Chicago in 1984 to host AM Chicago.

  5. Question 5

    AM Chicago pulled off what local-ratings magic trick within months of Oprah taking over?

    1. A.It stayed in last place
    2. B.It became a weekend-only show
    3. C.It moved to radio
    4. D.first in local ratings

    Answer: It rose to first in local ratings.

    Within months, AM Chicago rose from last place to first in local ratings.

  6. Question 6

    The Oprah Winfrey Show was produced by which company?

    1. A.Winfrey Media Group
    2. B.O Magazine Productions
    3. C.Harpo Productions
    4. D.OWN Studios

    Answer: Harpo Productions

    The Oprah Winfrey Show was produced by Harpo Productions.

  7. Question 7

    Harpo has a simple secret. What is it?

    1. A.Oprah spelled backward
    2. B.It is her middle name
    3. C.It is her childhood nickname
    4. D.It is an acronym

    Answer: It is Oprah spelled backward.

    Harpo is Oprah spelled backward.

  8. Question 8

    Which magazine did Oprah launch in 2000?

    1. A.O Living
    2. B.Harpo Magazine
    3. C.O, The Oprah Magazine
    4. D.The Oprah Weekly

    Answer: O, The Oprah Magazine

    Oprah launched O, The Oprah Magazine in 2000.

  9. Question 9

    What was the name of Oprah’s holiday feature that turned gift lists into a yearly event?

    1. A.Favorite Things
    2. B.Holiday Must-Haves
    3. C.Best Gift Picks
    4. D.Oprah’s Wish List

    Answer: Favorite Things

    Oprah introduced her 'Favorite Things' holiday feature on her show.

  10. Question 10

    In a famously over-the-top 2004 giveaway, Oprah surprised every audience member with what car model?

    1. A.Ford Focus
    2. B.Chevrolet Malibu
    3. C.Toyota Camry
    4. D.Pontiac G6

    Answer: Pontiac G6

    In 2004, Oprah gave Pontiac G6 cars to every audience member in a famous episode.

  11. Question 11

    In Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time, which mystical character did Oprah play?

    1. A.Mrs. Who
    2. B.Mrs. Whatsit
    3. C.Aunt Beast
    4. D.Mrs. Which

    Answer: Mrs. Which

    Oprah starred is Mrs. Which in the 2018 film A Wrinkle in Time.

  12. Question 12

    Which character did Oprah voice in The Princess and the Frog?

    1. A.Tiana
    2. B.Charlotte
    3. C.Mama Odie
    4. D.Eudora

    Answer: Eudora

    Oprah voiced Eudora in Disney's 2009 film The Princess and the Frog.

  13. Question 13

    In Lee Daniels’ The Butler, Oprah played which character?

    1. A.Annie Lee Cooper
    2. B.Sethe
    3. C.Eudora
    4. D.Gloria Gaines

    Answer: Gloria Gaines

    Oprah played Gloria Gaines in Lee Daniels' The Butler.

Funny Oprah Winfrey Trivia

13 questions

These funny Oprah Winfrey trivia questions highlight playful moments, odd facts, and inside jokes.

  1. Question 1

    Which three-word giveaway line from Oprah’s 2004 episode basically made studio audiences everywhere wonder if they should start checking under their seats?

    Answer: You get a car!

    Oprah’s 2004 giveaway episode turned “You get a car!” into a pop-culture catchphrase.

  2. Question 2

    In Oprah’s 1990s wellness era, what slogan asked viewers to do a little self-improvement networking?

    Answer: Make the Connection

    A famously cited Oprah slogan from the 1990s wellness push was “Make the Connection.”.

  3. Question 3

    What was the name of Oprah’s Chicago production campus—also proof that spelling your own name backward can apparently become real estate?

    Answer: Harpo Studios

    Oprah’s production company used a campus in Chicago called Harpo Studios.

  4. Question 4

    On what date did The Oprah Winfrey Show air its final episode, ending one very long run of couch conversations and life advice?

    Answer: May 25, 2011

    The final episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show aired on May 25, 2011.

  5. Question 5

    Which Golden Globes honor did Oprah receive in 2018, the kind of award title that sounds like Hollywood carved it into a mountain?

    Answer: Cecil B. DeMille Award

    Oprah won the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes in 2018.

  6. Question 6

    Which university invited Oprah to give its 2008 commencement speech, trusting she could outshine the graduation caps?

    Answer: Stanford University

    Oprah delivered the commencement speech at Stanford University in 2008.

  7. Question 7

    Oprah helped launch which cable network in 1998, proving she wasn’t content with just one giant media lane?

    Answer: Oxygen

    Oprah was a co-founder of the Oxygen cable network in 1998.

  8. Question 8

    What nickname did Oprah’s Montecito estate receive, as if the property itself expected a dramatic entrance?

    Answer: The Promised Land

    Oprah bought a Montecito, California estate nicknamed “The Promised Land.”.

  9. Question 9

    For many years, who was usually the star of Oprah’s magazine cover—spoiler: the title gives it away a bit?

    Answer: Oprah herself

    For many years, Oprah’s magazine cover usually featured Oprah herself.

  10. Question 10

    Which of these names belonged to one of Oprah’s dogs: Sadie, Max, Charlie, or Daisy?

    1. A.Sadie
    2. B.Charlie
    3. C.Daisy

    Answer: Sadie

    Oprah’s dog names have included Sadie, Sunny, Lauren, Layla, and Luke.

  11. Question 11

    Oprah lent her voice to Deb’s mother in which animated film, a title that sounds like a vacation package with extra aliens?

    Answer: Escape from Planet Earth

    Oprah voiced Deb’s mother in the animated film Escape from Planet Earth.

  12. Question 12

    What is the title of Oprah’s Apple TV+ interview series, in case you wanted the name to be direct and extremely on-brand?

    Answer: The Oprah Conversation

    Oprah’s Apple TV+ interview series is titled The Oprah Conversation.

  13. Question 13

    Oprah’s Book Club later became an interview series on which platform, showing that even reading lists can get a streaming upgrade?

    Answer: Apple TV+

    Oprah’s Apple TV+ book interview series is called Oprah’s Book Club.

Hard Oprah Winfrey Trivia

14 questions

These hard Oprah Winfrey trivia questions are for expert fans who want a real challenge.

  1. Question 1

    For which Academy Award category was Oprah Winfrey nominated for her performance in The Color Purple?

    1. A.Best Original Screenplay
    2. B.Best Supporting Actor
    3. C.Best Supporting Actress
    4. D.Best Actress

    Answer: Best Supporting Actress

    Oprah earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for The Color Purple.

  2. Question 2

    The Oprah Winfrey Show was taped at Harpo Studios on which Chicago street?

    Answer: West Washington Boulevard

    The show was filmed at Harpo Studios on West Washington Boulevard in Chicago.

  3. Question 3

    After taking an ownership stake in 2015, Oprah became the national spokesperson for what company?

    Answer: Weight Watchers

    Oprah became the national spokesperson for Weight Watchers after taking an ownership stake in 2015.

  4. Question 4

    What is the full name of Oprah's school in South Africa?

    Answer: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls

    Her South African school is named the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls.

  5. Question 5

    In what year did the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls open?

    Answer: 2007

    The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls opened in 2007.

  6. Question 6

    Which Emmy honor did Oprah receive in 2002 for humanitarian work?

    Answer: Bob Hope Humanitarian Award

    Oprah received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the Emmy Awards in 2002.

  7. Question 7

    Which publication named Oprah one of the 20th century's most influential people in 1998?

    Answer: Time

    In 1998, Time named Oprah one of the 20th century's most influential people.

  8. Question 8

    According to Forbes in 2003, Oprah became what milestone figure in wealth history?

    Answer: the first Black female billionaire

    Forbes reported Oprah is the first Black female billionaire in 2003.

  9. Question 9

    In 1998, Oprah took the stand in Texas in what kind of trial tied to comments about beef?

    Answer: a veggie libel trial

    Oprah testified in the 1998 Texas 'veggie libel' trial over comments about beef.

  10. Question 10

    The beef industry lawsuit against Oprah came after her show discussed what disease in 1996?

    Answer: Mad Cow disease

    The lawsuit followed a 1996 Mad Cow disease discussion on her show.

  11. Question 11

    Which NAACP honor did Oprah receive in 1994?

    Answer: Hall of Fame Award

    Oprah received the NAACP Hall of Fame Award in 1994.

  12. Question 12

    What major broadcasting award did Oprah win in 1986 for The Color Purple as part of the ensemble's recognition?

    Answer: Peabody Award

    Oprah won a Peabody Award for The Color Purple in 1986 is part of the ensemble's recognition.

  13. Question 13

    In 2021, Oprah was elected to which learned society?

    Answer: the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

    Oprah was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2021.

  14. Question 14

    Which institution gave Oprah its first-ever Porches and Piers excellence distinction in 2021?

    Answer: the Kennedy Center

    Oprah received the Kennedy Center's first-ever Porches and Piers excellence distinction in 2021.

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